A
copying to EC1, 74
AAFs, creating, 120, 121, 121f
abbreviations for notes, list of, 74
ACE internship program, 3, 137
first-day observations, 137
act numbers, 43
network requirements and, 84
reality shows, 116
actors
reality show casts, 115
acts, page counts for. See page counts
add edits, removing, 88
admitting mistakes, 151
ADR list, preparing, 90–91, 90f
advance paperwork. See preparing for first day
ambience levels, creating, 154
American Cinema Editors. See ACE internship program
amortizing salary, 175
answering phones. See phones, using
anticipation, importance of, 60
apologizing for mistakes, 151
archiving
editor’s cut, preserving, 74
for gag reels, 68
production stock, 68
sound effects, 27
arguing, 152
arrival time to editing room, 145–146
assistant editorships, about, 3
ACE internship program, 3, 137
finding jobs, 13
moving to Hollywood, 9
preparing for editorship, 173
preparing for interview, 14–15
relationship with editor, 6. See also editors
starting work. See entries at first day
writing top five editors, 12–13
Assistworks folder (reality shows), 116
attitude, 149–151, 175. See also personal issues
creating ambience levels, 154
gossiping, 153
audio timecodes, 64
automated dialog replacement (ADR), 90–91, 90f
auxiliary timecode, for base camera, 114
Avid
group clip designations, 67f
reassigning tracks, 92–93, 93f
removing match frame edits, 88
Avid Unity Administration Tool, 112
B
B roll, 99
for reality shows, 115, 127–128, 127f, 128f
background sounds (BGs), 27. See also sound effects (SFX)
wild tracks, 52
backplates, 131
Banner bin, 39, 39f, 40, 78–79
banners, defined, 40
base camera, syncing cameras to, 114
behavior, personality; protocol
Berman, Michael, 8
BGs (background sounds), 27. See also sound effects (SFX)
wild tracks, 52
binders, preparing, 43–56. See also paperwork
for documentaries, 103
bins, 38, 38f. See also specific bin by name
for documentary footage, 103
scene bins. See scene bins
black
adding to sequence end, 79
knowing how much to use, 78–79
booting up systems, 146
Braga, Sonya, 207
breakdowns, 17. See also scene breakdown
character breakdowns, 32
documentary footage tapes, 101
lift breakdowns, 32
schedule for elements, 17, 21, 21t
what to include in, 17
Brinker, Tim, 172
C
career plans
five-year plan, 179
career strategy, 163
choosing a genre, 168–172, 169t
developing relationships, 165
getting into a cutting room, 164
keeping journal, 166
leaving nonunion jobs, 168
leaving union jobs, 177
looking for work, 168
moving to Hollywood, 9
panel discussion with editors, 185
preparing for editorship, 173
cast and crew template, 45f
cast folder, 115
categorizing documentation footage, 102–103
cementing relationships, 176
character breakdowns, 32
chase cassette, creating, 93–94
cheat sheets for target time, 57
checksum program, 141
Cheese, Matt, 185
children. See family
clothing for interviews, 14
clothing for work, 147
coffee, making, 146
Coleman, Lori Jane, 185
colleagues. See networking
color-timed master (CTM). See master
commercial breaks, timing of, 77–78
communication. See also letters and email correspondence; protocol
attitude. See attitude
email etiquette, 160
giving opinion on scenes, 158–160
with notes. See Post-it notes, communicating with
relationships. See networking; relationships
voice mail messages, 150
compilation films, 101
computers, booting up, 146
contact information. See cast and crew template
contacts, keeping list of, 5, 166. See also networking
continuity, 17, 21, 22f. See also wall continuity
cover sheet for, 81f
noting lifts (removed scenes), 74, 75f
one-liners (scene descriptions), 21, 46, 47f
Cook, Elisha, 207
Cooke, Chris, 159
copying editor’s cut, 74
Corman, Roger, 202
correspondence. See letters and email correspondence
corrupted data, 141
courses. See education (courses)
cover letters, 12
cover sheet for continuity, 81f
crew, meeting, 60
crew information. See cast and crew template
crying, 152
CTM (color-timed master). See master
Current Cut bin. See A. Workpix bin
Cuts bin, 104, See also A. Workpix bin
cutting room. See editing room
D
dailies
