The post-production podcast that goes beyond the desk
Josh and special guest Rhonda discuss networking essentials for video editors. They talk about how to make contacts, what kind of contacts to make, how to keep relationships going, how to ask for work, what not to do when you’re networking and so much more.
Also, Josh gives a special announcement :)
Get royalty-free stock music from Soundstripe: http://soundstripe.grsm.io/joshshort
Use the code COMMANDEDIT for 10% off!
This week in an attempt at a Valentine's-themed episode we invited David on the show. Who is David? He is the husband-to-be of a TV editor and friend of mine who agreed to awkwardly talk to us about what it's like to basically be married to someone who works the crazy hours we do and speaks in hard-to-understand lingo at the end of the work day.
Thanks to David for opening up and giving us an idea of what it's like being in a serious relationship with a film editor.
"The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals."
Around this time of year you start thinking of your New Year's resolutions. Actually...let's be honest...you're most likely thinking about how bogus New Year's resolutions are.
They are there for people to set, attempt for the month of January and then completely abandon without guilt. When's the last time you a heard from a friend of yours who actually saw one of their resolution through to the end of the year?
But setting goals for yourself is a very important part of learning and improvement. And there are ways you can establish your goals so that you are more likely to succeed at them.
In this episode we talk about a few ways that you can set yourself up for success with your own goals for the next year. They are simple but very essential to getting yourself to the next level.
Also as we end this year, we can't thank our listeners enough! (That would be you).
This podcast started as a shared goal between Josh and myself, as we mention in the episode, and along the way has turned its focus to the goals of the listeners.
What do you want to learn about post-production that will help you in your career?
What other ways are you looking to improve your physical and mental health?
What else would help give you that boost that you need to become more confident with yourself?
We have a lot planned for the Command+Edit Podcast for 2016. Listen to the episode to find out what our goals are and how we plan to achieve them.
Thanks to the kind folk over at Art of the Guillotine for putting our Star Wars episode front and centre on their page. Check out AotG for tons of resources on the filmmaking industry updated daily.
Share them with us by tweeting @CommandEdit. Literally takes 3 seconds using this handy button below. Once you'd tweeted it, you're one step closer to achieving it. And we will then hound you with progress updates.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Josh doing an obligatory selfie in front of the Ghost Dog of Christmas Past
#PostDontStop is just a hashtag. We all know that everyone needs to get away to recharge the batteries. Otherwise you risk overworking yourself which leads to burnout, and then your work will surely suffer. Either that or you become easily irritable and become no fun to be around, which your workmates and clients will surely notice. Because of this you should never neglect your mental or physical health and should allow yourself a break when you need it.
If you have a contract or permanent position then your employer should allow for vacation time, but if you are a freelancer then you have both the freedom and responsibility of choosing the right time to go on vacation.
Before you pack up and leave, you should leave your business in good order so that you're ready to operate when you get back. Here is my own 4-point mental checklist for going away:
• Contact your clients
A simple email to your current clients to tell them when you're gone and what time you'll be returning is all it takes to cover your arse. Allow them enough time to ask any important questions before you leave. They'll appreciate that you took the time to let them know.
• Update your co-workers and assistants
Any members of shared projects should be aware that you're taking off, and you should make sure that they have everything they need to do their work without you. The last thing you want is an email from a panicked co-worker who needs files off of your computer and no access to it.
• Upload files for yourself that you wil need
If I ever feel like there are project elements that I may (even in an emergency) need to get at, they go up to a Dropbox/Google Drive folder or I email them to myself. You never know.
• Write up a To-Do List for when you return
I don't want to be thinking of work while I'm away, so anything I need to remind myself of goes into a Return To-Do List. This list doesn't get looked at until I'm back in the office. That way it's out of my mind and I can relax without worry.
Nick in BC doing an obligatory beard-selfie on a hike.
Coincidentally both Josh and myself planned vacations for ourselves at the same time. He's over in Japan while I'm over in BC.
But worry not! We left the Cmd+Edit offices on autorun, with new episodes to go out each Monday morning. Even vacation doesn't keep the podcast from running. So I guess there still is a bit of truth to #PostDontStop even when work does go on pause.
Every editor nowadays appears to be expected to have a basic understanding of After Effects. It is the new Photoshop, in that clients assume that you are able to use AE to achieve certain effects for their videos, whether it be removing logos, adding motion graphics or more advanced compositing.
In this episode we cover some ways that After Effects should be a part of your everyday workflow:
Also, we are looking for some ideas for what the first pieces of Cmd+Edit merch could be. Rather than do the basic t-shirt or coffee mug, we want to do put our logo on something that's going to be especially unique and useful for you. It can be something for your desk, for your kitchen or even for your pet (thinking outside of the box here!). If you have any ideas for merch items that you'd like us to offer a limited run of, tweet them to @CommandEdit.
Did you see the ultra-cool video that mashes together about 20 different characters from popular movies and composite them all into the same nightclub? Serpico, Terminator, Blade, Pinhead, Obi-Wan Kenobi and many others appear in Hell's Club. It's an exercise in creative compositing and editing.
And we chose to close out this episode with an Ed Sheeran track. Why? Because we could. Enjoy!
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As an editor who has tried his hand at all three, this image speaks so much truth.
