aka Real Answers from People In The Know

Introduction

What’s This All About Then?

As I begin writing the final version of my Personal Networking Report for Media Industries 2, a sudden flashback comes to mind and I’m taken back to one of our very first MI2 seminars. Robbie is expounding the virtues of doing this PNR task and telling us that any confusion/lack of interest/resentment (I felt all three) that we might have towards it will – God willing – vaporize into gratitude, understanding and a deep appreciation of the PNR by the end of semester.

I scoffed (internally). I don’t like the term “networking” it sounds like something akin to teeth extractions. I don’t know what I want to do anyways so where on earth would I start? Who would I speak to? Why would they want to speak to me? How’s all this going to help me anyways?! And more thoughts along those lines. Then we had to do a draft of our PNR, which I duly completed. This was my first taste into what I like to call my “Getting Real” phase. Being forced to properly reflect and evaluate my skills and interests from Media @ RMIT and try to work out where I wanted to go next, & who best to speak to about this was one of the best things I’ve done to help make that transition from Clueless Media Student to Slightly Less Clueless – Possible Media Practitioner. Which at the end of the the day, is the ultimate End Game for me from my time at this fine establishment. Were the MI2 lecturers right after all…the PNR is a fruitful exercise?? Read on…(it seems to be)

How do I make it/break-in into the big bad world of the Media Industry?

Firstly let’s start at the beginning. In the beginning there was my Draft PNR. It was a big ramble on what I liked and didn’t like, and what I was possibly interested in pursuing, and also the people I needed to get in touch with.  Geoff’s feedback and comments helped to steer me in the right direction by helping me to focus on a key area of interest, rather than doing a scattergun approach that was ill-targeted and would probably lead me to more confusion.

These are the key points from my Draft PNR on which I’ve based this Final PNR on:

• I am most interested in Editing (all things editing – film/tv/web) with strong interests in web/cross platform content
• I need to speak to editors, lots of them! From freelancers to production-house editors.
• What are expectations on editors these days, how does the industry work?
• What can I do/How can I improve my skills to make myself more employable?

Ahh Editing, my True Love. Let me describe the ways I love thee:

Of all the elements of pre to post production in any of our uni projects it’s the Editing phase that appeals to me most. To me Editing = ‘Where the Magic happens’. It’s where I get a chance to remix, sample, re-imagine. I can make something out of nothing (although it helps to have good footage in the first place naturally) and to me editing is the final say in the creative direction of a piece. As well as this all the projects I’ve enjoyed the most have all had online video/content outcomes, that’s what I love making content for, the online space.

What I appreciate about my time at RMIT is being exposed to different areas of Media and this is from the actual coursework (broadcast, film, networked) to the stuff I’ve done off my own bat (RMITV, work experience at a Film Festival). It’s given me the chance to slowly find my groove, and to experience first hand a little bit of everything which I think is incredibly important in trying to figure out your main strengths and interests, and to build a broader media skill set.

The Industry Context of Editing

Working in Editing Today

In the draft PNR I didn’t really make the connection between Editing and Online Content. Subconsciously to me the two seem to always go together, and it’s what I associate my editing passion with, online content. After interviewing Editors along the way and also speaking generally to Editors online plus some research of my own, I can now see why I keep putting these things together. Like how that great Bob Dylan song – The Times They Are a-Changin’ describes, the Editing industry is undergoing some pretty big changes and the resulting expectations on professionals in the field likewise change.

The future is open largely because editing applications have proliferated far beyond those developed for network oligopoly. Video is everywhere. Nonlinear established its beachhead in the production of commercials and music videos, not in network television. (1)

This is due in no small part to the big role that editing technology plays in Editing and also the general growth and advancement in web technology/online platforms. Now the industry standard is non-linear editing using software like Final Cut Pro (Mac) or Avid (PC). Even those these programs are far from cheap, if I can get my hands on a copy of FCP then I can bet lots of other impoverished students/would-be editors can too. There are other open-source free options to cut video with too but they aren’t quite industry standard and don’t offer the same breadth and depth of functions that some thing FCP or Avid do.

