My career as an editor will be dictated by a number of choices I make following my progression into the industry. For this project I will be focusing on contemporary practices within the role of editing for film and some of the routes I might take to order to become a professional editor. I will be looking at some of the issues and opportunities associated with modern-day filmmaking such as online platforms, social media and technological advances within the industry alongside research detailing how current editors work and find employment. I will also explore some of the possible progression routes and career paths available to me and the benefits of higher education or work experience. I will then conclude my findings and define my plans for the future. I’m currently considering a career as an editor while on track to study film production at university.
I’m intrigued by the prospect of working as an editor specialising in the production of indie music videos. This will involve working alongside directors and artists to create short films illustrating and supporting their music.
Indie is often used to describe genres such as indie pop, rock or metal. The term itself comes from the word ‘independent’ as this style of music was originally owned by independent record labels. A key part of the indie genre and the films produced is the independence of the artist and how they stand out from others.
Independent record labels and indie artists often have low budgets for films and so salary can vary greatly from project to project. If you work for a production house an editor can expect to earn an average of £26,000 a year (PayScale). The salary for a freelance editor however can depend on a number of things such as the complexity of the cut, the working conditions, the programs required, travel and any additional work. An hourly rate is often discussed between both parties with the addition of a limited number of revisions.
They generally feature an emotive performance from the performer coupled with some kind of narrative in order to add context to the lyrics and support them through visuals. Adding a storyline is also a really effective way to keep the audience’s attention throughout the film and make it more relatable. When a narrative is added it tends to be either an illustrative or interpretative adaptation of the lyrics. An illustrative narrative would be a literal representation where as an interpretative narrative would focus more on the meaning behind the lyrics and any metaphors drawn from that.
Indie music videos although centered around independence and self-expression often make use of similar styles and techniques (Maxey, Videomaker). They tend to make use of timings and particularly visual shots to show the change and progression of the music. Cutting shots to the beat of the track also helps to highlight the music and make the relationship between sound and visuals more coherent.
Another really popular technique for not only indie but all music videos is miming/lip-syncing. This is where the performer will listen to the track and pretend to play along for the camera. Using this technique means that you don’t have to record audio on location, allowing you to use the studio recording not matter where your film is set and therefore maintaining audio quality.
Using black and white is another popular technique for indie music videos as this seems to spark more of an emotional response in the audience as opposed to a neutral colour scheme; although it is not uncommon to use more vibrant and striking colours to achieve a similar response. The visuals and aesthetics are very important for indie music videos specifically as they are very focused on how the artist can stand out and their own unique personality.
Vevo is an online video hosting service specifically for premium music videos. It is very similar to sites such as YouTube and Vimeo although much more selective, meaning that the majority of the content is of a more professional quality. A lot of big names and artists upload their work to Vevo in order to monetize their films and generate revenue. companies like Vevo, with a well know brand, help to add quality assurance to your film and therefore assist with marketing.
Vydia
Vydia works closely with companies such as Vevo and MTV helping to manage, distribute and monetize your work. Starting at around $20 a year Vydia will help you to create a professional Vevo channel in order to monetize and generate revenue for your work, they will also aid in distribution and promotion by sending your work to video music networks such as MTV.
GBFTE
GBFTE is an organization that provides a place for British editors to communicate with each other and other members of the film industry. They aim to promote the importance of an editors role within film and encourage discussion about technical and creative aspects of editing while also improving job security by protecting the rights of editors and recognizing their contribution to productions.
Due to the nature of indie music videos being very focused on the independence of the artist and how they can stand out amongst the crowd they are a very popular platform to try out the latest technologies and techniques of film-making.
CGI was no exception to this as the popular band ‘Dire Straits’ were among the very first to use the technology, featuring it in their music video ‘Money for nothing’. The video was one of the first to use computer-animated human characters and at the time of its release the technology was considered groundbreaking.
‘Chroma key’ commonly known as ‘Green Screen’ is the process of layering two images together based on colour hues. The subject would be filmed in front of a one colour screen, usually green, the computer would then be told to ignore the background colour allowing a different background to be added in. Much like CGI, green screens were used as a way of making the video/artist stand out amongst the crowd and to solidify their independence. Green screens were also a fairly budget way of achieving new and interesting locations that were previously limited by time and/or money.
