Freelance Video Editing

I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize that this is what I should be pursuing.

Who here does it? Would I be correct to assume that I'd be better off switching to FCP, just cuz it's so prolific in the industry?

And if I'm doing freelance, would I be correct to assume that my clients would expect me to be their all-in-one guy? Meaning, I'd be responsible not just strictly for editing, but also cleaning up audio, color-grading, graphics, etc.?

Any experiences you might wanna share? Thanks!

I'm fulltime freelance.

In my experience, all of my past clients save 1 didn't care what software I used. I have FCS and CS5 installed (and earlier versions of each before) because some people do care, but really the guy that cared already had some work done in final cut and wanted to make sure it interfaced. The end product is what they really care about.

I do mostly all-in-one type projects. That seems to be the trend, but I share the love with friends in the industry when possible and hire out the audio, etc, and they do the same. The more you can do, the better off your chances in landing a gig. I even do a lot of graphic design for the same reason. Being able to shoot helps too, since you own equipment you're better off.

Random tip: If you're working with a new client, negotiate half up front. It's not common, but I've had a few clients that haven't paid. After a few attempts and reminders and many months I just give it up. Not fair to ask for all of it off the bat, but half +expenses like stock footage is pretty normal. I have repeat clients that I bill completely after, they've proven reliable.

Hope that helps man, good luck!

Cool. That's good to know, about the software. Based on your response, I'm guessing that the proliferation of FCP is important if, let's say, I wanted to work for a larger company, not as freelance but as an employee. But if you're doing all-in-one, I'm glad to know that all that matters is the final product.

Thanks for the tips and info. If you don't mind, some time over the next few days, I'm gonna PM you a couple other questions. Cheers!

I found a useful article that covers all the things you need to know before starting to pursue jobs as a freelance video editor: https://valoso.com/blog/how-to-become-a-successful-freelance-video-editor-guide-for-beginners/

StefL said:

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Finder's Keepers

I also do freelance editing, mostly here in Los Angeles. The overwhelming majority of clients use Adobe Premiere, but most of the time it doesn't necessarily matter as long as you can deliver in the specs they want.

More often it's not just editing though, I'm usually shooting the videos as well. I do a lot of music and band related stuff.

Freelance is tough because you are always chasing down paychecks. I might recommend trying to get a job as an in house editor for whatever random company will hire you. You might be doing corporate videos, or youtube content, or whatever else, but at least that way you can guarantee a steady paycheck.

I think that it would be beneficial to learn as much of the "extra stuff" as you can, if you haven't already. I've come across a lot of companies or individuals that are looking beyond having some basic cuts done. Many opportunities out there call for color correction or motion graphics.

Regarding FCP, I'm not seeing as much demand for editors using this software as I once did, especially after the X release. Many have moved to the Adobe Suite, as that can serve as an all-in-one option being able to easily move between Premier, AE and Photoshop. Of course AVID still has a big part of the market, particularly with bigger companies who can afford AVID systems.

If freelance is something you're looking to dive into, I'd make yourself as versatile as possible... The guy who can do it all.