The increased popularity of online video clips has produced a large increase in video editing activity by Internet users. The Internet has become an important source of low-cost video-editing tools. (2)

This combined with the proliferation of the online space as a major platform for audio-visual content means that Editing has a lot to do with online content than ever before, and that Editing as a profession becomes more competitive as the technology becomes more accessible (there are important industry discussions on the future of Editing, and the rise of “Amateurs as Professional Editors” which I will discuss later…just because editing is getting less exclusive, doesn’t necessarily mean that standards are getting better). It is true, all of us as media consumers are undergoing a changing aesthetic when it comes to what we’re okay with seeing, online video is a different kettle of fish to film/tv and we make a lot of allowances for content that we watch online. Editors increasingly have to understand and be able to edit and publish for the online space.

Film & Film trailers, TV Shows and trailers, Commercials, Music Clips, Radio packages…what do these all have in common? All these media forms are also made into online versions. These days it is near impossible to think of content only in terms of it’s original platform eg. a Radio Show just for Radio. It has become all about cross-platform online outcomes because the mainstream public is consuming more and more media via online channels. An example of this is a fantastic Youth & Issues program called Hack on Triple J. I’ve grown up listening to Hack and I remember when it used to only be broadcast on the radio, but now you will be able to see transcripts, pictures, video clips as well as the original radio source all online. We expect that now as consumers that media entities will have a web presence. At the end of the day this impacts the Editing industry as increasingly clients will demand a web component to the content you edit and it’s important for me to be able to deliver that.

Behind the Scenes

Insight from Experienced Editing Professionals

I dreaded having to contact professionals and conduct interviews, after all who really does like cold calling? But as it turns out editors are a helpful lot, probably sympathetic from their battle-hardened years of experience in Editing, and taking pity on a soon-to-be graduate…does she know what she’s in for? From all accounts, working in Editing in Australia (and no doubt it is the same the world over) is tough both in competition for work and the increasing demands that clients place on editors (web outcomes for instance). I spoke to a variety of professional Editors (both freelancers and production house) and there was a wealth of invaluable information and insight that I managed to glean. I really wanted to find out the realities of working as an Editing Freelancer.

My formal interviews were with Anne Carter (Freelancer), Quenna Gregorio (Freelancer), Jeremy Bowtell (Production House) and Geoff Walters (Freelancer). I was also able to conduct  brief (but insightful) Q&A’s with freelance editors based in USA – Aaron Valdez and Eddie Colen.
(Please see References for full list of interview source material).

Interestingly there was a great deal of consistency in their answers which means that although there isn’t a perfect formula for success, it seems that professional Editors share a few fundamentals in common with each other  that I’ll be paying close attention too. Also interesting is the slight differences between Editors depending on the type of work they do/clientbase and whether they work as freelancers or production house (also what type).

WORKING IN THE BIZ 101

Fundamentals for Editing Newbies

1# Edit on anything and everything when you’re starting out. This is essential for a few reasons, to build up your showreel, to get lots of experience and actual technical skills. Having no actual clients is not an excuse for not having clips for your showreel. Make up videos if you have to (make music clips for bands you love, fake advertisements, volunteer your services). This will show that you’re passionate about editing.

2# Speaking of showreels, you MUST get a solid one together that reflects your style and your capabilities, this is what prospective clients will be scrutinizing so make that first impression count and put effort into it. If not a showreel have a Video Blog (vlog) and constantly post up your editing work.

3# The Editing industry requires tenacity and a firm commitment, you have to be prepared to harrass (charmingly) people for work, get on phones, don’t lose hope and not get discouraged by rejection (there will be plenty). Even if you only get the 1 job after asking 10 of them, if you do that 1 job great, they’ll use you again. You must be willing to start off doing some freebies at the start to build up a reputation and a showreel (which will lead to paid jobs!) and keep knocking on doors to get work experience.

4# It is difficult to get a fulltime inhouse Editor role at a production agency, most Editors are freelancers.  As a freelancer be prepared to go for months without work, or sometimes be flooded with too much work. It is very variable, and that’s the nature of freelancing if you go down that path. However if you build up good relationships with clients there can be constant workflow for you. You should also keep on working and stay in the industry loop, the industry is small no matter what state of Australia you work in and you hear of work through word of mouth and likewise people hear about you through word of mouth, failing that get on the phones and ask for work. The upside of freelancing is working with very varied people and different projects.

