Starting a Small Editing Business?

If there is a need for another editor in your area you should
fill that need. Start by charging very little to get your foot in
the door and build a client list. Right now your school is coming
to you - when you start your own business people will not
come to you, you will need to go to them. That is usually the
biggest obstacle to a small business - you have the talent but
do you have the drive to attract clients?

Have you thought of who is out there that might need your
editing skills? and what they might be willing to pay? My advice
is to enter your business from that angle rather than what should
you charge. Who needs editing and what will they pay.

Thanks for the advice! I'll start looking around to see what's available locally, see if, as you said, there is a need to be filled.

directorik said:

when you start your own business people will not come to you, you will need to go to them. That is usually the biggest obstacle to a small business - you have the talent but do you have the drive to attract clients?

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+ 1,000!!!!!!

Even when you are working 60 hours per week you need to spend the hour or two a day working on attracting new clients, touching base with current and former clients, etc., etc., etc.

FormerDominator said:

needless to say, I'd get FCPX

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Before you decide on FCPX you should consider other platforms. Adobe and Avid come to mind.

FCPX has been watered down from the original version, as Apple is focusing on consumer products and slowly abandoning professional products; the Logic DAW is almost completely kaput and I get the feeling that Final Cut will go the same way. If you are considering this as a profession you need to consider your investments VERY carefully. You don't want to dump money into a platform that will disappear in three years.

You should also learn proper audio procedures. I don't necessarily mean doing sound editing and mixing (although some knowledge is useful), but how to properly organize tracks, audio transfer protocols like OMF and AAF, outputting reliable/relevant EDLs, etc. When it comes to audio post we absolutely love it when the OMF/AAF has no missing files and the tracks are sequenced properly. A lot of this actually comes down to you being extremely organized while you edit.

It certainly seems like a PITA and feels like it interrupts your work flow to take copious notes while you are working, but make it a habit. After a while it becomes as natural as breathing, and saves you many hours later, as well as improving communication with your clients and your partner/vendors - guys like me who do the audio post.

Originally Posted by FormerDominator View Post
needless to say, I'd get FCPX

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Before you decide on FCPX you should consider other platforms. Adobe and Avid come to mind.

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Consider learning all 3, especially Avid.

There's really 2 ways to run your own editing business. As a contractor and as a proper business. If you do go down this route, consider as a contractor as your best option, getting to know the directors so they recommend you as their choice of editor.

As a creative person, one of the hardest roles to fill as a business owner is the role of sales person. If you don't sell your services, you don't get to eat. It's as simple as that. Selling is a dreadful job for most. I love to sell and I'm reasonably good at it. For me, my bugbear is administration. I always need to delegate that task, which when you're new to business, you often don't have the cash to have that option. Take all that into consideration when thinking about starting your own business.

If you choose that option, welcome to the world of being a business owner. It's an exciting and worthwhile ride for those who succeed.

Sweetie said:

Selling is a dreadful job for most. ..... For me, my bugbear is administration. I always need to delegate that task, which when you're new to business, you often don't have the cash to have that option. Take all that into consideration when thinking about starting your own business.

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I love everything about my business except doing the business half of the business - marketing, admin, finance/taxes..... They are one of the prices I pay for loving what I do.

Alcove Audio said:

You should also learn proper audio procedures. I don't necessarily mean doing sound editing and mixing (although some knowledge is useful), but how to properly organize tracks, audio transfer protocols like OMF and AAF, outputting reliable/relevant EDLs, etc. When it comes to audio post we absolutely love it when the OMF/AAF has no missing files and the tracks are sequenced properly. A lot of this actually comes down to you being extremely organized while you edit.

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Dude, you can't just say something like that and leave me there without so much as a link to expand upon this. I wanna know more and especially practical stuff about the bold part.

First time I felt I needed a bit of organization was on my last edit when I had a post-it onto which I wrote by hand which audio file corresponds to the shots/takes I will be using.

Isn't being a freelance editor a tough business to be in these days? The demise of the film budgets trickles down. Most of the Craig's List ads I see are for slave labor rate editors.

Not to mention the crisis in the VFX companies..

TheArtist said:

Originally Posted by Alcove Audio

how to properly organize tracks, audio transfer protocols like OMF and AAF, outputting reliable/relevant EDLs, etc.

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Dude, you can't just say something like that and leave me there without so much as a link to expand upon this.

