[Tyler Schmalz]

It was a long time ago, but I think I deleted the font, repaired permissions, restarted, purged the cache, re-installed the font and then it worked.

All or nothing of that may have contributed. Seriously, it was such a weird random bug that I had no idea how to fix. I think it was something with that font specifically, though, because it was only wonky with the one font.

Good luck!

[Tyler Schmalz]

I have no idea to be 100% positive what it was originally edited using. Their guys said FCP 7 but he might have misspoke, etc.

Either way, it’s all solved now. Thanks for the help, guys!

[Tyler Schmalz]

Thanks a million, this worked!

I had MPEG Streamclip and Perian before but I’ve only used Steamclip for some small random stuff, I had no idea it would deal with the h.264s and/or do a large batch of stuff so well.

This worked perfectly, thanks!

[Tyler Schmalz]

One bit of information you need to remember when mixing in headphones: if you’re mixing a dense mix (a lot of different elements) and you need to place them in the stereo image in order to make them make sense (sound effects, music), you have to check your mix on open room monitors.

The headphones will create a “false” (and by false I mean ultra-real) sense of separation. Since most (if not all) of your clients will be hearing the sound of your production from open room speakers, you’ll want to fine-tune your mix from a set of speakers (speakers that aren’t straight to your right and left, more in front of you like your viewers will be experiencing).

If you mix something to be 100% right ear, in headphones it’ll sound 100% right. Through open speakers (because of reverberations and room reflections) it’ll sound more like 75% (or less) right.

Moral of the story, if you’ve got a lot of sound elements mix the final stereo image when listening through room speakers. Headphones make it sound better than your audience will hear it. You want to make it sound good to the audience, not to your monitoring preference.

Tyler

[Tyler Schmalz]

That’s why you’re the professional.

I just thought it was a Tiffen BMVA filter (see note below).

I’ve got one. It causes three stops of light loss but gives your low-budget music video a semi-aged look with a real, tangible grittiness not seen too often since the late 80s.

Note: BMVA = Bad Music Video Acting

[Tyler Schmalz]

If you really, really want to get in to a professional editing position start first by learning to cut a good story.

Write a couple shorts (or rip off an existing story like Hollywood does)
get your friends to act in them (the acting doesn’t have to be good)
obtain a camera (oftentimes, the local Cable Access channel will be willing to loan them out or get a cheap camera off of ebay)
shoot ’em
cut ’em together
watch them
edit them again
make ’em work and be effective stories.

Then, if you really want to do it professionally, look for smaller local TV stations with openings (“local” doesn’t mean “local to you,” it means “small, independently owned”). Those places tend to have a semi-high turnover rate because of the oftentimes low pay (so you’ll eventually find one with an opening). You’ll start out cutting commercials together and maybe you’ll end up doing some longer-form stuff.

Lastly, learn everything you can about every aspect of the production process. There is a lot of cross-over type information. Learn about cameras, exposure, scene blocking, lighting, color theory…everything. The more you know and can execute effectively, the more valuable you’ll be (and the more opportunities you have come your way).