I hate going to the doctor. Not because I’m afraid of needles or anything. I just don’t know what the heck I’m paying for. I have to trust and hope that I’m paying a fair price for the time and materials involved. That’s how it is when you use a professional service. When it comes to services we know a little something about, however, things can get extremely frustrating. We have questions we want answered.
Take screenwriting, for example. Since every literate person has written something in their lifetimes, everyone thinks they can do it themselves. I remember a conversations with a successful script doctor about this. He told me how studios complain when they see his fees. After all, how can a couple weeks of work be worth that much money? His response was wonderful. They weren’t paying for two weeks of work, he explained. They were paying for 20 years of experience. In other words, the job a talented craftsman can hammer out in a couple weeks would take much longer and be of far lower quality with someone less experienced. Yet the value of a professional screenplay is still a mystery to those not familiar with its particular difficulties. I’ve found that clients may have similar frustrations when it comes to editing.
These days, kids grow up learning how to edit. I should say, learning how to use editing tools. The same tools the professionals use are now accessible to everyone with a halfway decent computer. I’ve completed large projects for major studios on my standard (aside from a small memory upgrade) MacBook Pro. There are plenty of teenagers with better equipment than me. Nearly everyone with a computer has at some point toyed around with an editing program. What nearly everyone realizes after trying to edit something, is that their movies don’t look anything like a professional film. So they hire an editor. That’s why I’ve put together this little guide. To show you how to assess an editor.
Keep in mind that this is only a guide. There are other intangibles, since editing is an artistic craft. Not every competent editor is right for every project. But there are some questions I can answer, if not perfectly.
Why is it taking so long?
There are many reasons for a seemingly simple edit to take a long time. Unfortunately, the most common is a lack of preparation on the client’s part. “Do you have your media backed up?” is one of the first questions a competent editor will ask. I’ve lost a full day of potential edit time just because I was handed a drive that wasn’t backed up. Before I start the edit, I back up the drive (often to my own hard drives). The easiest way to cut down an editor’s time (and save yourself a bit of money) is to hand them a drive that is already backed up.
The other most common thing I see is an unorganized project. As an editor, I don’t mind organizing a project (and often prefer it), but the client ends up paying a full editor’s rate for work that a much cheaper assistant editor could have easily done. Basically, if you have a ton of footage, that footage MUST be organized before an editor can start. It may also need to be transcoded or imported to a proprietary codec. There may be mixed frame rates to deal with (much better to do on the front end than in finishing). There may be conforming to do. Sometimes, these tasks alone take over a week to complete. Especially if there are tons of interviews to sift through.
Once all the prep is done, the creative edit can begin. This part should go much faster. If the editor is working from a script or specific outline, you should notice progress right away. If there is only a broad outline or pitch to work from, then the amount of time it takes to make progress scales with the amount of footage (especially if the editor wasn’t involved in the shoots).
Is the editor any good?
This is partially a subjective question, and you’ll have to assess the creative results on your own, but there are ways to tell if the editor is competent and fast. Remember, there may be very good reasons why your editor is taking a long time to even build a single scene (see previous section). But if you are in a session with the editor, look at her hands. Does she rely on keyboard shortcuts or the mouse? Does she use a variety of methods and tools to make various edits, or does there seem to be just one cumbersome way of doing things?
It’s also important to see whether she takes her time when you make a request for a change. Depending on the change, you should notice a pause after you make request. She should think through all the possible ramifications that your change may cause. Normally, any changes you make during creative editing (especially of a longer feature), will have consequences. There may be specific music edits, sound effects, graphics, b-roll or other elements to consider, even if the only change is letting a single shot breathe a bit longer. She may make your change quickly, and then proceed to tune you out as she adjusts all the little bits and pieces that were affected.
Probably the easiest way to tell if an editor is good is a referral from someone you know. But you can also look at his résumé. Did he work on multiple projects for the same producer or director? Producers generally like to find a quality editor and then stick with him, though there are reasons (like switching companies) that they can’t always keep the same editor. Has he delivered projects for studios or companies similar to yours? More than once? When it comes to delivering professional video, there are very few second chances (especially with the major studios, who have no problem pulling work from one company to give to another).
Should I hire this editor?
This is the most important question. There’s no bulletproof way to tell if you have the right person for the job before it starts, but there are a few insights you can make. Assuming you’ve found a competent editor whose previous work you like, you should pay attention to the questions she asks. Is she excited about this project? Or is she excited to work for you? The answer to that first question doesn’t necessarily have to be yes, but the answer to the second question needs to be yes. Work at establishing rapport with her right away. If nothing seems to be connecting, you’re going to have a tough time communicating the vision for your film.
How much should I pay?
This is a tough one. I won’t give a dollar amount, because markets, skills, demand and other factors all vary from editor to editor, but here are some basics. Most editors have a set day rate and hourly rate. A day is up to 10 hours (don’t expect more), and usually (but not always) gives you the better deal. They may also accept a flat project rate, if they can work on it at their home or office at their own pace.
Try to pay his full rate. He set that rate for a reason, and probably has mouths to feed. Also, he’s going to turn your offer down if you go too low or if someone else offers him his full rate. If your budget is tight, feel free to negotiate, getting as close as possible to his rate. If your project fits his niche, it becomes more important to try to match his rate. If it’s outside of what he normally does, he may be willing to lower his rate significantly, but it depends on the editor. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and you may be surprised. Just don’t expect it.
Another important thing to note, is that rate is not a measure of quality. An editor who charges $300/day may be far better at his job than one who gets $700/day. (I don’t get anything close to $700/day, but those guys are out there—and not all of them are worth it.) Rates are generally set by what an editor is used to getting, not what they’re worth. Basically, if the editor is competent, qualified, within or near your budget, and you feel like you can work with him, then hire him.
In summary, know where your project is at before you hand it off to an editor, watch how he edits if you sit in on a session, try to connect with him creatively early on, and offer to pay what he asks for if possible (even if it seems high).
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