NEW YORK, NY February 16 ­ Get out your hanky, Disney's SoapNet has arrived. The new cable network airing classic day and night-time soap operas 24/7 is on the air backed by some 75 promos, IDs and bumpers cut, in just six weeks, by the editors at iXL Digital Video Group.

Working with producer David Fowler, Fowler Media, New York, iXL editors Rob Ortiz, John Tierney and Jim Snarski, logged some 16-hour days, plus weekends, to complete the project in time for SoapNet's late January launch date.

"This was a huge project that needed to be completed quickly," said Fowler. "We started in early December and everything had to be completed for the late January launch. That was the creative and technical dilemma we faced. The iXl editors worked round-the-clock to get the project finished. Their talent and effort was the key to success."

"The project was driven by David Fowler," said Ortiz. "If he had walked in and said, 'try this' or 'try that,' we would have been dead because of the tight deadline. Happily, he arrived with a clear, concise vision that really propelled the process."

SoapNet, created by Disney, features reruns of classic daytime and night-time soap operas, like Ryan's Hope, General Hospital, Knot's Landing and Sisters, plus rebroadcasts of current ABC soaps that aired earlier that day. Viewers can also log onto the SoapNet web site for background and additional story details, plot updates, etc.

The on-air package, edited by iXL Digital Video Group, combines footage from the shows, as well as graphic elements created by Telezign, New York. Ortiz began the project with his team of editors organizing the massive amount of soap opera footage provided, which took two full days. Next Ortiz, Tierney and Snarski edited the footage, combining graphics and conforming.

To streamline the approval process, iXL used its iApprove service, a private web site link where clients can view streaming video rough cuts and then email suggestions and approvals.

However, for all of the technical capabilities at his disposal, Ortiz credits the success of the project to the iXL editors who are skilled at both off-line and online editing. If the editing team didn't have both skill sets, it's unlikely the project could have been completed on time." he said. "Jim Snarski, John Tierney and I worked like a tag-team, which made it possible to get the massive project out the door on time."

The iXL Digital Video Group, NYC, provides integrated video and Internet solutions for broadcast, cable, corporate and commercial clients. Its digital post-production facility features unparalleled talent, including Emmy award-winning editors and designers who employ - Flame, Avid and component digital finishing - to expand the frontiers of digital video creativity.