Outside of Four Corners, Alec Cullen isn’t a household name. Inside the program, he’s a legend. Editing the program from 1980 through to 2011, Alec has expertly fashioned some of the most memorable programs – on HIV-AIDS, Alan Bond, the Fiji Coup, the Bangladesh floods, Blue Asbestos Australia’s live export trade to Indonesia, and many more. From 1961 to 1995, Four Corners was shot and edited on film. The processed 16mm reversal film was the only copy and it required real skill to not make any mistakes when cutting the rushes on the Steenbeck editing machine! Alec navigated the transition in 1996 when Four Corners moved to tape and non-linear editing using the AVID editing system. The program is now completely digital and still being edited on AVID. These pictures from Alec’s collection give an insight to his 30-plus years with the program.
Inside the editing suite with Alec Cullen
