Day to day Motion graphics as an editor

[David Johnson]

I’m not sure I understand what you are asking, but I’ll mention a couple things that might help …

First, it seems you pretty much answered your own question: [Jon Fidler] “What is the general day to day stuff I need to know how to do?” …. “you obviously need typographic and design knowledge for lower thirds, titles and transitions, animations as well as designing and animating basic logos and text as well as compositing.”

It depends primarily on specifically what you want your career to be and what you might be willing to settle for. Nowadays, it’s pretty much impossible to be an editor without some skills in mograph, animation, compositing, etc. unless you’re looking strictly at the high-end Hollywood track where, in many cases, editors edit and different people do the other things. Years ago, it even worked that way in mid and low-range shops, but those days are mostly long gone. By the “settle for” remark, I mean that, while you might have your sights set on doing Hollywood features, the reality is that a very small percentage make it that far so it’s usually wise to also factor in whether you would be satisfied making a decent living doing local broadcast, corporate, etc.

Another thing important to consider is that we all learn as we go. It’s not as though you learn everything you’ll need to know at the start of your career and then rest on your laurels and live happily ever after. Like many others who frequent the COW to both learn and share what we’ve learned, I’ve been in this business for 20 years now, but still spend a lot of time learning new stuff. So, I’d say focus on getting a firm grasp on the basics and learn more advanced stuff as needed.

Do you need to spend countless hours, days and years learning how to do high-end special fx, etc.? Not unless you’re dead set on Hollywood and will accept no less. To even get and keep a decent job as an editor, do you need a firm grasp of titles, animations, mograph, etc.? Absolutely.

I hope you find my two pence helpful.

[Jon Fidler]

Hi

Id ideally like to get into television drama or documentary if that helps. I would also be perfectly happy working in corporates as well. Also as I live over in the UK so we dont really have local stations. Thanks for the reply David.

[David Johnson]

For the most part, neither television drama or documentary editing requires much in the way of special fx, mograph, animation, etc. Both types of programming typically have show opens and promos that are created once by a mograph/animation specialist and re-used for every episode. The editors typically cut the body of the shows and only do things like episodal titles, transitions, etc. in the style consistent with the open, promos, etc., which usually doesn’t require the same specialties as the people who make the opens, promos, etc.

So, it just depends on which of those roles you’d prefer … it sounds like you’re more interested in the editor role than the specialist role. Program editors are often staff positions, while specialists are often freelancers … there are pros and cons to both.

[David Johnson]

I tried to reply, but it got blocked because I used a word that refers to people who specialize, but also contains the same letter sequence as a popular pharmaceutical product that’s often in SPAM messages.

I’m sure it’ll show up eventually.

[Jon Fidler]

Thanks David

Im sorry if my question is rather vague and indescript, ill approach the question from a different angle. For all of the guys here who are primarily editors but have to do motion graphics work in your day to day workflow which software packages do you use. Is it mainly AE or Motion or do you use things like Photoshop and Illustraor if so what for and for lack of a better word how complex is the work you have to do on these packages.

Thanks

[David Johnson]

No worries, Jon. I understand that these are difficult topics to discuss in writing, rather than conversation.

Although my job covers a very wide range from producer to studio manager and everything in between, I am an editor and have been for many years. As it relates to being an editor, I consider my primary tools to include Final Cut Pro, Premier Pro, After Effects, 3D Studio Max, Photoshop, Illustrator, Audition, Sony Sound Forge, Sorenson Squeeze, Telestream Episode, DVD Studio Pro and Encore DVD, along with probably a couple dozen other ancillary programs. However, for several reasons, I think the names of the tools in one’s toolbox are irrelevant. For one thing, my list was different 5 years ago and will no doubt be different 5 years from now. Also, specific tools depend largely on an individual editor’s needs, experience, preferences, budget, etc.

Part of what I mean with that last part is that, for example, I’ve been using After Effects since it was made by Adobe’s predecessor Cosa. So, for me, it made no sense to switch to Motion after so many years. Similarly, it use to be impossible to do mograph without using After Effects, Photoshop & Illustrator together, but AE now has most of the functionality we use to need the other programs for. So, I think an editor should at least know the basics of Photoshop and Illustrator, but a deep knowledge is not nearly as critical as it once was.

If you prefer Motion, go with it … again, the specific tools are irrelevant … they come and go, but the principles remain the same and are transferable.

Another part is individual preferences. I’ve never liked doing titles, mograph, compositing, audio, etc. in my NLE even though most now have basic capabilities for those tasks (FCP is my primary NLE). I also prefer the interoperability amongst programs from the same developer and it seems unlikely Photoshop or Illustrator will be dethroned any time soon, but again, in most cases only the basics are necessary anymore.

How complex the work is depends entirely on one’s individual circumstance … if you’re a TV drama or documentary series editor, in some cases you might be expected to also make all the show opens, promos, etc. … in some cases, you won’t.

I hope this helps.

[Jon Fidler]

Thanks David that was spot on in terms of what I needed to know

[David Johnson]

I’m glad you found my opinions helpful Jon. Best of luck.

[Mark Suszko]

Jon, I have looked thru all the manuals and all the drop-down menus of my apps, and none of them has an option labeled anything like: “make this a brilliant design”.

Owning the tools and even learning the buttons to push, still won’t give you the actual skill. And the tools come and go. What I think you really need is not hardware or software, but wetwear. That is, additional education and training in art, specifically principles of design. That kind of training is the only kind that doesn’t become obsolete with the next release number. You can apply the knowledge to any platform.

How you do it is all up to you. You can get by with extensive reading. You can take correspondence courses or web tutorials. You can take a night school class in it. Take guided tours of art museums. However you can afford the time and money, any little bit will help. Until you have built up a background of basic principles and techniques, or a vocabulary to even discuss them with, you’re always going to feel a little behind the curve on this thing. On the other hand, even a small gain in subject knowledge of this area begins to immediately pay off on the screen with improved quality of your existing work. So it is worth any effort you expend in that direction. Never stop learning.

[Grinner Hester]

Today’s video editor needs to have great story telling skills as more and more sessions are unsupervised. He wears the hat of post production supervisor from the time capturing starts to distribution of the final product. Then there is making that final product. It includes sound design, visual design of elements, the animating of those elements and the creation of any effects needed to tie everything together. One dude.
This said, you’ll still find few editors with 3D skills, for whatever reason. It helps. I can tell you the more skill sets you provide, the more you will bill. If all of this feels like it’s a different path, focus on that path in your head and make changes to get there. Today’s post producer is dang near a courior. This may be a more comfy role for you… nothing wrong with that. When I work with a producer, most of the time, they drop off elements than I see em the next morning when they pick stuff up. They may give me some verbal direction before heading to the mall on the clock but never more than that.