Did I choose the wrong career?

[Roy Schneider]

Greg:
It is a tough time in this industry, as well as the economy in general. Editing as a career has changed much like the publishing industry changed in the 80’s. But that’s not what you need to hear right now!

You need to establish yourself. List every single production company you can find, find out who is in charge of hiring freelancers, send a resume and reel or reel link with an offer to work a day free to try you out. When you talk to them know there business, clients,style of work ect. show them interest and finally ask for the job. Don’t be shy, ask. in short sell yourself.

There are a lot of people looking for the same job. School or no school nobody owes you work, so show them why you deserve the shot. Make them want to hire you!!!

Best of luck! Keep you head up
Roy Schneider

Roy Schneider
Long Live Da Cow!

[Andrew Kimery]

Long story short, LA is always supersaturated w/talent and w/the bum economy the competition for jobs is just that much worse. I’d say there are 100 people applying for every job and that means there is always someone w/more experience going for the same gig (again, especially now because of the down job market). The traditional, Midwest mantra of go to school, get good grades, get a good job doesn’t apply to our industry and certainly doesn’t apply to our industry in LA. I moved out here in ’01 a few months before 9/11 and could not find work to save my life. I ended up back in the Midwest for a couple of years, saving money and building up my work experience, before coming back out to LA in ’04.

Speaking of experience, that’s all anyone really cares about. Degrees don’t mean much unless it lands in the hands of someone who went to the same school as you and feels like cutting you a break because you guys share the same alma mater. Getting frustrated is normal but don’t give up. The people that eventually succeed never gave up. Even if you have to get a day job working at Blockbuster or something thats fine. Pay rent, pay bills, keep your head above water and keep pushing on.

-Andrew

3.2GHz 8-core, FCP 6.0.4, 10.5.5
Blackmagic Multibridge Eclipse (6.8.1)

[Greg Burke]

Thanks guys. But I keep asking myself how long can blame the economy for my joblessness. Below is my website, Im open to any advice

https://www.gregburkepost.com

[Andrew Kimery]

I know one guy who typically works on network shows (he’s been out here for over 20yrs) and he’s had a rough time of it lately. Another guy, a friend of a friend, is used to cutting movie trailers for FOX or Warner Brothers and is now doing promo work he never even would’ve considered doing just a couple of years ago. On the other hand a couple guys I know moved out here 3-4yrs ago and got work pretty quickly and promo houses, but both of those guys already had a lot of experience working in smaller markets.

Basically it’s a crap shoot, but the longer you play, and the more you play, the better your chances of success. Bob Zelin had a good post recently detailing how being good at what you do and being successful at what you do aren’t necessarily the same thing.

W/regards to your site, “resumé” is spelled wrong (it’s missing the accent over the ‘e’) and I’m not sure what to make of your Video Game, Web, Television, and Feature/Short reels. For the video game reel, are those trailers you cut for the games? If so, they’d be more suited under a heading of promo or trailer. For the other reels I mentioned, they all just look like montages set to music which tells me nothing about your ability to tell a story. A very short, very snappy opening montage can be a great attention getter, but you need to put in actual examples of what your editing can offer. Also, in your ‘Services’ section I’d change “I specialize in the following services” to “I offer the following services” because that is a whole lot of very different disciplines to claim to specialize in.

-Andrew

3.2GHz 8-core, FCP 6.0.4, 10.5.5
Blackmagic Multibridge Eclipse (6.8.1)

[Tim Kolb]

I’d have to echo the assertion that LA or NY aren’t the easiest markets to move into to find jobs in our field, contrary to the general notion that “all the big projects” are there…the production industry is becoming more diversified.

Projects are moving to Canada…you may not realize the major Studio presence in Wilmington, North Carolina…the options are spread out a bit more.

The other issue is just what sort of work you want to do. The corporate sector of the industry (training videos, sales videos, product videos for tradeshows, etc.) can often involve high end work and can also be -a bit- more stable than the entertainment industry.