5# It might sound cliched but be passionate. This is different to just SAYING you are passionate. If you are really serious about pursuing editing then be accountable for your work, be mature, do Great work, meet the deadlines. Have a can-do attitude and try to learn new skills on the job and show your pro-activity. Technical skills can be taught in most cases and picked up from project to project, but enthusiasm and work ethic cannot.

Industry Trends

The Digital Age & Great Expectations

“I do offline editing.  Which is different to online editing.  More and more, producers are wanting editors to be able to do both offline and online.  Final Cut Pro allows users to create titles, grade pictures and mix sound.  This has led to producers expecting that editors should be able to fulfill these roles”. (Anne Carter)

Almost all the editors I spoke to and certainly all the online discussion forums I’ve visited mention a growing trend in editing for online platforms. There is a marked  change in the expectations of clients/projects and this points to the need for newbies like myself to get competent and comfortable with editing/compressing/publishing for online consumption, and that one cannot just rest on their “I know FCP pretty well” laurels. It’s interesting because this is definitely one of the bigger take-home messages from Media @ RMIT, the need to be (to quote Jenny Weight in Integrated Media 2) “agile across different platforms”. I’ve always had a love for all things networked/online so I did genuinely accept this advice, I’d LIKE to be conversant making content for different platforms but it does mean putting in the effort to learn the know-how and the technology.

(Editors, are they the new geeks?)

“One man band. You have to be these days. An editor has to be able to trans-code video, author DVD’s, perform sound editing and mixing, run Photoshop with their eyes closed and know a compositing package (After Effects, Digital Fusion) inside and out. You have to do it quicker than anyone else and have tricks up your sleeve that other editors might not know to set you apart; be it Visual FX tricks or whatever”. (Geoff Walters)

Certainly I am sensing that Editing is not just editing anymore. Because of the accessibility of editing tools people can be self-taught and that has led to lots of talented Editors but also a lot of not-so good ones. What it definitely has led to is greater expectations of editors that they can ‘do-it-all’ because if you can’t, they will (if they have the budget) find someone who is a more complete package. The growth of online video means that there will be a greater need for Editors to be skilled at web video outcomes, and this isn’t just for online via computer screens but think mobile screens (you can thank the iPhone for that). This will no doubt be the next big trend, better and more targeted video content for mobile screens.

“You will need to know the basics of online delivery. You have to know about video compression. You have to understand the difference between creating for web and for television. Instead of someone coming to you to cut a tv commercial they may need a video for a web campaign that also includes Flash banner ads or they may want an animated intro. They’ll be more willing to use someone who can handle all aspects than having to split up the work”. (Aaron Valdez)

If the message wasn’t getting through the start it certainly is loud and clear now. “You there, Editor Wanna-Be, Do you speak Web?”. Well that certainly was one of the mental obstacles I had when contemplating a career in Editing because as far as I am concerned anything I know/can do (web or offline) someone can do it 200% better. And sure I know how to upload things online via FTPs, set up a wordpress blog, basic website, use a CMS but that’s the very basics of online delivery. Is it enough? Should I just give up now? It gave me pause to think critically about my skill sets, my work experiences (which funnily enough have been to do with working online – maintaining websites, marketing and promotions online, so I’m okay with the basics).

I talked to Jeremy Bowtell about this – how technically proficient must one be? – and his advice was that a lot of Editing is on the job training, you learn things as you go especially at the start and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be a complete whiz (or a complete hack). More important is your dedication, passion and willingness to learn. Add some web-savviness and understanding of the new digital trends (whilst you’re working on your competencies of such) and you’re on to a good start.

The Craft of Editing

And Other Useful Things I gleaned

“hobbies can turn into careers, building up a good body of work on projects that you love doing for free is the best way to attract potential paying clients in that area. If you really want to cut snowboarding videos then go do that, editing wedding videos won’t get you where you want to go.” (Aaron Valdez)

Yes it’s true I contemplated how can I turn this interest in editing, something I’ve always viewed as a hobby, into a career? Can I  make that transition into professional editor rather than the student that volunteers for all the editing roles at uni because I can happily edit for hours and hours on end? It is becoming very clear from this PNR that I need to take the next step – if I want this as a career – and start putting some of this advice that I’ve collected into action. Making a showreel, creating a vlog, calling people up, doing some freelance gigs for free if need be.

