Supplemental Experience

[Reinhold]

i just sent this letter. it's kind of self-explanatory. Now that i re-read it, it's long-winded and boring. but i hope it's at least professional.

To Whom it May Concern:

My name is Andrew Rowley. I found your e-mail address on the web site for the Professional Videography Association of Westchester. I'm writing to you to tell you a little bit about myself and ask about available opportunities to work for or with professional editors. If you're aware of someone who may have an opportunity to help me gain experience, please help me to get in touch with them.

I'll attend SUNY Purchase College in the coming fall to study Film/Video Editing as soon as possible. This fall, my major will officially be listed as "Undecided" despite the fact that I am certain of what I intend to study. I'll be working on general education credits until a spot in the film conservatory opens up. In the interim, I'm thoroughly interested in as much hands-on editing experience as is available. I believe that there is no substitute for personal experience when attempting to expand one's horizons.

With that philosophy in mind, I produced, co-wrote/directed/edited a comedy TV show with three other students the first semester of my senior year in high school. We produced the show with the station's equipment, but were independently responsible for all other aspects of production. While working on the show, I gained first-hand experience with digital nonlinear editing in Final Cut Pro and tape-based linear video editing on professional editing consoles. I also gained experience operating professional digital camcorders, TV studio cameras and control equipment.

I strive to approach every production experience as a professional and a student simultaneously. I'm highly motivated and willing to learn.

I'm interested in all kinds of editing work, particularly community service programming, PSA's, or other tasks that offer learning opportunities but may not hold the romantic interest of other students. I'm also willing to take part in any stage of the production process.

I own a new Powermac G5 with the Final Cut Studio, which I bought for the purpose of honing my editing skills in my time outside of the classroom, but I do not currently have a project to edit. My hope is that you will be able to put me in touch with another individual or organization who can benefit mutually from my educational experience.

If you're aware of anyone who may be interested, please respond at your earliest convenience.  

Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Andrew Rowley

nothing ventured, nothing gained. i hope something comes of it.

anybody else have any ideas about how to try to get my foot in without a portfolio, tangible experience, or money?

if not, does anybody have some raw footage with potential that they'd like to let me to play around with?

[Brazoliange]

nicely written.

[Pubrick]

it'll be interesting to see what reply u get. if it's not an automated one.

[Reinhold]

Dear Andrew,   6.25.05

I received your notice about editing and have forwarded your message to the professional organizations for distribution among working videographers.  I hope that some will contact you.

Be well and good luck in your studies and work.

[His Name]
Creative Images of Westchester

[soixante]

Here are some things to consider:

1)  Be willing to work for free just to gain experience to put on your resume.  When one is starting out, experience is more important than a paycheck (of course, it all depends on how much money you have already).  But even if you do something part-time on an internship basis, that is still something you can put on your resume.  The key is to get in the room with the right people and build any kind of relationship.

2)  Continue to add things to your demo reel.  You might want to make a short (10 minutes) film that shows off your editing skills.

3)  Successful people are proactive.  If you can't find a paying position, try to find an internship.  If that doesn't pan out, work on your own projects.

[Brazoliange]

congrats and luck

btw, if you're at all interested, I'm sure I and my friends could whip out game footage (mainly from Counter-Strike Source) or skateboarding videos if you're that bored to edit...

[Reinhold]

Here are some things to consider:

1)  Be willing to work for free just to gain experience to put on your resume.  When one is starting out, experience is more important than a paycheck (of course, it all depends on how much money you have already).  But even if you do something part-time on an internship basis, that is still something you can put on your resume.  The key is to get in the room with the right people and build any kind of relationship.

2)  Continue to add things to your demo reel.  You might want to make a short (10 minutes) film that shows off your editing skills.

3)  Successful people are proactive.  If you can't find a paying position, try to find an internship.  If that doesn't pan out, work on your own projects.

sounds about right.

1) i'd be more than happy with an unpaid editing job just for the experience... i didn't want to say that specifically in the e-mail just because i didn't want to end up doing work that they were willing to pay somebody for for free.

2) i have editing equipment, but i don't have a camera on which to shoot/capture digital footage. otherwise i'd be out shooting right now.

3) i've got a few ideas for resume building type crap. nothing artistic, but stuff that'd make me look like a good kid. veteran interviews for submission to the library of congress, a PSA about anything that somebody wants a PSA made for, a half hour program about free entertainment opportunities around battle creek, etc.

what i really need to do is get in touch with the local cable access station out there. public access cable is the best resource ever. free air time guaranteed by federal law and protected by the constitution. the good ones even have free cameras on which to shoot your stuff for free.

when as soon as i'm at school, i need to look into equipment available for free to students. even if it's just handycam, it's something.

[Reinhold]

i just heard from somebody at the 4Ever Group who said that his business doesn't employ editors, but he gave me some information about other people to contact.

[Reinhold]

i just got an e-mail from one of the members of the WPVA asking if i'd like to edit a PSA for a charity.

i'm gonna do it.

actually, it's the same guy from the 4ever group who's giving me the gig.

it's volunteer, but that's not the point.

follow-up for my earlier post: i did look into public access. there's the school's channel, but it's horribly managed and i'd need to be an employee to use their cameras by myself. damn. i still have ideas, but i want to do artistic stuff for my reel rather than deal with the cumbersome  service projects to put on my resume right now.

[JG]

So do you want to be an editor, or are you interested in writing/directing?  I currently write and direct my own 40-50 minute movies.  Right now, they're crap.   I don't have enough time to write, so it's end up being all improvisation and lacks a narrative.   I worked a little with Final Cut Pro last year.  Haven't really got the hang of it yet, but I will soon enough.  

I'm interested to hear what happens with this PSA though.

[Myxo]

I would love to edit film. I honestly do not have the desire to act, direct, film or do any of that stuff but I've always had a really good eye for pacing and overall composition.

[Reinhold]

So do you want to be an editor, or are you interested in writing/directing?  I currently write and direct my own 40-50 minute movies.  Right now, they're crap.   I don't have enough time to right, so it's end up being all improved and lacks a narrative.   I worked a little with Final Cut Pro last year.  Haven't really got the hang of it yet, but I willl soon enough.  

I'm interested to hear what happens with this PSA though.

i won't worry about your homophone confusion after this, even though it's kinda buggin me.

yes, i want to edit and produce... television programing or advertising, preferably. maybe cinema later.

editor and producer-- i want to be what Donald Kaufman would probably call a "Preditor". Basically, i want to work with a client to develop a concept, convey that concept to a creative group and let those people shoot it, and then physically assemble it myself.

as for writing and directing, i don't know if that really suits me as well. i write good copy, and i can do good scenario dialogue-- but i don't think i want to write features for a living. I'd love to direct, but only if I were a producer too.

i think i have the creative and innovative qualities needed to be a producer, and i think i'll be fine with the financial planning parts of it-- i wanna stay away from executive producing. producer work also isn't quite as freelance, especially if the producer is a qualified, decent editor too. in the digital age, i'm told that employers are looking more for that. it's more than a money thing, though...i also love the feeling of being an artisan that you get from physically crafting a cut of whatever you're doing... i feel like it's the editor who really has the ownership of the project, you know?

[JG]

damn...when i'm writing stream of concious, i make those mistakes all the time.  

that's a cool dream though.  i mean it's a little different than the usual aspirations when one mentions that he wants to be in the film industry, but cool nonetheless.

[Gamblour.]

If I by stream of consciousness, you mean quickly and lazily.
There's always

[JG]

i use it all the time, i just missed the mistake this time around.  and because he already called me on it, i would feel bad goin back and changing it.