The standardisation of 4K, 6K and RAW footage has also had a big impact on the post production of music videos (Lindblom, Videomaker). More and more film makers are using this level of resolution as it becomes a more common feature of commercial cameras. The higher resolution footage provides a significantly sharper colour and image, the footage is often then exported as standard HD in order to comply with upload limits on video hosting sites, this still however provides a much better resolution.
However there are downsides to using this level of quality as the processing power required to edit in these higher resolutions is greatly increased due to the file size and amount of information the computer has to process. In order to solve this issue however it is now a common practice to edit using proxies, this allows you to edit in a lower resolution reducing the amount of processing power needed.
The arrival of online viewing platforms has greatly changed how music videos are perceived and viewed. A music video can now be treated as its own standalone product and achieve much more recognition than they used to. Due to platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo and Vevo it has never been easier to push your film out to your audience. This means that an audience is no longer limited by the existing following and can be promoted much more effectively. The fact that the majority of these video hosting sites are either free to use or involve a small cost also opens up the market for new unsigned artists and independent filmmakers, making the industry much more accessible.
At the moment I am on track to go onto further education, preferably Staffordshire, to study media production. This will allow me to further develop my portfolio and gain experience. It will also allow me to form strong contacts with other filmmakers and industry professionals. However there are many possible progression routes available to me.
Online Courses/How to Videos
Lynda.com
Lynda is a subscription based platform that provides you with access to professional standard instructional videos to help you develop skills in areas such as business, software, technology and creative skills. This would be an excellent website to improve upon or refresh existing skills, however trying to learn new skills purely from this website may prove difficult because of the lack of human interaction and constructive feedback. I’ve been fortunate enough to be offered free access to this site from various contacts and so will be taking full advantage of their post production tutorials in order to develop my skills in that area. An advantage of this kind of site is that there is no pressure to work to a deadline so you are able to learn at your own pace making the learning experience more relaxed.
Open University
The Open University is an online based university that provides a variety of both free and paid for courses. They offer a range of courses relating to film including editing courses for both beginner and intermediate filmmakers. A selection of these courses will also offer some kind of qualification, although online qualifications do not always receive the same respect as a traditional degree path. This is changing however as more and more online courses are credited properly and valued by employers. I personally don’t feel that this kind of progression route would suit me as a tend to benefit more from hands on experience and constant feedback.
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/engineering-technology/digital-film-school
Short Courses
There is a wide variety of short courses for film editing across the uk ranging in price from £100 to £1,ooo+. There are courses available for filmmakers of all levels covering various skills and techniques such as general editing, colour grading, animation and FX as well as software specific courses. The type of learning involved for these kind of courses will be very hands on and intense for short periods of time. Short courses however usually do not offer any form of qualification and so are based around the idea of you seeking out and gaining experience from qualified professionals in order to improve on a personal level. I personally believe that these types of courses would be more beneficial to me than online courses as you are able to get feedback from industry professionals as well as support from other people who may be on the course.
http://www.hotcourses.com/courses/greater-london/film-editing-courses/3070/
Work Experience
There are a number of options available for work experience within the area of editing. Perhaps the most beneficial would be spending some time as a runner in a ‘Post House, as this will allow you to see the structure of a post-house as well as a common working environment. A ‘Runner’ is an entry-level position into post production and will usually spend your time working with a more experienced member of your field such as an assistant editor.
Envy Post House
The Post Production House Envy in London is a highly professional awarding winning facility that cater for a vast range of project types, offering a team of post production practitioners as well as extensive industry standard equipment. Envy also offer 1/2 week work placements as a runner specific for university students in order to gain hands on experience of what a Post House is like and the services they provide. In order to apply for work experience at Envy you need to submit an application consisting of some basic information, your CV and a short statement about why you are applying. This looks like a really successful and modern Post House that would be great to gain experience from. It is free to do however because of its location and its reputation it is inevitable that competition will be extremely high.
http://envypost.co.uk/careers/work-experience/
http://envypost.co.uk/broadcast/about/
Films@59
Films@59 is another Post House with work experience opportunities offering post production services such as rushes management and freelance crew diaries but specialising in equipment hire. They have facilities in Bristol and Cardiff offering similar work experience opportunities to Envy, requiring you to email them presumably with your CV and a statement detailing why you think you would benefit from experience there.
http://www.filmsat59.com/about-us/careers/
University (Further Education)
Another route for gaining invaluable experience and contacts is university. This is a more traditional progression route into the industry providing you with a safe environment with which to learn and develop skills. Although not required, some kind of formal qualification can be extremely beneficial when trying to find work within the industry as it is a clear indication of your experience. I personally feel that university would be the best route for me at the moment as it will provide me with a supportive working environment that I can use to gain experience, form contacts, build my portfolio, learn new techniques and achieve new standards of independence.
