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Credit where credits due…
Hi everyone,
Not sure where else to post this… Any suggestions on putting it somewhere else for a better response would be much appreciated.
I worked on a documentary earlier this year for 2 months (it dragged its feet to say the least) and after having taken multiple roles throughout, I was finally credited, amongst other things, as the editor. Since I finished up, the client made a couple of changes during an afternoon, totaling approx 1 minute of changes to a 40 minute piece. The new editor has been credited as ‘additional editor’, I guess as I did the offline and online and they dont know how else to title him.
My problem with this is that I invested a lot of time and energy into the doc, and it feels like an insult to all of that effort to have someone come in and make such a minor change and get, what feels like, an equal credit to an unequal amount of work.
Is there anything I can do to change this? Am I being ridiculous to even think of raising it with the client? It was a very small crew, so it feels more significant. I’m not trying to undervalue the other editors work so much as get the proportionate credit to my work.
As a final note, i think its worth mentioning that the other editor is the clients son, has had no training and hasn’t worked with any edit suite or editing software prior to this job.
Any thoughts on this would be hugely appreciated.
Best,
Marcus
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19 Replies
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I think:
Assistant Editor
Intern
Daddies Boywould all work.
Check out my DVD Money Making Graphics & Effects for Final Cut Studio 2
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I think the title I’ve seen is “Additional Editing By” that seems more appropriate
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I cut a 90 min feature, and one guy edited a two minute scene. He was rightly credited with additional editing credit (back end) because he did some additional editing. Just like your guy. He didn’t assist me, so shouldn’t be credited as an assistant. Is it really worth kicking up a fuss like some kind of Hollywood starlet? Is it really important? ;o) Probably not. You are credited as editor after all. They could have put EDITED BY: then your name and his name if they wanted to, but they didn’t. Take the money, take your credit, put it on your reel, be kind and move forward.
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[Marcus Bird] “Am I being ridiculous to even think of raising it with the client?”
Yes.
Want more? Read Rocco Forte’s post, he offers a good balanced look at the situation.
Want to let it fester and embitter you and make a stink about it instead? Be prepared to never work with the client again and gain a reputation as a prima donna that is hard to work with.
Ron Lindeboom
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Coming from the corporate world, the only credit that goes on most videos is the name of the company that paid for the job.
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I’ve mentioned this before in a similar context. If you’re not religious, you can still take a lesson from the parable of the vineyard and workers.
Master owns a big vineyard and the grapes are ready to harvest, nearly bursting, and bad weather is threatening to damage some of the crop before it can all be brought in. Master hires a number of gatherers first light and they go to work. Mid-day, gauging progress and feeling the winds shifting, master decides they need more help to make it on time, goes out and hires extra workers. Close to the end of the day, it’s almost done but not quite, master brings in a few more guys for the last hour. Crop all in, he pays everyone off and wants to go home to dinner. But the foreman is upset.
“You paid those guys that just worked an hour the same amount that you paid us to work all day since morning!”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“That’s just wrong!”
“What’s wrong? Did I or did I not, pay you exactly what we agreed to this morning?”
“Well, sure.”
“Who’s money is it I paid with?”
“Yours”.
“Do I or do I not have the right to do what I wish with my own money?”
“You do”.
“Then don’t be jealous of somebody else getting a good deal, when you yourself got a perfectly square one”.
This is a story I have to tell myself quite often, as I think about other people taking credit for my work or having a success that eludes me. If no union or contractual obligations were broken in the way the credits were assigned, just let it go, brother. Just let it go.
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Ditto Mark and Ron, nuff said.
Charlie
ProductionKing Video Services
Unmarked Door Productions
Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel
Las Vegas, Nevada -
I feel the same way.
I see a lot of books, podcasts and blogs about “rewarding employees” and “retaining employees” with perks, outings, team building exercises, ropes courses, etc.What happened to “a good salary and benefits” being a good motivator for doing your job?
Mike
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That’s right Mike,
God forbid people should actually do a good job for something they are paid to do.
Marcus, look on the bright side, he could have itched your name all together.
RB
Rory Brennan
Editor
New York City -
I got paid by the hour puttnig my boss’ name in the credits instead of mine for way too many years to even read credits anymore.
As an editor, you are in the oppeasing business. That means taking the blame, should there be any to have and handing off all credit when things go great. If ya don’t dig that, you are going to have to become a producer.About 10 years ago, I’d lay off a “mom” reel of shows I thought she’d like. I’d put my name in the credits as head groovy dude and she liked that. Try it. it’ll make ya feel better.
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