daily production report. See editor’s log
data corruption, 141
delivery requirements. See spec sheets
descriptions of scenes. See continuity
DF. See drop frame (DF) timecode
dialog
reassigning tracks, 92–93, 93f
Standards and Practices and, 84
digital intermediary (DI), 87
digitizing dailies, 64, 113–115
watching while digitizing, 64–65
directories in project bins, 42
directors
giving opinion on scenes to, 158–159
privacy in editing room, 83
shipping film to, 80
distributing editor’s cut. See editor’s cut
documentaries, 99. See also reality shows
finishing, 109
organizing footage for, 101
titling, 108
dramatizations (for documentaries), 100
dressing for interviews, 14
dressing for work, 147
drift, timecode, 114
drop frame (DF) timecode, 57
drops. See needle drops
dry run (travel to editing room), 145–146
Duffy, Michael, 202
Durning, Charles, 207
DVD, recording output to, 80, 118, 131
E
early arrival to editing room, 145–146
edit decision lists (EDLs), 93–94, 95f, 96f
getting inside, 164
navigating, 155
observations in. See first-day observations
recording temp ADR in, 74
rules of, 145
setup preferences, 32
supplies and furniture for, 33, 33t, 34t, 35t
unlocking, 146
editing styles, 181
booting up, 146
room setup preferences, 32
testing and calibrating, 37
folders for (reality shows), 115
giving opinion on scenes to, 158–159
panel discussion with, 185
relationship with assistant, 6, 142, 165
room setup preferences, 32
setting up scenes for, 64
top five, networking with, 12–13, 164
editor’s cut, 73. See also director’s cut
copying, 74
recording output to DVD, 80
recording temp ADR, 74
removed scenes (lifts), 74, 75f
scene timings and measurements, 75f
taking notes during screening, 73–74
Editor’s Cuts bin, 74. See also A. Workpix bin
editor’s log (script supervisor’s report), 48, 49f
checking against, 67
applying to, 167
no maternity leave with, 177
EDLs (edit decision lists), 93–94, 95f, 96f
ACE internship program, 3, 137
list of (Los Angeles), 9
paying off student loans, 174
education, identifying in resumes, 12
email etiquette, 160
email messages. See letters and email correspondence
end credits, leaving space for, 79
end logos, 79
ending jobs. See jobs, leaving
entering editing room, 155
episode notebook, 44
documentaries. See documentaries
locking, 85
music for, organizing, 71, 71f
reality shows. See reality shows recap, 79–80
working on, 171
episodic television, first-day observations in
errors, troubleshooting, 7
establishing stock shot, 31
executive producers. See entries at producer
experience, gaining, 170
F
family, 200. See also personal issues
pregnancies and babies, 177, 199
Farr, Glenn, 180
Favorites bin, 39
FCP (Final Cut Pro), 122
features
choosing as genre, 168–172, 169t
first-day observations in, 140–142
total running time (TRT), 83
defined, 4
negative cutting. See online
preparing for SFX and MX spotting, 94
film room supplies, 34t
final master. See master
final sweetened master, defined, 87
pro bono work, 205
first assistant cameraman (1st AC), 46
first day, about, 17. See also second day
creating project settings, 42
importing sound effects and music, 42–43
preparing binders and paperwork, 43–56
setting up project window, 37–42
first day, observations about, 137
episodic television (Andreas Amheiter), 139–140
episodic television (Laura Sempel), 137–139
feature (Paul Penczner), 140–142
reality shows (Nompi Vilakaze), 142
first day, preparing for, 73
continuity. See continuity
measurement charts, 17, 26, 26f
music (needle drops and score). 28–29
reading the script, 17
schedule for elements, 17, 21, 21t
script elements lists, 17
SFX. See sound effects
visual effects (VFX), 31
wall continuity, 17, 21t, 23–26, 24f
first job, getting, 13, 201–204
first year’s goals, 167
five-year career plan, 179
folders in project bins, 42
Fonda, Jane, 164
food
bringing lunch to editor, 72
for cutting room guests. 80
as gifts, to cutting rooms, 5, 13, 166
lunch time, 72
making coffee, 146
footage, documentary. See documentaries
footages, tracking. See measurement charts
formats
offline and online, 112
reality show audio, 129
