editing Editor Reels

[Maazer]

It's a tough way to sell yourself as an editor by showing someone your reel. I've noticed a lot of employers will hire you based on your credits, and not so much your visual work. Unless your cuts are really incredible, I've never heard a producer say, "I hired him based on his content," because editors don't create the content, they just edit it. It was difficult finding work without credits because all I had were edits from short films in college, and AE work that, let's face it, I just did the grunt work with little creative attribution to the final cut. I also direct short projects, so that's a tough thing to throw in there too.

If you have two specialties, do you market yourself as both, or separately? I finished building a site yesterday, and would like some input as far as if it does a decent job marketing myself to potential employers.

www.themikelowther.com

Thanks in advance!

 

[Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC]

Setup configurations both ways to be more flexible to a wider market.

I personally don't like hiring all-in-one wonders because too many of them don't know as much as they pretend. I am looking to get away from wearing too many hats myself and getting a bigger crew and an experienced producer as a business partner.

 

[Cracker Funk]

It was difficult finding work without credits because all I had were edits from short films in college, and AE work that, let's face it, I just did the grunt work with little creative attribution to the final cut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

I'm going to try my best not to say this in an asshole-y way. But if you truly believe that, then you're probably not much of an editor, and perhaps that's why you're not getting hired.

Director. Screenwriter. Cinematographer. Sound Designer. Producer. Editor. I could name a few more, but these are a handful of the positions that have a HUGE impact on the final product, and an incredible amount of influence in which they can add their creative contribution. In truth, every position is important, right on down to PA, but some positions have considerably more influence than others, and editor is one of such positions.

To answer your question, I actually do agree that it's rather odd for an editor to have a reel. My completed projects are my reel. You can't get a feel for my editing unless you just watch some of my work.

The exception to this is for editors who specialize in AE type of effects. Maybe they do work for local companies, maybe for local or national commercials. In that instance, I can see how a show reel of AE type of stuff could be very valuable in getting a job.

But in my opinion, that's kind of a different thing than editing. There's compositing, and there's editing; they're not one and the same. An editor might often get hired for their compositing skills, but that reel they showed you isn't really an editing reel, but a compositing reel.

You trying to get a full-time job? If freelance ain't working out for you, I might recommend searching for an internship. I know dudes who have done this, and transitioned to a full-time permanent job. It'll be non-paying at first, but that's when you learn as much as you can and prove your value to the company that you're hoping will hire you.

Either way, good luck!

 

[Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC]

I was trying out for TV studio jobs. They look for education, demo reels that wow, and previous studio work experience. There is nothing easy about getting a studio editing job. Besides that, experience in AVID and Final Cut Pro.