Application
In order to apply for university you will need to submit an application to UCAS who acts as the middle man, distributing your application to each university/course you have applied for. Although daunting, UCAS is a very useful system allowing you to submit all of your information, qualifications and personal statement to one place as well as track the progress of your application throughout.
Cost
A big difference between university and other experiences is price. Most university courses cost around £9,000 a year and are constantly changing depending on current political developments. This can be a significant problem however there are systems in place to help fund your degree. A student loan can be taken out to cover the costs of your course fees, this does need to be paid back however until after you have graduated and are earning over £21,000. Then you will pay back 9% of anything you earn over £21,000. You can also apply for a maintenance loan to help cover accommodation and living costs, the amount you can receive will depend on a number of things such as your course and your house hold income, which will then be payed back as part of your student loan.
Staffordshire University
One of the courses I am currently considering/have applied for is ‘Media Production’ at Staffordshire university. I’ve always been interested in film making as a whole and this course offers the opportunity to develop and learn skills in a wide area of film while also being able to specialize in a particular position. The location itself is also very beneficial as Staffordshire is very central making travel to film locations and potential employment much easier and cost-effective.
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/course/SSTK-04192.jsp
Setting up your own company and working freelance is one possible route for a career in the industry. This can potentially be a quite difficult way to get into the industry and will require a lot of leg work to do successfully.
Portfolio/social media
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of freelance work is creating a strong presence online where potential customers can view your work and experience.
A key part of this would be your portfolio consisting of your best work, recommendations, awards, bio and show reel. This will provide the foundation for your presence online, Vimeo is an excellent service with which to build your portfolio as it provides a professional looking web page to upload your films and work to in order to link them in with other social media.
Another key part of creating an online presence and marketing your services would be your use of social media. Services such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook can be invaluable when trying to promote yourself or your company.
Twitter can provide instant feedback relating to your work as well as a way to propose new ideas to a massive audience. The informality of Twitter can also be extremely useful when discussing new techniques or possible ideas. It is also a great way to keep up to date with what is happening in the world of film as it is commonly used as a way to instantly spread news to the masses. Releasing new content and letting people know about it instantly is very easy with twitter and so would make up an important part of your distribution process.
Facebook is another really useful social media platform. Unlike Twitter, Facebook is designed for you to be able to create a lasting online profile with which to promote and distribute your work. Facebook enables you to create a specific page for your company that is easy for users to find. Although not as professional as other platforms it is still common practice for freelance filmmakers to create a Facebook page due to the massive amount of users the site has, greatly increasing the size of your audience as well as not having your eggs all in one basket. You are also given the option of paying to promote your page, this will make your page appear to a wider audience in the form of an advertisement.
Instagram can be a really useful tool particularly for artists and filmmakers due to the visual nature of their work. Instagram allows you to upload images and short clips to a profile providing a visual representation of your work and the things you do. Much like Twitter, Instagram is useful for promoting your work to a wider audience although not as wide-spread. The key feature of Instagram however is being able to instantly upload visual media on the move so that you can keep your audience up to date with what you’re doing.
Creating your own website is extremely important for working freelance as it provides a place where everything can be combined and linked together in order to create a successful and professional online presence with which to market and promote your work. A successful website would include links to all of your social media platforms, your portfolio and more information such as contact info, an outline of your rates and where you are based at.
Location and Funding
Being able to fund your business with income from the work that you produce is the ideal situation to be in however it will not be like that to begin with. If I was to begin working freelance I would likely have to start off by doing a lot of work for free/low costs in order to build a good reputation and gain more experience. I would then be able to steadily increase the rates that I charge in order to start generating income and support the growth of my business.
As I wouldn’t be earning much money from my business however I would have to fund my work from another source. Therefore I would have to seek employment to cover the costs, bar or retail work would be a viable option as they have accessible entry requirements as well as the possibility as being very flexible in order to work around my freelance work.
