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Advice for an Assistant Editor
I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on this one. I am primarily an Asst. Avid Editor for TV, mainly online. However, I’ve been wanting to head towards the film route for a while, but keep getting sucked back into TV. You can’t beat the paycheck either.
I just need to know where I would start in this. I know a lot has to deal with unions and such. I’m pretty sure I have enough hours to join. Where’s the best place to look for employment. Do I need a reel? If so, what would I use since most of the stuff I work on I don’t edit. I would appreciate any help that you can provide.
Thanks,
Marcus -
4 Replies
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Marcus, there are 2 things you can do. One is to get an asst. editing job on a film or a fictional narrative TV series or show. Also find a low budget indie film that needs an editor and will provide someone like you with an opportunity to edit (for low or no money) so you will have something for your reel. Good places to look are Mandy.com and Craigslist. Don’t worry about the unions, there is plenty of non-union work and if you need to join the union, you have the experience to join as an assistant editor (costs less than an editor). Also, would you be interested in reading a short book that I just wrote called “EDITING REALITY”, and giving me your feedback on it? It hasn’t been published yet and I am testing it with my target readers. It’s about the aesthetics of editing geared toward documentary/reality shows. It’s not long and I hope you’ll learn something. Email me at nushu@optonline.net and I’ll email it over to you for you to review and some questions to answer about it. I’d really appreciate it. Anyone else who is an asst. editor, student or new at editing is also welcome to contact me to review the book.
Chaz S.
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Also, work with – and drink heavily with – other assistant editors. Seriously, no experience is better than insight from helpful peers. You’ll also build a small team of folks that’ll get each other gigs.
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\`(=)`/…Pixel Monkey
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Good call. Drink with the senior editors and colourists as well. I started having a Friday arvo beer with a few of the senior editors at my old job. Good way to get the low down on what is happening in the building and also what is happening around town.
For some reason, the colourists always seem to know the good info (gossip) about what projects are happening around town. That is how I picked up my current role as assistant editor.
Cheers
Al
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Wombat, with a talent for cutting video -
[Alister Robbie] “For some reason, the colourists always seem to know the good info (gossip) about what projects are happening around town.”
Probably because they give a ton of estimates early-on during the budgeting process. Funny thing is once folks find out how much a good colorist costs, they give the color correction work to their online editor anyway.
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\`(=)`/…Pixel Monkey
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