With the evolution of editing technology, courtesy of Avid and other systems, the creative editorial stage will be the site of a larger portion of the post process, and that's a good thing, says Chuck Willis, partner at bicoastal editing company Crew Cuts. "From a technical standpoint, the changes I am anticipating involve the Avid becoming more self-contained in the sense of being able to do everything in one place," says Willis. "That means doing everything from the rough cut to the completed spot all in the one box, then just spitting it out to whatever format - digital beta or DVD or HD - that's being used."

Willis says the trend toward the one-room post system and the blurring of lines between post disciplines is already under way and will continue in the new year. "I think creative people are more in touch with the technical aspects because they are being made so easy to be in touch with. It's now easier for me to do so many things that I would ordinarily have to go to an online house to do."

The skills of the talent behind the controls will evolve commensurately, says Willis. "We go for creative first, because you either have it or you don't," says Willis. "But we do tend now to look at someone who has a feel for both [technical and creative] sides."

Willis, who has demonstrated a flair for comedy, is currently working on a new Bud spot for the Super Bowl directed by Tool's Tom Routson, which will introduce a new character to the lizard saga. But while comedy spots have ruled recently, Willis notes the cyclical nature of the industry in terms of stylistic trends. Perhaps the biggest factor facing post in the future is the Internet and the impact it will have on ads, he says. "When the Internet becomes really interactive and people start programming their own TV, when you will start having as sophisticated ads as you have on TV and when there will be no rules in terms of length of spots, that will open up a whole new venue for advertising."