Working freelance and just living in general comes with a number of costs that I would also have to fund with either income from films or other employment.
Expenses such as rent, utilities, food and travel can vary greatly depending on your location. If I was to either continue living at home or live with my mum in Manchester I would be able to share some of these costs with my family and relieve some of the pressure. Manchester would also be a viable place to begin a freelance business particularly for the indie music video area as manchester is a central hub for music culture. Manchester is also home to media city which could provide possible future employment opportunities as it is fast becoming a key part of film and media in the north. However this is not a long-term solution as I feel I would need my own space in order to grow both my business and myself.
As I have applied to Staffordshire university I have looked into some of the costs of potentially living there, specifically the Stoke-on-Trent area. A typical 1 bedroom flat as a studio or as part of a converted house is around £400-£500 pcm. A large number of properties available also have bills included helping to simplify things and potentially reduce the cost of utilities. Staffordshire would also be a good location to work as freelance as it is very central in the country allowing easy access and travel in order to move around for work, for example Staffordshire is 40 mins to Manchester on the train and 1hr 2o to London.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/Stoke-On-Trent/studio-flats.html
In order to work effectively as a freelance filmmaker there will be other costs involved to maintain a standard of living and working.
Access to software and equipment is extremely important whether I purchase my own or hire it out as it will be needed in order to produce work. Adobe offers a subscription to its programs at a reasonably accessible price. The complete adobe software including premiere, Photoshop, after effects and audition etc is available to students for £15 a month and for individuals £45. This would give me access to all of the basic software that I would need to work as a freelance editor.
http://www.adobe.com/uk/creativecloud.html
Equipment such as cameras, lights, sound gear, rigs and any other hardware can be expensive so hiring out the equipment you need over the course of a shoot could be a more economical way of doing things. As an example to Hire out a Canon 5D would cost you roughly £90 a day as opposed to buying it our right at closer to £2,000. Hiring out equipment would also be a way of trying out new gear in order to decide what to invest on in the future.
https://www.hireacamera.com/en-gb/
http://www.vid4hire.co.uk/camera-hire/canon/canon-5D-MKIII-hire-rental
Additional costs such as Phone, TV, Internet and other luxuries such as Netflix and any hobbies also have a cost attached to them which can very easily add up to a substantial amount but are sometimes necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Other Requirements
If you go down the route of freelance work it is highly advisable to create some kind of company brand. This will involve you designing a name and a logo with which to promote your company and generate a reputation. Using a variety of social media platforms can greatly aid you in promotion of your brand. By creating a brand for yourself you are able to appear much more professional and recognizable although it does dehumanize the whole process slightly.
Being able to manage each individual process, the costs involved, any payment you receive and possibly any employees is crucial to a steady and successful business. Due to this I believe that basic business or money management skills are vital to working as a freelance filmmaker. You need to be able to budget and fund each project effectively by means of careful planning and management.
Having access to your own equipment can also be a necessary part of freelance filmmaking. Obviously you can’t edit without at least some kind of editing software, however basic, so there will be key bits of equipment you simply can’t work without. In order to run a successful company you will need to have constant access to equipment be it your own or hired.
Hired/Post House employment
CroftWerk
Croftwerk is post-house specializing in music video production located in Manchester. This could potentially a very viable place to work as its location would provide easy access if I chose to live at home or in Manchester with my mum temporarily. It would also be very appropriate for the type of work I would like to produce as not only are they tailored towards music video production but music videos within the indie genre usually for independent artists or small record labels.
Envy
At the other end of the spectrum would be somewhere like Envy. They are a highly professional post-house situated down in London and cover a range of productions from short films, drama, TV, advertising and feature films. The location of this post house wouldn’t be ideal however as living in London can be extremely expensive, instead of living in London I would likely commute from somewhere cheaper and nearby such as Staffordshire. Another problem with somewhere like this would be the competition for a position, as it is a much more professional company I would likely need a lot more experience before applying.
requirements
In order to apply for any editorial position there are a number of documents that I would need to complete and submit. Much like freelance, creating a portfolio would be a sensible thing to do as it will allow them to see the work and experience I have achieved. Also a more specific CV with any appropriate qualifications and references would be required as with any employment. If I am then considered for the position I would likely have to attend an interview to further discuss my potential employment with the company.