“you need to be able to collaborate with other people, i.e. producers and directors.  You also need to be very patient, and be a good listener.  As a graduate, you would need to be prepared to learn some editing skills on the job”. (Anne Carter)

I think another invaluable skillset that I’ve picked up from Media is the art of collaborating effectively. I’ve had loads of opportunities to work in groups and work towards creative outcomes, often with editing involved. It’s taught me a lot about managing projects and time, and I’ve always tried to take an accountable and leadership type role throughout the my time. Putting that extra effort in has paid off I think, because I’ve definitely improved in working in groups and leveraging the different strengths and skills that come about in team situations. It’s good to be reminded of the ‘soft skills’ that seem to be so transferable whatever the job is, and I feel more confident now at the end of my degree that I’ve got what it takes to work with different kinds of people, to contribute and collaborate and deliver.

“You need to have a creative flair, a good eye and attention to detail. You also need to have a motivation and passion for editing. Always remember why you wanted to become an editor”. (Quenna Gregorio)

This is what I love about editing, the combination of creativity, technology and little details. It’s a big part of why I love it so much. I will always try to remember why I want to be an Editor in the first place. Quenna talked a lot about the satisfaction she gets with finishing the brief and making something great at the end of the day. And that struck a chord with me, because I get satisfaction out of creating a work that connects with people, that I’m proud of. The reality of the industry is that you can’t always be doing projects that you get a buzz out of, but I think seeing something to fruition even if it isn’t particularly in your field of interest has it’s merits as well. It’s about producing good work for all genres and being flexible in that approach. I can’t expect to cut abstract art videos all day and expect to feed myself as well. But i can bring that inspiration and passion to my work.

“My advice would be to figure out what you want to specialize in and whom you want to do it for. Then build up connections, do good work and build a reel and a website for yourself. I get almost all of my work from word of mouth. I think the hardest part is just getting your foot in the door and landing on people’s radars. I built up my skills and connections by doing my own vlog, which is a relatively quick and easy way to put yourself out there. (Eddie Codel)

This is great advice and looking at Eddie’s vlog I can see how it works. It’s just a great way to advertise yourself and your skills. I was only going to cut a showreel but I think better than that is to have a vlog that you constantly update with new work as you go along. Other Editors I interviewed have said the same thing, it’s about word of mouth and the more work you can do to get yourself out there the better it will be to make a name for yourself. It isn’t a traditional job approach where you apply for them on seek, it’s about being in the industry loop, knowing people, building a portfolio of works (this seems to be the case for the Creative Media field full stop).

Conclusion

Consolidating the Many Pearls of Wisdom & What To Do Next

At the end of this Personal Networking Report I no longer think that ‘networking’ is a dirty word. All it is really is getting out there, making contact with people that can help you, and hopefully making a good impression on those very same people. I thought it was about boozing and schmoozing (that’s only if you’re lucky – free drinks) but it’s really about expanding your network of professional contacts, staying in the loop of your chosen industry and it seems to be the driving force behind getting work in the creative media field. It’s been my first taste in networking with professionals in Editing, and I can say for starters that it  really does work in getting your name and your work out there and I will possibly take up someone’s offer to do some work experience for them

I’ve learnt a great deal about the Editing industry, something which I knew next to nothing about. And the advice of the Editors has been invaluable, they’ve given me solid, concrete advice on how to go about getting started and I can actually build on their comments. Practical advice like building up a decent showreel that shows the breadth of my skills, and starting a video blog to continuously publish work to, these are some things I will definitely be following up. I think that speaking to these people have also prepared me for the not-so-glamorous aspects of this industry, to make sure I understand what I could be getting myself into. The long hours, the project-to-project basis of the work (no real conventional job security as such but you can build up a good name for yourself), dealing with difficult clients, the one-man-show expectations that clients and producers have of Editors these days, and the very small and competitive nature of the industry in general.

I think speaking to these professionals has given me a much better idea about the industry and really put it in good context for me. I have discovered that the pressures on Editors are largely the same across Australia and even abroad. There is greater competition from the drop in editing hardware and software and higher expectations on web outcomes because of the growth of online media content. I see now that for me to become a successful working Editor, I will have to really work on my cross-platform web content skills and understand how to edit and publish for the web. Fortunately for me I do feel that this is in line with my natural interests and skills that I’ve been developing from my time at RMIT, but it’s good to see where the industry is heading and what will become increasingly important skill sets.

