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Final Cut rates, freelance, and otherwise
Hi, I’ve been doing a bit of work with a client for $25 an hour… and some at $20. But I’ve also had several clients pay $45-$75 an hour. If I wanted to settle in to a full time job, what could I expect, with a good reel, and resume? And, what is more standard for FCP freelance work? It’s mostly been in documentary and special features type projects, thus far.
Thanks!
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8 Replies
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How many years of experience do you have? It also depends on the market. Where do you live?
In general, a full time job as an editor would pay about half the rate of a freelancer. If I were you, I’d steer clear of any job that pays $20-$25, even as a rookie and even if it was full-time. I would say it’s insultingly low.
Frame of Reference: Back in ’97, I got $75 Hr. as an Avid rookie (although I had online experience). Things have changed since then that have driven down the rates you can get as an experienced editor. Some of the items which have increased competition and lowered our rates include the following:
1) There are now WAY more editors chasing fewer (high paying) jobs
2) Software and hardware are cheaper/more powerful than ever
3) The formerly closely guarded secrets of NLE editing (particularly Avid) have been “outed” on the internet whereas you once had to spend thousands to learn in a class
4) Expensive tech support is literally free with the advent of FCP knowledge sites like this
5) Horrible quality and poor story-telling (a la Reality TV – YouTube) is increasingly acceptable to commercial entities that just wanna make a buck
6) You no longer have to work in a Studio, you can work from home on a freakin’ laptop. So overhead for bricks and mortar is nil.
7) Much less differentitation to what you can do on high end Avid systems vs. low cost FCP systems
8) FCP editors with lower overhead likely outnumber Avid editors with higher overhead
9) Low Balling and “Work For Free” exchanges are on the rise
10) Entry level jobs are increasingly becoming outsourced
11) “Interns” and volunteers are increasingly being exploited to do jobs a paid Asst. Editor was formerly responsible forShall I go on? I could. 😉
Bottom line? Pressure from the above reasons will continue to drive rates down.
Keep on thing in mind: It’s not helpful to the editing community to NOT take on low-ball jobs, especially if you’ve got talent. Learn that saying “no” to crappy jobs often helps your rate go up in the long run. Stick with those $45-$75 jobs for now, then work up from there. 😉
As you go forward, it might be wise to gain skills that other editors do NOT have. My 2 cents anyway.
Kevin Monahan
Take My FCP Master’s Workshop!
fcpworld.com
Pres. SF Cutters -
Great post Kevin your points are right on the money (or lack of in some cases).
Tony Salgado
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[Kevin Monahan] “Learn that saying “no” to crappy jobs often helps your rate go up in the long run. Stick with those $45-$75 jobs for now, then work up from there. ;-)”
Saying “no” was the hardest thing I learned running my own business but since I started saying “no” business has steadily improved.
[Kevin Monahan] “As you go forward, it might be wise to gain skills that other editors do NOT have. My 2 cents anyway”
Good point. One thing I’ve done is to learn color correction, graphics, compositing, sfx and DVD authoring so the client stays right here and he knows he’s getting more options for his project than through someone who just knows their NLE.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[Kevin Monahan] “it might be wise to gain skills that other editors do NOT have”
Kevin, what skills would you recommend? (I would imagine actually being able to tell a story would be one 🙂
Thanks,
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
Depends very much where your skills lie. On one hand, as has been suggested here, there is the learning of technical/creative skills (color correction, graphics, compositing, sfx and DVD authoring). Alternatively there are editors who focus on, say, long-form docs. Their skills may be less in motion graphics than in forging a coherent story from well over a hundred hours of footage – not everyone’s forte. Of course there are talented people whose skills overlap, but I think it’s not a bad idea to identify your particular talent and focus on what makes you different.
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[walter biscardi] “[Kevin Monahan] “As you go forward, it might be wise to gain skills that other editors do NOT have. My 2 cents anyway”
Good point. One thing I’ve done is to learn color correction, graphics, compositing, sfx and DVD authoring so the client stays right here and he knows he’s getting more options for his project than through someone who just knows their NLE.”
Absolutely Walter and Kevin. This has been my business model since 1995. It pays off. Since our switch to HD, it’s paying off even more. I can’t tell you how many clients tell us they are here because they can get “everything” done here. Being an “editor only” these days will hurt you. Being an “editor” these days seems to imply that you can do color correction, graphics, audio, compositing, some animation work, etc. Times have changed… probably for the best. Not only does a “one-stop” shop save time, but it usually saves the client money… and gets a more cohesive result…
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.
mitch@insightproductions.comApple Certified Trainer: Final Cut Pro 5
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[boydmcc] “Kevin, what skills would you recommend? (I would imagine actually being able to tell a story would be one 🙂 “
I’m still wrapping my mind around that. Kevin has a way of “cutting to the chase” which is probably why we get along. It used to be assumed that an editor had “story-telling” skills. Video production is at it’s core “storytelling”, regardless of the application. Unfortunately, as Kevin pointed out, with the onslaught of editors, its somehow been lost in the stampede.
I remember Kevin and I talking at NAB and complaining about the lack of “editing skill/storytelling” in the Apple Certified Curriculm books. In a stroke of luck, we managed to relay that to Patty Montesion. I can’t speak for Kevin, but I was surprised to see the revised books contain an entire volume (the second) on just that. Kinda scary.
It’s just my opinion, but I think storytelling skills are an absolute requirement. It’s often the difference between an effective and an ineffective piece. Video editing isn’t listed in the Bill of Rights… and perhaps not everyone should be trying to do it? If you can’t tell a story or a joke, you might want to start hanging out with people that can.
I’ll close by saying that certain tribes seem to have an edge in the storytelling arena. The Irish in partiular come to mind. As a mix of Irish and Scottish, it comes natural to me… which might explain Kevin’s grasp in that area.
Kevin, if you’re still reading this post, remember… “If you ask me would I rather have been born lucky or beautiful… I’d say Irish!”… 🙂
That one’s for you too Horton…
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.
mitch@insightproductions.comApple Certified Trainer: Final Cut Pro 5
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Excellent post, Kevin.
Regarding the other comments on “one-stop” production, I can’t help thinking there must be a lot of junk resulting from this. I mean, somebody would have to be an AWFULLY talented person to be a great editor, sfx person, graphic designer, etc. How many of those people are around? It’s one thing to know your way around PS and AE, but what are the results like from these one-stops? I’d love to say I’m all of these things, but my strength is in cutting and storytelling. I’d rather leave graphics design to someone who specializes in that area. It doesn’t necessarily mean I have to send a client elsewhere. It’s about bringing the right people on board to make a better end-product.
Am I just too old-fashioned?
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