stock shots, 32
formatting locked sequence, 89
Friedberg, Diana, 185
Friedberg, Lionel, 107
FTP, posting cuts on, 117
furniture for cutting rooms, 33, 35t
FX. See sound effects (SFX); visual effects (VFX)
G
gag reels, cutting, 68
garbage in, garbage out, 138–139
genre, choosing for work, 168–172, 169t
getting first job, 13, 201–204
GFX. See visual effects (VFX)
gifts and food
bringing lunch to editor, 72
bringing to cutting rooms, 5, 13
for cutting room guests, 80
giving opinion on scenes, 158–160
goals
for end of first year, 167
for end of third year, 173–174
gossiping, 153
graphics folder (reality shows), 115–116
Greene, Danny, 164
group clip designations, 67, 67f
H
handwriting quality, 157
Hanneman, Walt, 207
hard drive corruption, 141
heading, resume, 11
Heim, Alan, 185
Helfrich, Mark, 185
hiatus
having babies during, 177
supporting oneself during, 174, 175
hobbies, identifying in resumes, 12
Hollander, David, 165
Hollywood, moving to, 9
honesty, 151
hygiene (personal), 153
I
implied script elements. 18
importing sound effects and music, 42–43
internship program (ACE). 3, 137
first-day observations, 137
interviewing for assistant editorships, 15
interviews (content)
backplates for, 131
folders for (reality shows), 115
transcriptions of, 100, 103, 129
Interviews bin, 103
Isaacs, Bud, 179
J
nonunion jobs, 168
union jobs, 177
job’s first day, about, 37
creating project settings, 42
importing sound effects and music, 42–43
preparing binders and paperwork, 43–56
setting up project window, 37–42
job’s first day, preparing for, 73
continuity. See continuity
measurement charts, 17, 26, 26f
music (needle drops and score), 28–29
reading the script, 17
schedule for elements, 17, 21, 21t
script elements lists. 17
SFX, See sound effects
visual effects (VFX), 31
wall continuity, 17, 21t, 23–26, 24f
job’s second day, 61
archiving stock and gags, 69–71
identifying scenes ready to cut, 67–68
when dailies are completed, 71–72
Jordan, Jerry, 135
journaling, 166
jump cuts, 88
checking for, 88
K
Kahn, Michael, 7
kem rolls (sync maps), 66–67, 113–114
key codes, 64
kids. See family
Kilmer, Val, 207
L
labeled tab dividers (binders), 43, 103
Lazarus, Ashley, 8
leaving jobs
nonunion jobs, 168
union jobs, 177
letters and email correspondence. See also communication
cover letters with resumes, 12
email etiquette, 160
writing top five editors, 13
lift breakdowns, 32
lifted scenes, 68
lifts (removed scenes), 74, 75f
checking against, 67
identifying scenes ready to cut, 67–68
loans, paying, 174
locked, defined, 28
locked continuity, creating, 90
locked music sheet, 90
Locked Sequence bin, 88
locked sequence, formatting, 88
changes after lock, 85
creating chase cassette, 93–94
logging documentation footage, 102
Lombardo, Lou, 164
looking for work, 168
looping sheet (ADR list), 90–91
Los Angeles
list of educational venues, 9
public transportation in, 9
Lovejoy, Ray, 180
Lovejoy, Stephen, 151, 175, 185
Ludlum, Robert, 20
lunch time, 72
M
main title, adding to cuts, 79
Mann, Danny, 207
Mann, Delbert, 179
manners. See personality; protocol
master, defined, 87
master timecode (MTC), 88
match frame edits, removing, 88
maternity leave, 177
Matich, Drew, 165
measurement charts, 17, 26, 26f
network requirements and, 84
Medak, Peter, 180
media managing, 133f, 134, 134f
meeting people. See networking
meeting schedule. See prep schedule
minute counts, 20
mistakes, admitting, 151
mixing background sounds, 27
mobility, career, 176
money. See financial considerations
MOS (mit out sound), defined, 58
movie. See film, defined
moving to Hollywood, 9
MTC (master timecode), 88
Multigroup, 115
music (MX), 27
for director’s cut. 82
folder for (reality shows), 116
needle drops. See needle drops
preparing for spotting session, 94
reality shows, 129
reassigning tracks, 92–93, 93f
MX. See music
N
narration for documentaries, 101
rough read of, recording, 103–104
navigating the editing room, 155
NDF. See nondrop frame (NDF) timecode
for director’s cut. 82
negative cutting. See online
negative discrepancy report, 55, 56
negativity. See attitude