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It's just a little common sense. Dialog tracks are the "top" tracks (1 thru 6?), temp Foley get their own tracks, as do temp sound effects and temp music. It would be very nice if you could properly checkerboard (alternate) the audio clips; you know, every time you do a picture edit the audio goes to audio track 2, then back to audio track 1, etc. If you are not using the audio from, say, a reaction shot, put the audio on a muted track - there may be a sigh, snort or whatever the Dialog editor may want to use. You see, what audio is to be used is not the choice of the visual editor to make; that's the responsibility of the dialog editor.

It is really helpful if the names of the audio clips match the verbal slate (Sc24B-T04). The pro editors I've audited and/or worked with all name their visual clips in the same way, although some append MCU and similar details.

Please keep ALL of the audio tracks together with the visual clips. (On my current project there are a boom track and up to three lavs.) DO NOT erase the lav tracks just because it's a PITA to keep everything together. Spend a little time learning about grouping the audio tracks and linking/locking sound clips to visual clips.

With an embarrassingly large number of editors I get the dialog spread over 20 tracks jumbled in with (usually really bad) sound effects and music. There is no coherency whatsoever; I'll get - on the same track - a line of dialog followed by a gunshot followed by the left half of the score then more dialog.

They "stack" lines of dialog on top of each other to increase the volume. AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haven't they heard of volume automation or, perhaps, turning up the audio monitors? Yup, I've had the audio for the entire project stacked several times because it wasn't loud enough.

However, I prefer stacked audio over editors who think they can edit audio. DO NOT replace lines of dialog; or if you do make sure to leave the original on an adjacent (muted) track.

DX (Dialog Tracks)

FY (Foley Tracks)

SFX (Sound Effects Tracks)

BG (Ambient Background Sounds Tracks)

MUS (Music Tracks)

SC (Score Tracks)

At least, that's how I organize everything.


The best thing to do is ask questions or, perhaps, even follow instructions. I always give very explicit, detailed requirements. Here's my "want" list:

Visuals as a .DV stream with time code burn.

2-POP at the head and the tail

Audio as OMF2 with ten (10) second handles.

Alt takes organized by scene into folders (Scene 1, Scene 2, etc.)

Room Tones (if any)

An EDL


See, it's not that hard. I NEVER get 2-pops. I get TC burn about 50% of the time. I get alt takes about 70% of the time; I get the alt takes properly organized about 20% of the time. I get a .DV stream about 20% of the time. I've gotten an accurate EDL twice. I have received a proper AAF only once.

Just remember that when someone like me bills the client I'm most often charging by the hour; spending more time searching for alt takes because they weren't delivered as requested, syncing issues because there was no 2-pop, poorly organized tracks, etc., takes time to sort out - this all reflects upon the editor, and s/he just increased the cost of the project.


http://soundslikejoe.com/omf-aaf-tutorial/

Alcove Audio said:

MUS (Music Tracks)

SC (Score Tracks)

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What differentiates these two tracks? Bits where the music is front 'n centre versus simply playing under the rest of the audio?

For the dialogue, what do you consider the best way to separate it, by character, character/source?

And would ADR normally be separate also, or just in the same DX tracks?

CraigL

CraigL said:

What differentiates these two tracks? Bits where the music is front 'n centre versus simply playing under the rest of the audio?

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Score = music written (scored/composed) for the film

Music (Source Music) = songs used in the soundtrack and diegetic music (music heard by the characters)

Alan Sylvestri wrote the score for "Forrest Gump," which was loaded with source music by Elvis, Tommy James & The Shondells and many others used as diegetic music (heard by the characters), plus songs by the Doobie Brothers, Jimi Hendrix and others used in the soundtrack (heard only by the audience).

BTW, it can be fun to play with turing diegetic into source and vice versa when it works well.

CraigL said:

For the dialogue, what do you consider the best way to separate it, by character, character/source? And would ADR normally be separate also, or just in the same DX tracks?

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By character, and by source.

DX-A (this is the main composite [comp] track, usually production dialog plus all of the edits from alts and wild lines)
DX-A - ADR (requires different processing so it can be matched to the production dialog)
DX-A - Futz (if needed)
DX-A - FX (if needed)
DX-A - alt 1 (track disabled)
DX-A - alt 2 (track disabled)
DX-A - alt 3 (track disabled)
DX-A - Original (track disabled)

DX-B
etc.
etc.
etc.


Now, imagine three or four major characters, ten supporting roles and two or three dozen incidental characters or one-off lines. Now you see why you can dedicate 100 tracks to dialog. Then add Foley for each of them......