Where all that AMV editing got me

[Chez]

Im a cinematographer and I edit........ just to throw a wrench in yo gears.

Editing is in my opinion the last director. Because you are the final part of the film. If there were no good editors there would be no good movies.

[Knowname]

Lol I think that's why he said he only 'sort of' disagrees lol. Anyway I can only see this turning into a flame war and while Izumi's statements is tantamount to calling for a DUEL in pirate language.... I don't think anybody wants one here down boy!

[Khameleon808]

lol @ this thread. My story is too awesome to post.
Anyone out there can breakthrough to the professional field. Don't let anyone here or anywhere else tell you ANY different. I pass projects on from professionals to "lesser known" editors all the time. And knowing how the business works rather than just the "technical" knowledge helps too if you wanna network and grow. If you think you need a film degree, you dont. It does help no doubt, but not vital for employment.

Clients want the goods. If you can bring that, it wont matter what the next guy has framed on his wall. When I first came to LA for interviews at trailer houses, there was a guy at The Ant Farm who interviewed me and it was going great. Until he asked me if I knew AVID. I told him no, but I could learn it very quickly. Now whether it was his lack of belief of even his mood that day, it stopped me from getting a job there. I told them its gonna take less time teaching someone with an imagination the software, than teach someone who knows AVID to have an imagination. Apparently that mattered to them because when the Creative Director left, they called me up and offered me a position and extra time to learn AVID on their machines at night. By this time however, I had already learned AVID and was editing for Disney. That is a whole other story.

My advice to people out there who arent doing this professionally yet, don't give up. If you are good at what you do and are passionate enough about it, there will always be someone like me out here that will help you as much as I can with opportunities.

Congrats to Izumi and everyone else that progressed from their history with editing amvs. I just wanted to clear up any misconceptions that once you "breakthrough" that you people dont forget where you came from and try to help others out who are equally deserving. If that's not your thing, its all good too. And for people like Brad, who have had multiple facets of his life enriched by the skill, that should be inspiring to most of you as well to continue doing what you are doing.


I think I get around enough companies now to where I can say that I am not above editing for or with anyone. I will edit for a multi-billion dollar company as well as a skateboarder down the street. Talent is a gift, tempered and harnessed to be shared with everyone else. Not to always be sold to the highest bidder. I did a free trailer for Disney and instead of paying me, I was invited to a red carpet premiere of the movie and got to meet the people who starred in the movie. To me, that kinda networking was way better than any check. And I still chill in the amv room, I still help new editors, and I still make time for my own projects as well as actually started collaborating on projects for the first time. Its really made me a better person, despite what a couple out there might think

Don't give up creating.

I guess that's all. If anyone is angered by this post, sorry for ya.
Just giving a real experience in the industry of mine.

[Ileia]

^
Okay, THAT is the kinda post we need to see from AMV creators who successfully moved on to a career in the film industry. See how he didn't feel the need to be condescending at all? AMAZING!

[Radical_Yue]

^
Okay, THAT is the kinda post we need to see from AMV creators who successfully moved on to a career in the film industry. See how he didn't feel the need to be condescending at all? AMAZING!

x1,000,000,000,000,000,000

[DJ_Izumi]

The nursing program at my school just gave me the go-ahead to use one of the very real portable defibrillators as a prop for a cardiac arrest in my paramedic drama. (Though we'll disconnect the paddels from the defib unit before they contacts the actor, for obvious safety reasons. We don't wanna accidently shunt 200 jules through a healthy person's heart. D: )

Have I mentioned I love my school? :3

[DJ_Izumi]

Yes, while producers handle everything you mentioned above, they are also responsible for green lighting ideas to go into production. Since amv editors already green light their own ideas, that makes them producers.

I think you're underselling producers if you say that someone is one just because they 'green light' something. It's not like an editor has to do much work to green light something, where as a producer has to do a tremendious ammount of work to ensure something is viable and then get it into production. An AMV editor just goes 'I wanna maket his AMV. Do I have the song? Do I have the anime? Yes? Let's go then!"

Regarding writing, while many vocal songs tell their own stories, there's also instrumental/foreign/etc songs that don't rely on lyrics which require editors to tell their own stories. However, editors still have to come up with a concept to tell their own stories regardless and even though it's not written in a script, it's still a "concept" and coming up with concepts are still a form of "writing" in a way.

