[Rick Turners]

I guess I’m hoping that I can create an offline of the project and recapture to prores 4444 smoothly.

I’m not sure on the fps used in the offline. I’ll have to give that a look. I’m glad I asked here, forgot about the potential roadblocks!

3 months to do the finishing? What type of finishing work does that include?

I’m only planning on doing the color grade and online.

[Rick Turners]

Here are some answers, sorry for my vagueness. (this a mega low budget project ironically shot on 35mm)

Idea is this..

Online the feature to ProRes 4444.
13 Tapes.
Not a ton of cuts.

Color grade without the deck! (save money)

re rent deck when grade is done.

output to HDCAMSR or DVD/Blu-Ray if money is depleted.

My question is how long does it take to just online the feature, no grade or fx.. that is a separate number.
I’m just trying to make sure I don’t underquote the deck rental or over quote it.

final output will just be the feature, no versioning.

machine is
8core mac pro 2.26 with 12GB ram.
ATI 4870
8tb raid

[Rick Turners]

Hmm.. I would imagine a sales rep or agent for video professionals would be someone who is very well connected. If he decides to represent you because he has some people that he could sell your work to (graphics, editorial etc) great.. who cares if he takes a percentage, he got you the work!

Unfortunately the best reps work for successful companies that give them good salaries and commission.

Although there must be some freelance agents/rep’s out there looking for talent to sell?

For example, Picasso Pictures (Great Britain) represents Laundry mat for the GB market. (mograph house) and a ton of other smaller directorial duos and graphic houses.

Maybe you would be looking for a similar situation? I’m not sure how that business relationship works but wold be interested to find out.

[Rick Turners]

It’s a double edged sword.
Software developers are helping current editors do the job better and easier.
but at the same time making it easier for everyone and anyone, driving down the value of the editor.

And yes, Final Cut Server is already allowing editing to be done remotely. In fact, on the apple website there is a team of editors using FCS in Singapore or something, for a company in the US, for a client in the US.

The people who will succeed are the ones who take advantage of this, aka start producing, if you cant beat them, join them.

It’s either that or start communicating with major software developers and tell them to stop making things so damn easy, give us back some mystery. Of course someone will see that opening and a third party will fill the gap to make a buck.

[Rick Turners]

I agree,
It is a good idea to look at less competitive markets like Tahoe, Chicago (not as bad as LA), Louisiana (believe it or not) and Canada, all still growing.. now that post is done all over the world there are new slowly growing markets. LA has hit a tipping point for post production and very few jobs are being created here.

And yes, get out and network.. one of my favorite recent stories is.. “Bob” goes to clubs a lot. He meets producer “John”..Bob sleeps on Johns couch for a few weeks, they party. Bob gets editing job after a week of learning Final Cut Pro with John. Bob has a house on the beach now.

[Rick Turners]

Honestly, no.
No employer in the industry cares about your degree, unless the employer went to your school and feels the need to keep his peers/alumni working, which can be beneficial. You have a better chance of getting into the industry through meeting people who work in it, getting recommendations and starting at an entry level. Even if you rock with FCP/Avid/Smoke and are an incredible editor, no one is going to let you jump in and start as the senior editor. The 30+ year old guy above you probably started as a PA and wont let you move up until he’s seen you go through the same shit he had to go through. It’s the nature of the beast.

I would goto a community college and take some courses, learn the programs, learn your craft, and be prepared to show your skills when an opportunity arises.

This is coming from someone who studied film for 6 years at a university.
But! If it’s not a financial problem, goto college, party, meet friends who will hopefully be great filmmakers and climb into the industry with them.

I know plenty of people who have great editing jobs who only know Avid, or FCP. Meanwhile some of the younger guys know every program in the book and can shred with them. DOESNT MATTER. It’s all about connections!

[Rick Turners]

Really? The ads on media match, craigslist, mandy etc offer salaries usually around 40k..I’m looking in all the wrong places

[Rick Turners]

As a recent grad of one of the schools aforementioned (and one of the few experienced using high end post production systems and formats etc) I can say officially say that schooling before entering the film industry in any form is essentially a waste of money.
I have met grads from USC, CalArts, UCLA, AFI.. all of whom started as PA’s in both production or post.
Why? Because the attitude in most professional environments in the industry is “You cant do this work until you’ve done THIS work.”
“you cant edit a show, until you’ve edited a show”… that means you either make your own show that gets bought and you prove yourself that way, or someone (your dad who owns a shop, or your uncle who started editing before the market was saturated) hooks you up with a position where you can learn on the spot.

It’s a long haul.

I’d invest your time in a company and start as a PA.

[Rick Turners]

Isnt 90k pretty high for anyone in editorial? And yes, we make sure the show is ready for air.. I guess what I’m saying is I think the highly paid finishers (80k+) are on flames/smokes/nitris and doing vfx stuff

maybe I’m wrong though..anyone?

[Rick Turners]

A series online editor? And by hard to make a living do you mean because of competition?

Basically online editors do just plop stuff in, however where I am, we make sure levels are correct, stabilize, treat slow motion effects, create versions, track.. etc.. no major Color grading or motion graphic/vfx stuff.. which is what I imagine brings it up to the 90k/year range?