By Simon de Bruyn
Cutting Edge chief executive Ray Smith has explained the details of the staff cuts announced last week, which was a source of confusion in the industry.
Speaking to INSIDEFILM, Smith said that while there had been 12 redundancies in total – equal to a 10 per cent cut in staff across the group – all of these were service staff and “in no way creative personnel”.
He said the post-production house had decided to shut down the full service restaurant it operated in the top floor of its Brisbane facility, which served clients and staff.
“It’s taken a bit of time and this economic climate for us to realise that we are not restaurateurs," he said.
"While it’s extremely disappointing to lose staff, we have reassured clients that all those made redundant were support staff and were in no way creative personnel."
Last week, the company released an unclear press release announcing the changes. It said Cutting Edge would be “returning to its core business, tightening director salaries and reallocating valuable space at their headquarters on the Brisbane River”.
While Smith said the Brisbane based clients would know what the closure and reallocation of the top floor of the Brisbane offices meant, it was a source of confusion for others interstate who presumed the closure of an entire floor meant major changes at the post-production house.