What all the Editors have had in common, and what they have kept driving home is to have the tenacity and passion to see your career through, and the importance that has over having the best technical skills (this is something you learn as you). I feel that the PNR has been an very valuable exercise and I’m actually very grateful that we had to undergo it, it’s been a great starting point in my networking journey and given me a wealth of advice and insight from professionals that were just like me once, who have made it and become successful in their own right. It’s been insightful and a great inspiration.

]]> http://angelinelimpnr.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/a-career-in-editing-times-are-a-changin/feed/ 0 Angeline http://angelinelimpnr.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/references/ http://angelinelimpnr.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/references/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:53:50 +0000 Angeline http://angelinelimpnr.wordpress.com/?p=40 ]]> a) The Industry Context of Editing

For more information on the historical context and current changes in video Editing please see

(1)  http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/V/htmlV/videoediting/videoediting.htm

(2)  http://broadcastengineering.com/infrastructure/changes_video_editing/index1.html

(3)  http://basicvideoediting.com/history-of-video-editing/

b) Behind the Scenes

For complete interview transcripts/videos:

Anne Carter

Quenna Gregorio

Jeremy Bowtell

Geoff Walters

—–

Informal Online Q&A’s I posted at Video WTF?

(posted on 8 Oct 200)

PNR Referenced Contributers:

Aaaron Valdez (http://work.aaronvaldez.com/)

Eddie Codel (http://www.eddie.com)

—

General Open Discussion on Editing Industry Future

(Australian Screen Editors Guild) accessed on the 1/10/2009

Geoff Walters

Freelance / Video Editor / Director / Writer / Brisbane / Australia

http://www.carlycuts.net/

1) What made you decide to get into editing in the first place?

Of all the areas in Film Production editing was the only one that had defined jobs in the market. I wanted to be a director but you need a reel of stuff you’ve directed to get anywhere. I always knew there were companies with edit suites who would need operators. On a more creative level it is by far the best place to be in a production as every element has to go through you.

2) What do you find most rewarding about your career?

Making a deadline, Every day at work is completely different, it’s never the same & you get to catch a glimpse of nearly every other sort of work others do. Loving what you do for a job makes going to work easy!

3) What do you find most challenging/difficult about it?

Pompous / disrespectful / smelly & downright rude clients.
4)  Is it possible to be a freelance editor and be working all the time?

Yes, but you can never rest, you must always be ringing people for work and harassment is the number one name of the game.

5) How is the demand and competition for editors in the local industry?

In Brisbane it’s good, because the industry has so many editors out there but very few with more than 10 years experience as they mostly migrate straight to Sydney or Melbourne.
7) Over your career as an editor what changes (if any) have you witnessed

With the price drop on hardware & software for editing there are far more people getting involved in telling their stories and getting amongst it. I started out editing on analogue (tape to tape) suites, so from that point of view I have seen many changes. I think it’s important to acknowledge where we have come from as a lot of the new kids coming up don’t appreciate what the older editors had to go through when they made a cut using film.
What are some things you wish you knew when you were starting out?

I may come off arrogant here but the truth is I knew I had to write to every single production company in Brisbane half way through my final year of University begging for work experience if I was to get anywhere by the time I graduated. When you consider that I started out with 55 students who were in my course in first year and only 7 graduated  by the final year you’re made aware of how little work is out there unless you’re committed completely.

9) What are some indispensable skills new graduates should have if interested in editing as a career?

One man band. You have to be these days. An editor has to be able to trans-code video, author DVD’s, perform sound editing and mixing, run Photoshop with their eyes closed and know a compositing package (After Effects, Digital Fusion) inside and out. You have to do it quicker than anyone else and have tricks up your sleeve that other editors might not know to set you apart; be it Visual FX tricks or whatever.

10) Any general advice for a student addicted to editing leaving uni?

Don’t whinge that you don’t have enough stuff to put a show reel together. Make up shit. Make scam adverts. Make music videos for your favourite songs. Post them on www.youtube.com and follow the three rules of getting work experience. Harass, Harass & Harass some more.

Anne Carter

Freelance Film & TV Editor, Melbourne AUS

Film Victoria Industry Directory Profile

1) What made you decide to get into editing in the first place?