Considdering what goes into writing an actual script, (Or worse, a bible for a TV series|) I still wouldn't call that writing. It really doesn't offer up any skills that could be used in writing in the future, it's not really transferable.

I know you're in the "Hey, I make *real* stuff and doing everything other than editing is cool!" phase, but try to give a little more credit for amv editors as well.

I'm not taking credit away from editors, editing is very important and some film and television editors are highly sought after for their skills in helping create major creative works. My point more is, I came into television production thinking 'I totally know how to make an awesome movie or something' only to rapidly realize... Well, it went something like this 'Ohhhhhhhhh mah gawd, we have to do hooooooow much work to make something decent?'

And as an editor, you can work entirely independently, just ONE person behind a computer can make an AMV... That can't happen in film or television, it just CAN'T, one person can't do all the work needed to create something that you actually film. Actually, I think that's the hardest part to deal with for me, I'm used to sitting down at the PC, knowing what I want to see and making. I have to actually trust other people to do something right, important stuff like operate the camera, because I couldn't possibly do it all. It's actually kinda unnerving to be there and NOT be the one who see's exactly what the lense is capturing at all times.

[Castor Troy]

Yes, while producers handle everything you mentioned above, they are also responsible for green lighting ideas to go into production. Since amv editors already green light their own ideas, that makes them producers.

I think you're underselling producers if you say that someone is one just because they 'green light' something. It's not like an editor has to do much work to green light something, where as a producer has to do a tremendious ammount of work to ensure something is viable and then get it into production. An AMV editor just goes 'I wanna maket his AMV. Do I have the song? Do I have the anime? Yes? Let's go then!"

Regarding writing, while many vocal songs tell their own stories, there's also instrumental/foreign/etc songs that don't rely on lyrics which require editors to tell their own stories. However, editors still have to come up with a concept to tell their own stories regardless and even though it's not written in a script, it's still a "concept" and coming up with concepts are still a form of "writing" in a way.

Considdering what goes into writing an actual script, (Or worse, a bible for a TV series|) I still wouldn't call that writing. It really doesn't offer up any skills that could be used in writing in the future, it's not really transferable.

I know you're in the "Hey, I make *real* stuff and doing everything other than editing is cool!" phase, but try to give a little more credit for amv editors as well.

I'm not taking credit away from editors, editing is very important and some film and television editors are highly sought after for their skills in helping create major creative works. My point more is, I came into television production thinking 'I totally know how to make an awesome movie or something' only to rapidly realize... Well, it went something like this 'Ohhhhhhhhh mah gawd, we have to do hooooooow much work to make something decent?'

And as an editor, you can work entirely independently, just ONE person behind a computer can make an AMV... That can't happen in film or television, it just CAN'T, one person can't do all the work needed to create something that you actually film. Actually, I think that's the hardest part to deal with for me, I'm used to sitting down at the PC, knowing what I want to see and making. I have to actually trust other people to do something right, important stuff like operate the camera, because I couldn't possibly do it all. It's actually kinda unnerving to be there and NOT be the one who see's exactly what the lense is capturing at all times.

Nope. I'm not underselling anyone at all just because they "green light" an idea. In fact, that's actually giving them quite a bit of credit. Most "executive producers" don't even do 90% of the things you mention other than deciding whether an idea is marketable or not and pass on those duties to the other producers. Does that undersell them as "producers who didn't do anything"? Of course not. AMV editors still have to decide whether their ideas should be made in the first place for whatever reason they choose, so that still counts as some form of producing.

Just because it's not written in a script format, concepts can still be written as outlines, short sentences, paragraphs, etc that explain an idea. I know many amv editors who constantly write out their ideas and even go as far as storyboarding them. I think that can easily be considered as writing.

Even though we have different opinions on all of this, I'm still glad you were able to transition your amv skills into a career that you love and enjoy.

Best of luck to you and I'm looking forward to your future productions.

[gotegenks]

gosh, i'm pretty sure that was just meant to be a little inspiring tidbit by castor to show how this hobby connects to the real film-making world, and then you have to go and try to prove it wrong because it's not the same as a highly staffed professional project. When everyone read that, nobody thought "woah, so...i'm qualified to direct in hollywood now!"

he wasn't trying to heighten amv editors to the level of professionals, he was trying to bring the level of professionals down to earth to show how possible it is.

[Knowname]

welcome back to the org Izumi (tentative statement... but I'm sure it'll be fine, we've survived much WORSE egos than his )