Feature entertainment work now happens on a number of levels and sometimes starting on small independent projects (as long as you’re starving anyway) can offer a bit more experience with things outside of carrying coffee and running out to pick up prescription medication for the line producer’s Chihuahua (that is a true event BTW).

Even many of us with 20+ years experience in the industry aren’t doing well right now… Sometimes finding a job out of the industry and biding your time are necessary steps.

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

[Stephen Smith]

I highly recommend you read “The Power of Passion” by Ron & Kathlyn Lindeboom. It is a great article on page 10 in Creative COW magazine which is free for you to read. Here is a link: https://magazine.creativecow.net/issue/power-of-artistic-passion
Best of luck in your job search.

Utah Video Productions

Check out my Motion Training DVD

Check out my Motion Tutorials

[Alan Lloyd]

I’d answer that question with another question: How are you at dealing with uncertainty and frustration?

[Shane Ross]

In LA, unless you know someone, or they know you, and are willing to hire you as an editor (that is REALLY rare), you need to start from the ground up. PA, Tape Vault manager (that’s where I started), grunt…intern. That is the way you learn all the skills you need to learn. Small bits here and there. And if you do a good job, you get notice, and people continue to hire you. If you show passion and interest in certain areas, you might then progress to those areas.

But the key is to be nice, be fun to be around, do your job WELL. Don’t act like you really should be editing this show but all you are is a darn PA! Be the best damn PA they have ever seen. And be a great person to be around…you will get hired again. And you might even be advanced.

But yes, getting your FOOT in the door, now especially, is tough. The market, as stated, is saturated. Editors are getting jobs as assistants, assistants as PAs, PAs as…baristas. It is a struggle now. But stick to it.

Sorry, but the degree is useless out here. BUT, you got a good quality education, you are a better person for it, and if needed, you know how to do everything needed on a film. That is the point, to prepare you with a little knowledge of every area so that you can start looking for work with something to go with..

And I’m sorry about your $8K rig. Most, nearly ALL, of the jobs you get out here will be using machines owned by the company. You’d be DARN LUCKY to be able to use your system on a job, and get paid to use it. Which is why it isn’t wise to spend tons of money on equipment unless you can get paid for it. I bought a rig for one series I worked on…and luckily it was paid for by the time it was over. Because I haven’t used it on any other gig since. 2 years now, 6 jobs, all on other companies machines. That is how it works.

Keep trying to get your foot in that door. The first job I got I ONLY got because the production manager was tired of getting resume’s from me. I sent one a week for 12 weeks. Each one a little different. That was because I kept experimenting with styles, and just kept sending it out. I lucked out…and because I was nice and worked hard, I was hired again. And they recommended me to someone else who then hired me. Word of mouth…HUGE!

Good luck getting your foot in that door.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Greg Burke]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I’m not picky when in comes to jobs in Post Production, I dont demand that I cut, I’d be happy as a PA, asst. editor, or runner! I’m not above that. But Its seems I cant even get a job like that! As for the interning thing (working for free) My family lives 120 miles away I live paycheck to paycheck at a part time job (thats has nothign to do with Post) I can’t afford to work at a Post House 4 days a week with a chance of getting hired 6 months down the line, I have bills to pay. Thank you all for your advice. btw someone mentioned my reels I was going for experience look, meaning I’ve done allot of differet projects, I’ve seen allot of sizzle reels were the editor puts the same spot in the montage several times it looks good but in the end it only shows 2-3 spots hes done so I tried to put as much in my reels as possible. Again thank you all for you advice

[Greg Burke]

Andrew thank you for your advice I will fix those things on my website. I imdb you and I am amazed that you’ve worked for gametrailers.com I’ve been trying to land a job there since 2007. I email Bobby Burns every once in a awhile to see if there are any openings. I actually usd to produce and write my own game review show that aired on mobile phones. Any way you could put in a good word? thanks again.