editing – Black Chip Collective

Nov 08 2017

If You Want to Be an Employable Editor in the Next Decade, this is the Software You Should Know

I've always said that I don't care about software competencies, I just want the best editors. Most editors can pick up the basics of a new NLE in a day and have a strong command of the core functionality in a few weeks. But most hiring managers don't think that way, especially for freelance jobs. You need to fit into their workflow and they don't often have time for you to learn on the job. The industry won't bend for you so you need to bend to the industry. Since...

Sep 06 2017

Don’t Be Afraid of Black

Watch virtually any movie trailer and you're going to see a whole lot of nothing. That is to say, you're going to see a black screen pretty frequently. It's used to set a tempo, a mood, gain narrative distance between shots and is a generally useful tool, especially in short form editing. Yet literally every time I've cut to black in the middle of a piece, a producer or client fought me on it. Hard. Part of it might be their initial instinct that it was simply a missing shot...

Mar 24 2017

Career Success in Post Production- Interview With Zack Arnold (Part 2)

We caught up with Zack Arnold, an editor of 15 years, who has worked on a multitude of project types including feature films, film trailers, and TV shows such as Burn Notice, Empire, and briefly on Glee. He is also passionate about health and created Fitness in Post, a resource to help creative professionals stay healthy in demanding, sedentary jobs. We talked to Zack about what someone needs to find success in post production and how best to build a career. PART 1 Q: What would you tell someone who was graduating film school...

Mar 24 2017

Career Success in Post Production- Interview With Zack Arnold (Part 1)

We caught up with Zack Arnold, an editor of 15 years, who has worked on a multitude of project types including feature films, film trailers, and TV shows such as Burn Notice, Empire, and briefly on Glee. He is also passionate about health and created Fitness in Post, a resource to help creative professionals stay healthy in demanding, sedentary jobs. We talked to Zack about what someone needs to find success in post production and how best to build a career. Q: What traits do you need to be a good editor? A: In order...

Mar 01 2017

5 Terms That Aren’t Video Production Expressions But Should Be

There are things, quite a number of things, that production people all know about but haven't necessarily given names. No reason to keep it that way. Blank Tie EventFor those times when you're shooting at a fancy event or in a well dressed corporate office. You want to dress fit the situation, but most of all you want to be invisible. Black slacks and a white dress shirt work great, regardless of gender. Dress like a waiter, you'll be fine.[caption id="attachment_20950" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Yes, it's a play on black tie event.[/caption] Industry Messiah A recent...

Feb 21 2017

“… a kind of alchemy.”

Nov 16 2016

Creating the Perfect Reel

You probably thought it as soon as you saw the title. There is no such thing as a perfect reel. And in a way, you’re right. Each person that sees the reel will have a different perspective on what makes a reel great. But if you know who is viewing your reel, you can make the perfect reel for them. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="630"] “Sure, I’ll consider hiring you. Do you do star-wipes? I love star-wipes”[/caption] First, let’s get this out of the way. When I say reel, I’m talking about work samples,...