I think I was too lazy to want to go out with the crew filming.  Too many early starts and too much waiting around for other people to do things. I liked the idea of working alone in a dark room.

2) What do you find most rewarding about your career?

I love the process of editing.  Seeing a project from its early rough assembly through to a fine cut is very rewarding.  I also really like collaborating with directors and producers, to help them realise their vision.

3) What do you find most challenging/difficult about it?

I really don’t find it difficult in any way.  It is always challenging as a lot of what an editor does is problem solving.   I do sometimes get sick of sitting in a dark room all alone for days or weeks on end.

4) You mentioned once that one has to be prepared to do work on a project-to-project basis as an editor, what are the pro’s and con’s of that kind of work flow? Is it possible to be a freelance editor fulltime?

It is possible to be pretty much a full-time editor as a freelancer.  It can be frustrating sometimes when you are offered a couple of projects at the same time and sometimes you can go for months without any work.   Unfortunately when there is a of work around, there are never enough editors and visa versa.

5) How is the demand and competition for editors in the local industry?

I probably answered that question at no. 4.  It is a very competitive industry, you need to build a reputation for yourself in order for people to approach you for work.  Having said that, it is a small industry and word of mouth is very important.

6) What platforms do you edit for and do you see this changing? (eg a shift to online?)

I do offline editing.  Which is different to online editing.  More and more, producers are wanting editors to be able to do both offline and online.  Final Cut Pro allows users to create titles, grade pictures and mix sound.  This has led to producers expecting that editors should be able to fulfil these roles.

7) Over your career as an editor what changes (if any) have you witnessed

The most significant change I have witnessed is the switch from linear to non-linear editing.  Before Avid and FCP we edited on videotape, which was a vastly inferior method of editing.

What are some things you wish you knew when you were starting out?

There’s nothing I can really say I wish I knew – it was one big learning curve and there really is nothing I wish I knew all those years ago …

9) What are some indispensable hard/soft skills new graduates should have if interested in editing as a career?

ou need to be able to collaborate with other people, i.e. producers and directors.  You also need to be very patient, and be a good listener.  As a graduate, you would need to be prepared to learn some editing skills on the job as there really isn’t a tertiary course you can do to learn editing.

10) Any general advice for a student addicted to editing leaving uni?

My advice to you would be to try and edit as much as you can – on anything.

You need to demonstrate your passion by doing as much editing as you can.
That is the only way to learn!

Let me begin by saying that I wish I had a clearly defined, overarching career ambition in the media field but I don’t. In a way I kind of envy people who have this burning desire to do the one thing like be a film director, a film festival curator, a DOP or what have you. Maybe I used to be like that too once. What was it again…a writer. I think when I was little I wanted to me an artis first, but coming from a rather traditional family background those ideas were soon killed off. Especially since you stopped doing art class in middle highschool, access to materials and a stimulating environment dropped off. Then I turned to penning little verses and little poems, I possibly wanted to be a writer, to write for a living. But I’ve never written a single page of fiction towards that goal. Terrible.

Anyways I fell into Media at RMIT, hoping to find creative trajectory that would catapult me into action, into fruitful, CONTENT-MAKING action. I’ve had an exponential jump in personal and professional growth over these past 3 years. I’ve learnt a lot about myself, my weaknesses and my strengths and how to minimise one and build on the other, I’ve skilled myself in the tools of the trade, and probably most important of all, I’ve learnt how to work more and more productively in teamwork situations. Are these things going to help me get a job? I hope so but it’s not enough.

I’ve tried to throw myself into things at RMIT to make sure I was in a good position once I graduated to get a job that I liked doing. But what I’ve discovered from my experiences is things that I now know that I don’t really want to be doing (however collecting invaluable skills along the way). That’s a bit disheartening in a way because it’s almost like slapping the Media course in the face and saying I don’t really want to do anything that you think I should be doing.

WHAT AM I MOST INTERESTED IN AND WHY?

On the other hand, it’s now my final semester at RMIT and I can step back and clearly identify what I’ve really loved about the course: Cinema Studies, Networked/Online media, and getting stuck into editing video for our uni projects. I don’t exagerate when I say I could edit quite happily for several hours on end (learning when to let go is something I’m still working on).

