How do I break into film editing?

June 22, 2005 1:15 PM

I am currently a freelance film editor who has worked for free or for deferred payment in the past. The editing is a side gig, since I have to work a day job as a technical writer to pay the bills. Increasingly, I don't have the energy to work both jobs. Besides, I really want to devote my energies to my true passion, editing. My work experience is mostly outside the field and therefore not applicable. Since I'll need to make a big leap to get into the field, does anyone have any suggestions for how to make the jump? Should I consider going back to school to get a film degree? If not, how do I convince a company to take a chance on me given my background?

On a related note, what tools (both hardware and software) should I be investing my time and money in? I currently work with Avid Xpress DV on a PC platform but am wondering if another platform would be more appealing to potential employers, such as this system.

posted by nightengine to media & arts (9 comments total)

Finagle yourself into an internship position, and network like crazy.
posted by Rothko at 1:27 PM on June 22, 2005

Where are you? You might ask MeFites in your city if they have any connections you can exploit.
posted by goatdog at 1:52 PM on June 22, 2005

The best path depends on where you want (or are willing) to live, what kind of work you would like to do, and how long you are willing to eat ramen.

No matter what, don't buy another editing platform just yet.
posted by mzurer at 2:28 PM on June 22, 2005

If you're looking at getting a job in the film industry, it's important to just get out there. Get onto a film as a trainee assistant editor if you can. This will hopefully lead to assistant editor, which will lead to editor.

It wouldn't really be convincing a company to take a chance on you, but an individual (such as an editor or producer).

If you're more looking at doing contract editing work (which is really all you'd need your own equipment for) then I'm really not sure where you'd start.
posted by ODiV at 2:42 PM on June 22, 2005

I can't tell from your question what sort of editing jobs you're looking for and what sort of experience you have so far.

If you're interested in becoming a feature editor and don't have any or much feature film experience, The Edit Center (where I've taught in the past and still lecture at occasionally) has a six-week course in which, after the first training week, the students are cutting scenes from a real feature film, putting together a rough cut while learning to work with a director or producer. The students end up with a credit (or two) for their resumes and legitimate scenes for their reels. A good number of former students have gone on to quite successful editing careers, mostly in NYC. The Edit Center teaches on Final Cut, so the technical lessons wouldn't be redundant. (Side Note: At least in NYC, there tend to be more legitimately paying jobs willing to hire a less-experienced editor on FCP than Avid. Knowing both well would lead to more possible opportunities here.)

By the way, the only editors I know who value their (two-year) film degrees (and even then, possibly just for the connections made while at school) went to AFI.
posted by nobody at 2:53 PM on June 22, 2005

I am located in Austin, Texas, which thankfully has a burgeoning film community. As for my preferred editing jobs, I'm open to just about anything, though I've found documentary work to be the most fulfilling.

Any Austinite MeFites with recommendations/connections?
posted by nightengine at 3:09 PM on June 22, 2005

Porn. Seriously. That's how a friend of mine just landed a long-desired editing gig, as I mentioned in this thread.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:51 PM on June 22, 2005

I can't speak to Austin in particular, but it sounds like you are doing what you should be.

If you decide to go to film school in an editing program and if you excel, there is a better then average chance you will be able to find employment cutting spots when you graduate. You will also meet people who are taking film production seriously and down the road they will hire you if they ever make it. Is it worth the money and time? This is a perennial unanswerable question in my circle of aspiring editors. The apprentice-style learning process is all but gone with the digital revolution, but still most editors were assistant editors at some point. You will probably be a paid editor faster (and skip the assistant step) if you go to film school and make a name for yourself. But maybe not, and this may apply less in a smaller market like Austin than in LA.

Create a short reel that highlights your previous work, and have screeners of your best work available. Keep cutting things for free (I don't know anyone who has ever actually gotten paid for work done for "deferred payment"), and try to be selective enough that what you cut is likely to get into festivals. In Austin you have a pretty good chance of hooking up with a director who may end up at Sundance. Cut his next indie film and hope it gets bought. Charge film students a cheapish daily rate to help them finish their thesis work. Try to meet people in post-production and find out where they work, how they got into it, and if places around town have a list of free-lancers they call when they are swamped. Subscribe to the Texas job list on mandy.com.

Try to get in front of a "real" AVID, one that can handle formats besides DV. Xpress DV is a fantastic tool, and quite close to the higher-end models, but it is still for DV. FCP is used more and more, especially outside of LA, but AVID is still the industry standard for commercial (feature film and broadcast and cable television) projects.

And if you can swing it, don't quit your day job. You have a long haul ahead, especially if you want to cut commercial features.

Or you might take the plunge, go all-out cutting anything that comes your way all day and night, and if you're lucky end up cutting the next "Swingers" or "Dazed and Confused." And if you're really lucky then that director will take you along for the wild ride.

The best advice I can give is to track down working editors in Austin and ask them for advice, because they know the specifics of your market better than anyone. You may need to cold-call post houses to get to them. Let everyone you know that you are trying to meet an editor. Some friend of a friend of friend will know someone.
posted by mzurer at 9:45 AM on June 23, 2005

On waaaaaay post-view. My email is in my profile, feel free to get in touch...
posted by mzurer at 2:09 PM on June 23, 2005