network specs. See spec sheets
networking. See also relationships
cementing relationships, 176
correspondence. See letters and email correspondence
expanding your network, 180–181
to find jobs, 13
getting into a cutting room, 164
getting things done and, 149–150
keeping book of contacts, 5, 166
meeting crew, 60
participating, 175
personality, 149
Nimoy, Leonard, 107
noise levels. 153
nondrop frame (NDF) timecode. 57
nonunion jobs, leaving, 168
nonunion personnel, 111, 163, 167
Nord, Richard, 181
journaling, 166
note-based communication. See Post-it notes, communicating with
notebooks for assistant editors
for individual episodes, 44
journaling in, 166
numbers, practicing how to write, 157
objective, in resume, 11
offline, media drives for, 112
OMFs
on-time arrival to editing room, 145–146
one-liners (scene descriptions), 21, 46, 47f
online, 87
add edits and jump cuts, 88
checklist for preparing, 87–88
completing formatting sheet, 88–90
creating chase cassette, 93–94
creating EDLs and OMFs, 93–94, 95f, 96f
creating locked continuity, 90
formatting locked sequence, 88, 89
media drives for, 112
preparing ADR list, 90–91, 90f
preparing for SFX and MX spotting, 94
preparing script and sound reports, 95f
reassigning tracks, 92–93, 93f
Optimization operation (Avid), 112
footage for documentaries, 101
reality show projects, 115–116
output
reality shows, 114, 116–117, 130–131
recording to DVD, 80
outputs folder (reality shows), 116
overlapping clips, grouping, 114
P
page counts, 20
paperwork. See also entries at note
ADR list (looping sheet), 90–91, 90f
advance work on. See preparing for first day
cast and crew template, 45f
continuity. See continuity
with dailies, 64
for documentaries, 103
editor’s log. See editor’s log
format sheet, 57, 58f, 88–90, 89f
lined scripts. See lined scripts
negative discrepancy report, 55, 56
notes during editor’s cut screening, 73–74
one-liners (scene descriptions), 21, 46, 47f
requesting from production office, 35
script, 97
parenting. See family
participation, importance of, 175
people. See also networking
personal hygiene, 153
personal issues, 151–152, 177, 197, 198
pregnancies and babies, 177, 199
personality, 149, 186. See also attitude
noise and ambience levels, 153, 154
PIX EDL (edit decision list), 94, 95f
planning, career
five-year plan, 179
Plisco, Sabrina, 185
positive attitude, 149–150, 175
post production assistant, 80
Post-it notes, communicating with, 72, 147
for scene music, 71
postproducers, having in network, 181
pregnancies and babies, 177, 199
preparation, importance of, 60
preparing for first day, 73
continuity. See continuity
measurement charts, 17, 26, 26f
music (needle drops and score), 28–29
reading the script, 17
schedule for elements, 17, 21, 21t
script elements lists, 17
SFX. See sound effects
visual effects (VFX). 31
wall continuity, 17, 21t, 23–26, 24f
preparing for work day, 146
privacy in editing room, 83
pro bono films, 205
proactive, being, 151
having in network, 181
privacy in editing room, 83
shipping director’s cut to, 82–83
production sound mixer (soundman), 52
professionalism, 152
project length, 4
project settings, creating, 42
project window, setting up, 37–42, 38f
in feature cutting room, 172
navigating the editing room, 155
personality, 149
rules of the editing room, 145, 192, 193
public transportation, Los Angeles, 9
Q
QT. See QuickTime, outputting to
QuickTime, outputting to, 117–118, 117f, 118f
quitting jobs, 168
R
Ranney, Gene, 8
reading the editing room, 156–157
reading the script, 17
reality shows, 111. See also documentaries
assisting on FCP, 122
B roll, 115, 127–128, 127f, 128f
choosing as genre, 169t
first-day observations in, 142
importing and organizing project, 123
locking, 119
nonunion personnel on, 111, 167
prepping for online, 122
sound and music, 129
transcriptions of interviews, 129
up-rezzing, 119
reassigning tracks, 92–93, 93f
re-creation (for documentaries), 100
references, for resumes, 12
relationships. See also networking
cementing, 176
with crew, 60
developing with post staff, 165
with editor, 6. See also editors
expanding your network, 180–181