Everything always changes is about the only thing I know for certainty. I had a career EPIPHANY once. I was watching Holiday (Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black) and when I saw what Cameron Diaz’s character did for a job, i cried out incredulously “THAT’S MY DREAM JOB!’. Yes that’s right, so enamoured was I with video editing and cutting something together that hit the spot, I thought making Hollywood trailers or whatever trailers would be my ticket to career satisfaction. But c’mon, there is no glamourous LA-mansion funding job called “Hollywood Trailer Maker”. But what I can do is speak to film/video editors to find out what the realities are of their day job and the industry. Is that something I’d like to do? Could do? Should do?

What I have learnt that I don’t want:

I liked the satisfaction of producing our drama and doco shorts where I took on directing, camera, editing & producing roles but I don’t think I want is to stake out a career in the Australian Film Industry. I volunteered heavily at RMITV and got involved with live broadcasts and outside broadcasts because I thought that was the right thing to do, and have discovered that I don’t really enjoy the TV production environment. I don’t want to sound like a sad sap, and believe me I have been trying to give most things a shot, so everything’s been a good learning experience.

The course has also taught me a few things a long the way, like the fact that media practitioners can’t really rest on the one skill anymore, and are expected more and more often to be multi-skilled, across multiple platforms and to be able to communicate and engage their target audiences through appropriate mediums, whatever they may be. Media is in a constant state of flux and so am I, but I hope through this Personal Networking Report that I can at the very least take stock of what I’ve learnt so far, and evaluate the areas in Media that tug at me the strongest.

What are these areas of interest?

I generally have a great love of the online space, and the possibilities it opens up for connection, sharing, collaboration and interactivity (inc. games!). My utopia these days is probably a world where I just get to make little video pieces, video art/video docos.  I’m a firm believer that it pays to be savvy in the digital era to make use of the tools and platforms available to you to get your work out, or to create your work in. But what exactly do people do in these areas that I could do? I know I don’t want to be/lack the skills to be a webpage designer or anything like that, and I don’t really mean that when i say the online. I just like ideas like leveraging UGC and social platforms to achieve creative aims. Where/What/How…need to figure those out. Like where would i work, what would i do, how do i get there…

I also love good advertising and clever and well targeted marketing and communication campaigns. Advertising gets bandied about like it’s the industry of the devil, but I’m not convinced. To me it’s like the happy marriage of creativity and bottomline. But I know it can’t all be glamorous, more research needs to be done here on my part on what career options there are for someone like myself.

I’d like to be a part of an organisation’s whole media/communication strategy, because I think that’s where I’d be able to incorporate a lot of the things I like, digital/online space, new media, video, advertising the whole shebang. There are always new technologies being made and new ways to connect to your stakeholders, and I’d like to work within this kind of environment.

WHO HAVE I CONTACTED AND WHO’S NEXT ON MY LIST

Contacted & Interview organized:

Anne Carter – Film & TV Editor (credits inc The Jammed, City Homicide). Emailed interview

Jeremy Bowtell – Video Editor, Visual Domain (professional video editing services – property market). Video Interview

Ed Howley – Junior Art Director, AJF Partnership (advertising agency). Video Interview

Paul Kooperman – Education Officer, Australian Poetry Centre (cross-platform media promotion). Video Interview

To Contact Next:

I would like to speak to more professionals from the Advertising industry from what I’d like to call the ‘bigwig’ agencies. I’d like to speak to people from both the account management side of advertising, and the creative side. Out of curiosity I’d also like to speak to video artists, do these people have a ‘day job’, is it just about working off arts grants, how does it work? (Is it an “industry”? Video Art? is Art an industry per se?).

M&C SAATCHI

David Brown
Managing Director

Steve Crawford
Creative Director

Angus Geary
Digital Director

Jo Rozario
Client Services Director

Ben Keenan
Digital Creative Director

CLEMENGER BBDO

Anna Pearce, Digital Strategist

Michelle Excelle Senior Producer

Felicity Harris, Senior Account Director

Shaun Wilson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Wilson (Dr Shaun Wilson is a Melbourne-based artist, curator and academic working with themes of memory, place and scale. He is currently a Lecturer in Video and theory in the School of Creative Media at RMIT University.)

