The Video Editor’s Digest | Edition #37

by
hand holding video camera

Hey there and welcome back to the Video Editor’s Digest!

In case you’re new around here, in the Video Editor’s Digest you get the lowdown on some cool happenings from around the internet on things related to video editing, video production, or just being a creative professional. It also gives me a chance to update you about new pieces on the EVF website and YouTube channel and tell you any freelance or work stories I may have.

One last thing before getting started. I created a form for you to submit resources of your own or ones you stumble across for publication in future Video Editor’s Digests. You can access it here.

Alright, let’s get into it!

Read more

Why Being A Video Producer Is A Lot Like Being A Waiter

by

I have a theory: being a video producer is a heck of a lot like being a waiter waiting tables.

Quick background: I’ve been video editing professionally in the corporate world for nearly 10 years now. Over the past year I’ve started to take on more and more producing roles with my company and for freelance projects I’ve worked on. Now I’m full-time producing while freelance video editing and writing on nights and weekends. I’m still new in my mind to this whole producer thing. But so far, I think I’ve done a good job (and I feel like most of the people I’ve worked with would say that’s being modest). Also, I worked in the restaurant industry for nearly a decade busing tables, working the fryer, washing dishes, bartending, and of course waiting tables. So I have a fair amount of personal history to draw from.

Read more

Recent Life and Career Changes

by

Eight months ago my personal life got flipped upside down. Four months ago my professional career took a drastic turn. And a few weeks from now every waking second of my existence will forever be altered.

You can probably guess one of the changes already — my wife and I are pregnant. Our son will be here before we know it. Man, I’m nervous and excited and every other emotion in between.

crib in nursery

The other twist of fate life threw at me was a career change. I traded in the edit bay for another role. In February I started transitioning off of editing projects and over to the producing / project management side of things. I’m with the same company and working on the same product but in a completely different role. As of mid-March I moved over to this full-time and started growing a team under me.

Read more

The Art of Editing a Love Movie — Command+Edit Podcast Episode 88

by

Hey there! Nick and I are back with a brand new special episode of the Command+Edit Podcast. We dive into the art of editing a love movie. We chat about how to edit a love-making scene, editing a first date conversation, editing a breakup scene, Whiplash, Titanic, Requiem for a Dream, and much more. Give it … Read more

How Video Editors Stay Productive

by
Image of Calendar with text saying How Video Editors Stay Productive

Let’s discuss how video editors can stay productive. For me, it’s Thursday at 6:24 PM.

There are four things I’ve blown off doing this afternoon/evening that were marked on my calendar. That’s a problem. A calendar should be a sacred thing. Something shouldn’t go on your calendar if it can move. Once you put it on your calendar you execute whatever it is no matter what.

It stems from me not doing my weekly review this past Sunday or the Sunday before then for that matter.

The first thing on my calendar for this afternoon was to do my weekly review, even though it’s not Sunday. I know that the weekly review is my way of getting organized mentally and digitally for the upcoming week. Without it…not much gets done. I’m lost. There are too many uncompleted tasks sitting in the tool I use to organize everything. My calendar is as strong as a wet paper towel.

Okay, so what’s a weekly review? Without going too far into the weeds, I roughly follow the “Getting Things Done” method of productivity/organization. And the tool I use to organize it all is called OmniFocus. I have both the desktop and mobile version because I’m a psycho.

Read more

Fighting Decision Fatigue as a Video Editor

by
Fighting Decision Fatigue as a Video Editor

This article discusses what decision fatigue is and how to fight it as a video editor.

Introducing the Problem of Decision Fatigue

Wayyy back when I wrote a post called something like, “Done is Better than Perfect”. The TL;DR of it was that most of the time getting a video project out the door and delivered is better than having a perfect video project. Getting your video over to your client, director, producer, or audience is more important than having the video be 100% flawless.

The perfect video project simply doesn’t exist (unless you count Interstellar which by all accounts is the greatest movie ever made 😉). There will always be adjustments you could make. There could always be shots that need more color correction. More audio that needs sweetening. Different pacing, shot selection, etc. The thing about videos is that we’re making a 1,000-piece puzzle with 10,000 pieces while not being able to see the box to see what we’re supposed to be creating.

Read more

The only thing you need to succeed in 2019

by

(Sorry for the clickbait-y title… I’m rusty at writing good, catchy titles)

It’s early in 2019. The confetti is still falling. Most of us are back to the office. Ready or not it’s time to begin another year in our careers. Another year of our lives.

Looking back at 2018 maybe there was something you didn’t do. Something you didn’t learn. Or something you didn’t accomplish. A project, a habit, a new NLE to master, a documentary to edit. So we look to 2019 as our saving grace. We have a whole fresh calendar for us to get X done. And that fills us with a glimmer of hope. That we can make that change this year. Heck, we have 12 whole months.

As the confetti is swept up and the hangovers from NYE are cured, we head back to the edit bay or cubical or home office. We got this in 2019. Then…we check our email.

Read more

Why are you in post production?

by

Am a video editor because… I’ve been seeing this question lately on Twitter: Why are you in post production? Why are you in Post Production? #postchat — #PostChat (@postchat) October 25, 2018 My answer is a bit different than most. It’s not because I have a passion for telling stories. It’s because… well… I explain … Read more

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy