Kitten Up a Tree

After arriving at the ranch following our boat ride up the South Saskatchewan river, we could hear a faint mewing coming from a thick patch of trees and shrubs.  Sure enough, after close inspection, we spotted a kitten stuck in one of the trees.  My sister climbed up to save him.  Here's a quick video of the rescue, and my first ever cat video.  Anyone who's anyone these days has one, right?  

On the South Saskatchewan River

Some family outings are defined by the incredible stories that a destination provides, and others are defined by the fact that sometimes nothing really goes to plan.  Our family trip up the South Saskatchewan River on a jet boat last weekend (July 22) couldn't be more aptly summed up by the latter.

After a week of blistering temperatures, the day we set out on the river it was raining.  Not drizzling or overcast, but literally pouring.  Even with a roof over the jet boat, several hours into our adventure the rain took its toll and everyone was cold.  The views were beautiful, and I've never actually seen the river like I did on this trip before despite living in Southern Alberta almost my entire life.  It's kind of like driving in the prairie after awhile though and with the rain making everyone uncomfortable, you quickly convince yourself that you've seen enough.

How many times can you joke about the rain not stopping before that becomes just as annoying? The answer is probably 3.  Actual tally from the day: 432.

The goal was to head to a ranch and have a nice supper out there.  When we reached the shore to continue our journey by van, insult was added to injury when one after the other, several family members fell into the mud.  Although I genuinely felt bad, this was also the point when I just couldn't help but laugh at how well things were going.  Sitting in the van and looking at everyone, you could swear we had just signed up to reenact the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan . . . as the beach.  Ahh, family time!

Our ride in the van was nothing short of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride as we careened from one dirt road to the next.  As our guide continued to dispense questionable facts about our surroundings (that no one could possibly see) and give a thrilling commentary on the history of irrigation in the area, the rain subsided and we took to the prairie to explore.  Sometime after the talks about the mystical healing powers of Native medicine wheels and more white knuckle driving, I was happy to finally sit down and have a beer. By the time dinner was ready, nothing could have been a better reward for a day that went completely unlike any of us had expected it to.

I promised that my video would make the boat ride look more enjoyable than it actually was.  I can already see how the mishaps and bad weather from this trip are exactly the kinds of things that we'll joke about now. And that, my friends, is the beauty of editing.

How Do I Get Into Editing?

Yesterday I received this email:

I just found your blog and really admired your story and was wondering if you had any suggestions for someone who really wants to have a career in editing and film making. I love editing and would love to take on projects and create my own reel and get things going, it's just a difficult process to start, I don't know what to show to people to prove I have skills as an editor. I just did an internship with a friends parents acting class and did a short little movie, but have since moved away and am saving up for film school. Thanks for reading my email, have a great day.

-Rob

First of all, I want to thank you Rob for your email.  I think your question isn't at all uncommon, which is why I asked you if it would be alright to respond to your question publicly.  I won't pretend I have all the answers, but I'm happy to share a few of the things that helped me get going when I was just starting out.

1.  Editing for yourself.

Whether you're shooting your own footage, editing home videos, or using found footage from your favorite movies, the best way to improve your work and make impressions with your editing is to create - and create A LOT.  Challenge yourself with varying styles.  Edit a music video, cut a promo reel, recut an original trailer for a movie you like.  Editing isn't simply about the task of combining clips on a timeline, it's about versatility and your awareness of how others will respond to the visuals and sounds you present before they've even seen them.  

Don't stress yourself out by thinking that everything you create has to be brilliant.  Treat your projects as exercises and use them to get a taste of different strategies.  These editing variations will also go a long way to highlight the way you handle different styles, which is exactly the broad approach that you want to take when you're just beginning.  You'll know you're on the right track if you're able to genuinely surprise yourself with what you come up with.

Others respond to dedication and persistence.  If you want people to know that you're serious about pursuing this as a career you have to be willing to keep at it even when you're not receiving gratification for your efforts.   It's what separates those who are professional editors, and those who just call themselves one.

2.  Sharing your work.

Show friends and family what you've done, upload your work online to be criticized, and find contests and student film festivals to give you new goals and specific feedback.  Everyone doesn't have to like what you do, and my best advice for being in any form of media is that it's best to develop a thick skin early on.  

Sharing your work with those close to you is also a great way to let people know about your film making and editing goals.  As a teenager, the projects I shot with friends translated into some of my first paid gigs filming seminars and weddings.  Don't expect to make big bucks doing this.  You're likely being hired as much because of how cheap you are compared to everyone else, as you are because of how enthusiastic you are to get the opportunity.  But, do take advantage of these early opportunities to diversify and create a reel for yourself.  Feeding on experiences will help shape your path and give you more choices.

Networking with friends and family is as simple as it gets, and you never know when they might know someone who wants a simple web video or someone to capture some footage of their function.  When you're trying to get into something new, the old saying 'beggars can't be choosers' is never more relevant. 
 

3.  Creating an online business card.

For me, Editing Luke has become a bit of everything.  It's a video portfolio, recap of some of my experience, and a place to share inspiration.  Ultimately, it's a well maintained presentation of who I am (and how I want to be viewed). 

While I haven't used my site as a direct advertisement to attract freelance work, I've used it as backup to prove how dedicated I am to what I do.  On a personal level this site has helped me build connections, has attracted several film festival invites for my work, and has given me a forum to promote projects in competitions.  Getting this to happen has taken a lot of effort on my part, but some of the achievements that have resulted have ended up on my resume and are great talking points when convincing someone to hire you.

When I was looking for work fresh out of film school, the impact of this site also stood out when I asked people to have a look.  It proved I was a real person with some character, because lets be honest, when you're just starting out your potential is probably more exciting than your previous work history.

In short, to work full time as an editor you have to push to make it happen.  The two editing jobs I currently do didn't exist before I came along.  However, their creation also didn't just occur overnight.  The right connections, a series of varying experiences to draw examples from, and a diverse reel to show that I was adaptable to a variety of styles all played a big part.  

When you're starting out you have to latch onto anything even remotely related to what you want to do and excel at it.  You'll be surprised how many people will take chances on you when you can spark their interest with what you're really interested in doing.  For me it's been a long chain of small events and chance meetings that have helped me progress further into what I want to do.  My approach is still evolving (and the work isn't always enriching) but to be able to fully support myself through editing and photography is one dream realized. 

The good news is that there are so many unique ways to get you to where you want to go that you shouldn't feel limited.  The arts are complicated, but those who succeed in a day to day sense (working for themselves that is) are those who learn how to bridge their creative ambitions with practical applications.  The web has transformed the market, and plenty of companies are looking to utilize video.

For more, check out a few of my older posts Advice For Aspiring Filmmakers and Basic Film Portfolio Skills.  Best of luck!