SOME CONTEXT INTO THE INDUSTRY: Digital, Crossplatform Media & Advertising

Spending on online advertisements in Australia reached $1.7 billion by the end of 2008, and increasingly as Australia’s broadband technology improves as well as devices on which to consume new media, more and more advertising and content will be targeted across digital channels (networked/online delivery). 2009 may see increased use of targeted advertising delivered over the internet as well as increased use of mobile internet advertising by firms which has been driven by the iPhone development which have allowed content and applications like never before. (1)

As the Australian Internet audience grows many advertising companies have jumped on the digital media bandwagon however there are established digital media specialists that include The Belong Group, BlueFreeway and Hyro. Advertisers are moving from traditional media to new media as the web audience grows. Digital platforms will in future enable digital advertisers to employ targeted advertising based on a user’s specific profile, and the rise of aggregated media content is also effecting this (where a person’s media content is filtered/vetted through a trusted provider). (2)

Digital Advertising is the new Online Advertising. This is awareness of using all media channels in the new digital age (digital TV, Radio as well as the web) to create effective communications and advertising. Understanding that increasingly people are accessing their media across multi-platforms (including their mobiles/iPhones! especially) and needing to adapt your content and your messages to this environment. You don’t make content anymore just for the one channel, eg a film. You have to think of cross-platform (and almost always online) content too. (3)

What emerges is the importance of considering your traditional media object such as film or TV in the wider digital scope. It is imperative to have an understanding of the digital landscape and ways to ‘add value’ or extend your media object into an online space or anywhere where it can reach a wider audience or help your existing audience connect with your piece in extra ways. ABC and SBS for instance are increasingly demanding this digital component from their filmmakers for instance. The idea of cross-platform outcomes is also becoming increasingly important where you stop thinking of your film or TV show in terms of broadcast and cinema only but across other digital platforms. An example of a successful show is ABC’s “Not Quite Art” which broadcast both on TV and online but recently saw that more viewers consume this show via podcasting than they do via TV broadcasting. (4)

Over recent years the traditional media companies have well and truly established themselves in the emerging digital media market. The more adventurous traditional media firms (Seven, Nine and the ABC) made early attempts to gain market share in the digital media space, but publicly funded organisations like the ABC and SBS are now gaining market share amongst digital viewers. Quality content is now crucial as digital platforms are becoming relatively commoditised. Telcos tried to claim this territory but continue to struggle to leverage their natural advantages. In Australia, alongside the ABC and News, Fairfax Digital has continued to compete for digital viewers.  (3)

KEY PLAYERS

Very established award-winning advertising agencies include M&C Saatchi and Clemenger BBDO. Both belong to larger multinational parent bodies – Saatchi & Saatchi and Clemenger Group respectively. These advertising agencies regulary top the list of best agencies in Australia and are also home to some of the best advertising campaigns and big-ticket clients that range from beer (Fosters) to banks (ANZ, Commonwealth Bank) and everything in between (Campbell’s Soup). Both these firms have digital arms to their agencies that concentrate on cross-platform and digital solutions for their clients.

Other key companies in the digital media industry include The Belong Group, BlueFreeway and Hyro.

When it comes to government funded bodies and general industry bodies, key players are Film Victoria and their sub-department: Digital Media which provides funding to new intellectual property concerning digital content. Other organisations include the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association. The AIMIA was founded in 1992, and is the peak industry body for interactive content and digital media in Australia. Both goverment, education and business sector is represented in their membership/board.

TIMELINE TO COMPLETION

Semester Break:

Conduct Interview with Jeremy Bowtell

Conduct Interview with Anne Carter

Line up an interview or two with professionals from Clemenger or M&C Saatchi – preferably in digital/crossplatform advertising.

Start setting up a blogsite or tumblr page to host my showreel. Start collecting all my work from uni to upload.

wk 7-9

Conduct Interview with Ed Howley

Conduct Interview with Paul Kooperman

Work on showreel site and get all content edited together in one smooth show reel and include links to full length versions as well on my site.

wk 10

Compile and edit interviews and upload research and video content to my blog. Be reflective and personal, what have I learnt and discovered about the industry and myself.

Are there new industries or new trends that I’ve uncovered that I want to do more research in? Incorporate that.

Finesse my showreel site. Should be done by now.

wk 11

Final edit on both Personal Network Report blog and Showreel website.

Hand in by end of wk 11!