Legendary longtime Avenue Edit talent Terry Kaney will be inducted into the AICE Hall of Fame at the AICE Awards May 12, in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier where 81 editors will be honored in 27 categories.
“As an editor he upheld the finest traditions of caring for your craft, and passed those lessons on to the assistants, producers and editors who worked with him. For those reasons and many others we proudly welcome him to our Hall of Fame,” says Optimus’ Tom Duff, Chicago AICE chapter president.
An native of northwestern Illinois Forreston and graduate of NIU, Kaney spent 25 years at Avenue Edit, during which time the company grew from a small boutique with five employees to a multi-office shop with 70 people on staff. Kaney retired from editing in 2005 and Avenue Edit closed in 2008 after 28 years in business.
The award-winning editor – Kaney amassed many honors including seven Cannes Lions and five Clios – was known as a master storyteller with an innate feel for dialogue and performance.
Says former Leo Burnett CD David Linne, “I’ve shot more work with Joe Pytka than any other director, and edited more spots with Terry Kaney than any other editor. He’s that good.”
And Pytka recalls, “He understood the material intuitively, and I was always confident when working with him. Everything we sent him, he made it better.”
The Colonie’s Mary Caddy, Kaney’s EP at Avenue Edit for 14 years, remembers well his talent for creating strongly emotional spots that “took creative director to a new level,” she says.
“His sensitivity, mastery of his craft and ability to take a piece of film and have the viewer touched in some way separated him from other editors. Working with him was quite an honor. For me, it’s a cherished memory.”
Kaney’s says he’s “very excited” about the Hall of Fame induction. “It’s very rewarding and nice to know that youre work made an impression on people and they remembered it.”
The people, he says, are what he misses most. “There was a real community feeling to the industry, and you felt you were part of something larger. Everyone helped each other and respected each other. Just being able to make great friends and feel that you were part of a team is something that was very gratifying.”
Kaney is currently in the wine business and working with a winemaker in Oregon who is helping him develop several varietals.
The AICE Awards expect an audience of some 600, from throughout the US and Canada, says AICE International President Craig Duncan of Cutters.
Individual tickets are $225 and may be purchased here.
Awards evening agency sponsors to date are McGarryBowen, Leo Burnett, O&M, Energy BBDO, Cavalry, OKRP and FCB Chicago. Additional sponsors are AICE Awards sponsors include Avid, Simian online hosting site, LBBOnline/Little Black Book and Pond 5 stock footage.
