Hey there and welcome back to the Video Editor’s Digest! In this edition we cover blend modes in Avid Media Composer, a giant free room tones library, finding freelance clients & more.
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, work, or life stories I may have.
If you have a resource of your own or one you stumble across that you want to share in a future Video Editor’s Digest, you can submit it here.
Alright, let’s get into it!
Blend Modes in Avid Media Composer!
Last week a beta version of a new (FREE!) third party plugin for Avid Media Composer was released that gives you blending modes. It’s still a mystery as to why MC doesn’t have this yet but regardless, there’s now an in-software solution.
I’m yet to mess around with it but so far the feedback has been good.
You can download it and read about it from the developers here.
ProVideo Coalition has a writeup about it here if you want more details.
As always, I recommend being careful about downloading things from people/businesses you don’t know. But Avid’s Marianna seems to vouch for it so I’d assume it’s okay.
New around here? Check out the Edit Video Faster Archives to see everything on the site.
Where to Find Clients
There are many topics related to our profession that aren’t taught in school (at least in my experience). One of those is, and honestly it’s the most important topic, where to find clients. Since there isn’t a “textbook answer” or a strict definition for something like this, I’m always a little weary of what I think. My answer to the question of “where to find clients” is networking. Networking to me also means word of mouth. And literally 90%+ of the responses in this r/editors thread was some variation of “word of mouth.”
That makes me feel so validated in my thinking and in my 10+ years of experience finding clients in our industry. It just reaffirms how important networking is.
Here’s the link to that Reddit thread again.
Want 6.5GB Worth of Various Room Tones?
Free To Use Sounds came out with a new (FREE!) library of room tones available for download. It’s 6.5GB and ~70 minutes in length. The rooms recorded included a library, a boiler room, a sports arena, stairways, classrooms and more.
Get the library of room tones from Free To Use Sounds here.
Again, I recommend doing your own research and being careful about downloading things from the Internet from people/businesses you don’t know. For what it’s worth the Filmmakers Reddit Community seems to vouch for Free To Use Sounds.
What’s New Around EVF
Last week I took a break from the Video Editor’s Digest, Edit Video Faster, my other project, and everything else to take a trip with my wife and 10-week-old son. We did a little road trip down to Asheville, North Carolina and survived a 9-hour drive home with our newborn. TBH it wasn’t a bad drive at all, even over a holiday weekend!
I’m back to the grind this week and will be once again attempting to focus some efforts on the Avid Media Composer Resources Page… However the break from normal life left me with a dozen or so topics I want to write about so maybe my creative juices will win over and I’ll pump out a new post before honing in on the resources page. Guess we’ll see!
Thanks for reading. I hope you’re doing well and have a fantastic week. See you for a new Video Editor’s Digest next week!
Remember to subscribe here to get it in your inbox!
– Josh