This week I have a great conversation with film editor and teacher in the arts, Alaric Martin. I’ve known Alaric for a decade, but until we got on the mics I never really knew him. Sure, I knew he had a long, successful career as a TV commercial editor, and I knew he was editing more long form projects including my former student, Kirby Ashley’s documentary Sideline: The History of Chess From a Black Point of View but I didn’t know how he got here.
Right off the start of our conversation Alaric talks about the influence his father, a postman by profession, aspiring painter by night, had on him, and how it got Alaric to think beyond the five blocks of his Southside of Chicago neighborhood. In our chat Alaric mentions a couple of his father’s paintings and I asked him to send me the pictures you see here. Listen to the podcast to hear the story behind the paintings.
This is Chicago Lake Michigan and was reproduced from a black and white photograph Alaric’s father saw.
And this is The Baptizing Pond,also done from a black and white photograph. Alaric tells me he believes this was the pond where his father was baptized. Each painting is more than 55 years old.
In the podcast we talk a lot about the TV Commercial business, the influence Tom Burrell and the Burrell advertising agency had on his career, and of course we get around to talking about teaching in the arts.
If this isn’t enough, Alaric also did the voice over for Iron Five the documentary about Loyola’s 1963 NCAA men’s basketball champions, and he just opened up his own editing shop, Epilog Design Media Group.
It’s a great conversation, and just goes to show that you can work with someone for years and not really know them. I am glad I had the chance to get to know Alaric a little better.
Listen here:
Teacher Man