personality, 149
Remove Matchframe edit button (Avid), 88
reprise. See recap
resolution for offline editing, 112
bringing to interview, 15
Ritchie, Michael, 180
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 153
Rubell, Paul, 7
rules of the editing room, 145
S
salary, banking, 174
SAN system, 37
maintaining regularly, 42
needle drops. See needle drops
scene descriptions. See continuity
network requirements and, 84
wall continuity, 17, 21t, 23–26, 24f
schedule for elements, 17, 21, 21t
score, music, 29. See also music (MX)
screening the editor’s cut, 73
making copies before, 74
recording temp ADR, 74
removing scenes (lifts), 74, 75f
script, copying for spotting session, 97
script, reading, 17
script elements lists, 17
script supervisor’s report. See editor’s log
script supervisors, 44, 49, 52, 139
second assistant cameraman (2nd AC), 52
second day, 61
archiving stock and gags, 69–71
identifying scenes ready to cut, 67–68
when dailies are completed, 71–72
Sedgwick, Kyra, 207
Segal, George, 164
settings for project, creating, 42
SFX. See sound effects
SFX bin, 42
shipping
director’s cut to producers, 82–83
editor’s cut to director, 80
shoot date, 21
shooting schedule, 21
shooting timecode, interviews, 100
showbuild folder (reality shows), 115–116
shows. See episodes
sizzle, 142
skills
advanced, developing, 181
after five years assisting, 179
identifying in resumes, 11
SMX bin. See MX bin (SMX bin)
social skills. See protocol
sorting. See organizing
background sounds. See BGs
for director’s cut, 82
folder for (reality shows), 116
needle drops. See needle drops
preparing for spotting session, 94
providing in scene bins, 67
reality shows, 129
reassigning tracks, 92–93, 93f
preparing for spotting session, 97
soundman (production sound mixer), 52
source tapes folder, 115
Spielberg, Steven, 7
Spotting Sequence bin, 88
preparing for, 94
staffing, about, 171
Standards and Practices, 84
sticky notes. See Post-it notes, communicating with
stills, for documentaries, 107–108
stock bins, 42
Stock Footage bin, 106
Stock Purchased bin. 42
for director’s cut, 82
story stringout (reality shows), 129, 130f
student loans, paying, 174
studio heads, access to, 180
Stupin, Paul, 165
subclips, creating, 115
supervising sound editor, 42–43
supplies, ordering, 32–35, 33t
sweetened CTM. See final sweetened master
sync maps (kem rolls), 66–67, 113–114
synchronizing work space, 112
T
tab dividers (binders), 43, 103
Takaki, Troy, 185
taking notes. See entries at note
journaling, 166
tape name, checking, 64
target time (target footage), 57, 57t, 77, 78f
tease tags, 116
teasers, 80
telecine, 52
telephones, using, 147, 150, 156
television, choosing as genre, 168–172, 169t
television industry, about, 168–170, 180
Temp ADR bin, 93
testing editing system, 37
three-year career plan, 173–174
timecodes
auxiliary, setting or adjusting, 114
checking for drift, 114
for interviews, 100
master timecode (MTC), 88
visible time code (Viz TC), 100
timings of scenes. See scene timings
titles, documentaries, 108
tools. See editing system
total running time (TRT), 83
tracks, reassignment, 92–93, 93f
trailers, 80
training courses. See education (courses)
transcriptions of interviews, 100, 103, 129
troubleshooting errors, 7
TRT. See total running time
typing notes, 157
U
union jobs, leaving, 177
Unity system, 37
maintaining regularly, 42
unlocking editing rooms, 146
unwritten script elements, 18
up-rezzing, 119
upward mobility (career), 176
user manuals, access to, 7
V
variances to timing requirements, 84
VFX. See visual effects
Vilakaze, Nompi, 142
visible time code (Viz TC), 100
visual effects (VFX), 31
for director’s cut, 82
VO. See voice-over (VO) narration
voice mail messages, 150
voice-over (VO) narration, 101
folder for (reality shows), 116
W
Wall, Angus, 203
wall continuity, 17, 21t, 23–26, 24f. See also continuity, scene timings
wild tracks, 52
word of mouth. See networking
work, finding. See finding jobs
work clothes and appearance, 147, 153
work history (resumes), 11
work space synchronization, 112
writing numbers, practicing, 157
Z