About Giljotin
Film editor Anders Teigen established the editing suite Giljotin in Oslo 2007. However, in 2010, family and business were moved to his birth town Trondheim, where the suite is located at an old wharf warehouse with a panoramic view of the city.
The name “Giljotin” is the Norwegian spelling of “Guillotine”. The apparatus were popularised during the French Revolution, and in 1793 Queen Marie Antoinette was effectively edited out of the French storyline. “Kill your darlings” is a well known proverb in film editing.
The “Guillotine” is also a nickname for the film joiner of old. In addition to be able to join two pieces of film, it also - maybe not so surprisingly - could slice off the head, tail or middle as was called for.
If you walk out on the pier where Giljotin is situated, you will be able to see the island of Munkholmen. In the age of Vikings it was known as Nidarholm, the place for public executions. For the historical interested visitor, there is an intriguing story about how the heads of Earl Håkon and his servant Kark ended up on poles out there. They were certainly beheaded by blunter tools than the efficient French contraption, and for the really philosophical reader it may serve as an inspiration to reflect on “rough cut” versus “fine cut”. Giljotin always strive to offer both.