Job description
Some of my possible responsibilities as an editor might include:
- receiving a brief and/or shot list, screen play and script
- assembling raw footage into a finished product
- importing and organizing rushes and sound files
- experimenting with styles and techniques including graphic design
- suggesting or selecting music
- overseeing the quality and progress of video and sound editing
As an editor I would also need to be able to:
- Have a keen eye for detail and a critical mind
- Creative and passionate about film
- patience and concentration
- listen and work as a team
- organize myself and my time
- work under pressure
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/film-video-editor
Costs
Seeking employment with a post-house and being able to live and work comfortably will involve certain expenses, some of which that are also involved in freelance work.
Costs for accommodation will be similar to freelance work as I will either need to share housing with my family or find a place of my own. Staffordshire would be another viable option due to its central position allowing me to travel easily around the country depending on work. However the position that I find will greatly dictate where I have to live and then I will have the decision to either live near work or commute daily.
One of the main differences between freelance and hired work in terms of cost is that it will not be as vital for you to purchase your own equipment as it is likely that the work place will provide you with all the tools you need to produce work. An option however is still to own your own equipment so that you can potentially work from home, however this is not strictly necessary.
Hired work would leave me better off financially initially due to not having to fund films myself and purchase my own equipment. I would also get a salary from employment meaning that I would have a much more reliable source of income with which to fund things such as rent, food and utilities. An average salary for an editor in a post-house would be around £26,000, this would help greatly with living costs however once I start to earn this much I will have additional things to pay for such as tax and student loan repayments. This being said there is no doubt however that being employed would provide a much more reliable income than freelance.
Throughout this project I have discovered some critical pieces of information that will help inform and dictate my progression into the industry. I now have a greater understanding of the differences and requirements between freelance and employment allowing me to make a more informed decision about how I want to work once I begin my career. The importance of a strong portfolio and varied experience has also been highlighted as it will be an invaluable tool for finding work no matter the progression route. Another part of this will be a professional online presence to couple with my portfolio and promote my work. I also found out about some of the contemporary practices of editors for indie music videos informing me about how I will likely be working and what some of my responsibilities might be, convincing me that I would be suited for the role.
In light of what I have learnt I am now sure that university will be a sensible route for progressing into the industry as I will develop and learn new skills while creating a strong portfolio and forming contacts with filmmakers and artists. I have not yet made a definite decision on the route I will take after uni but think that a healthy balance between employment and freelance work would leave me in good stead financially and allow me to vary the work I produce.
The next step for me now will be my interviews for university in the hope that I will be able to progress into further education and establish my place in the industry while I continue to develop myself as a filmmaker.
Bibliography
- (Adobe) http://www.adobe.com/uk/creativecloud.html
- (Envy) http://envypost.co.uk/broadcast/about/
- (Envy) http://envypost.co.uk/careers/work-experience/
- (Films@59) http://www.filmsat59.com/about-us/careers/
- (GBFTE) http://www.gbfte.org/
- (George, Sherine) https://prezi.com/oktgvf_y7pha/styles-conventions-and-techniques-of-the-music-video/
- (Halder, Gemma) https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/film-video-editor
- (Hire a Camera) https://www.hireacamera.com/en-gb/
- (Hot Courses) http://www.hotcourses.com/courses/greater-london/film-editing-courses/3070/
- (Jukic, Steven) http://4k.com/resolution/
- (Lynda) https://www.lynda.com/
- (Maxey, Kate) https://prezi.com/xxao8-43lhog/conventions-of-music-videos-and-the-indie-genre/
- (Open University) http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/engineering-technology/digital-film-school
- (Pay Scale) http://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Film_%2F_Video_Editor/Salary
- (Right Move) http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/Stoke-On-Trent/studio-flats.html
- (Ruiz, David) http://studenttimes.org/article/film/film-and-video-editor-careers#.WIniw7aLRQM
- (Song Facts) http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1091
- (Staffordshire University) http://www.staffs.ac.uk/course/SSTK-04192.jsp
- (Student Ladder) http://www.studentladder.co.uk/work/media.html
- (Vevo) https://www.vevo.com/
- (Vid4Hire) http://www.vid4hire.co.uk/camera-hire/canon/canon-5D-MKIII-hire-rental
- (Vydia) http://vydia.com/
Matthew Tucker 
Very informative article on applying logic to music and entertainment. There are many ways to express talent and your article helps explore this/
LikeLike