It’s hard to believe this Christmas Gift Ideas for the Editor is now in its 12th year. This is the original Christmas Gift Ideas for the Editor so whether the imitators call it Film Editors or Video Editors, it all began here.

Have a look back: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Flanders Scientific Monitor

I dream of the day I have an FSI monitor all of my own. So if you’re so inclined to send me one I’d be very happy with the BM241.

This is one of the best color-accurate displays out there for the edit suite. At 24-inches it’s a good size for most desks and is feature-rich to serve any editor well. Yes, it’s 8-bit but for a lot of editor color grading jobs, it’s plenty and is so much better than what many are using. At $3,195 it won’t completely break the bank.

For those editors you love the most step up to the 10-bit DM241 for a little less that $1,000 more. Come to think of it, a grading monitor like this is a long term investment and if you’re doing serious grading then the extra cost for the DM241 would be worth it.

Do let me know when you’re shipping it to me so I can be on the lookout. That includes you too Santa.

MuteMe illuminated mute button

Yes, we all know what it’s like to be muted during a zoom when we don’t want to be. Or we see someone jabbering away while being muted and we think … they need help. How about a dedicated, giant, physical mute button that will make you the envy of the Zoom? That is MuteMe. It’s real, it costs $39 and you can buy one though it might be back-ordered as these things seem to be popular. You have questions, they have answers.

What a world.

BusyBox

In the spirit of MuteMe, how about BusyBox? We’re all busy and don’t want to be disturbed so a light-up sign can tell the annoying folks in your life to get lost.

For $149 you can get the BusyBox which has several premade messages you can slide in. Things like BUSY, ON AIR, RECORDING or ON A CALL are a few in the $12 standard message pack. For $29 add things like COME IN and MEETING among others. You can pre-order the $299 BusyBox D with a fancy LCD display. And watch this:

That video ⬆️ even says that is an EDITING message!!!

FluidStance Slope

I’m a fan of both FluidStance products as well as physically writing notes. So the $59 Slope is a nice desk addition.

It’s a little dry erase board thing that sits just above your keyboard that might reduce your dependence on Post-It Notes. It’s made of steel so you can put magnets on it too if you want. FluidStance products are very high quality and this should be as well. I’d love to have one of these for my desk.

before & afters

I know it’s not the in thing these days but how about an honest-to-goodness print magazine to browse in the evenings to rest your eyes from glowing screens? before and afters is a visual effects and animation mag that began online only but has recently gone to print.

It’s a labor of love for creator Ian Failes and sure to be a favorite gift for the movie fan in your life or you yourself. You can get a subscription here or buy individual issues. Shipping is worldwide. The magazine is young so giving or getting a subscription for Christmas this year could help it grow.

A mini pool table

If have the space in your edit suite or the surrounding common area how about a fun little item to break up the day. A portable pool table is simple, fun and won’t break the bank. Best of all the physical movement can help get out a few frustrations out after getting yet another round of notes that you know won’t make the show any better.

These things are easy to find and an Amazon search will reveal many so give a read over this rundown of 7 best portable pool tables as there are some good examples in there.

The Editor t-shirt

What Christmas gift list would be complete without print-on-demand t-shirts? How about this $20 The Editor t-shirt. Of course we no longer cut film with scissors but that’s what makes it so hip. Isn’t it?

All the usual t-shirt suspects are here on the website so you can browse and buy your filmmaking swag for everyone on your list.

I asked the good folks of post-production Twitter about some Christmas Gift ideas they might have and I got some other good ideas. Many of these items have been part of our lists in the past but they are still great ideas. Thanks to all and Happy Holidays to all.

Maxed out MacBook Pro.
LG G1 or Sony A90J OLED
Nikon Z9
Sigma Art lenses
THUNDERBOLT 3 M.2/NVMe adaptors/enclosures

— Mike Curtis (@MikeCurtisPics) November 16, 2021

Coffee subscription?

— trimsplicecut (@trimsplicecut) November 16, 2021

Lighting is a good one https://t.co/VIWfrdyRPu

— Jamie Dickinson (@dickij10) November 16, 2021

El gato Streamdeck of whatever size you can afford

— Steve Hullfish (@SteveHullfish) November 16, 2021

El gato Streamdeck of whatever size you can afford

— Steve Hullfish (@SteveHullfish) November 16, 2021

1Tb of Lucid Link Wasabi storage.

— Ben Holmes (@Bensedits) November 16, 2021

if you can find an SSD RAID that you can fill with 2.5” SSD’s and is potentially bus powered.

— Alister (@alisterrobbie) November 16, 2021

https://t.co/3NEA8qesDS

I’ll provide a beefy discount. 😉

— Roland Kahlenberg (@broadcastGEMs) November 16, 2021

Not sure if this can be “gifted” but a membership to Stu Maschwitz’s Prolost Beta is cheap and provides lots of surprising, unique and useful post tools: https://t.co/o2vy6ebGOl

— Ken Simpson, DGC (@_Citizen_Ken_) November 16, 2021

https://t.co/KFM1Q7Bp81

— Marty Sonnenberg (@martysunmt) November 16, 2021

BMD Micro Panel, Ultrastudio Mini/4K.

— Twain Richardson (@twainrichardson) November 16, 2021