The editor vs. the director take 138...mark.

I guess it was about 3 weeks ago, that I decided to take on this music video project. I remember asking what is the deadline? The answer was like asap. To me that is like an open deadline. So, spring break rolls around and I'm planning to shelve the music video to work on something else.

I email the director and he informs me that he needs another cut in 3 days. That pissed me off so much that I whipped out another cut in hours.

Here is the thing, every time I email him, I get a short deadline. I am trying to tell him, that I have school work, and dropping school work is not an option. I even tried to edit with him in the same room, but he was not having that, and from what he told me, it appears that I'm not getting what he wants. I'm getting frustrated, and by now I have told him in an email to give notes, tell me what works, what does not.

3rd email about the project comes around. I tell him that I forgot my hard drive at home, and that I got sick, and I ask him, "After the corrections, is it good enough for picture lock?" He responds, by saying it is far from done. Great, he was telling me he liked it, which sounded like it was almost done, I could get onto the next step of color and effects, it looks like not. So then I notice final cut by this week. I guess I ignored that in which I should not have, and that is where things get crazy.

Now in the last email, he is saying that I was not communicating to him. I thought I was, but at the same time he was not communicating to me. Like deadlines, how fast how slow, what he would like to see more of. On the flip side, I was not treating this as a high priority, so I would get to him within a day. He says that the thing is that it is a lack of communication. For me it is not clear communication. He would say one thing and I would interpret something else, visa versa.

You can say we were not on the right page from the beginning. So the life lesson I learned was get things written out, deadlines, goals, expectations, etc. Sign a contract if need be, they do in the 'professional' world.

Until another time...

Reflection of a time...

As I wait on the commuter train to San Francisco, well Emeryville and then hop on a bus to San Francisco. I am reflecting back on the time of yester year, 10+ years ago. A time before the infamous terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, yet a time when the World Trade Center’s parking basement got bombed, and the Unabomber, and the Oklahoma Government building was bombed.

I am not really thinking about those times, I am thinking about elementary school, middle school, and the fun times of high school, and how times have changed. With the interweb, people can get in touch with people from elementary school, and friends of back then. Though I am amazed on how many people I remember from my class and some memories of my “childhood” years.

I came across someone I met in the 3rd grade. Her twin sister was in my class, but we were in the same late reading class together, and we were classmates in 4th grade. She had a blog set up and it was amazing, she had wonderful pictures of her daughters, and I was amazed that I could paint a picture in my head of what she does (or seemed like she does) from day to day.

I also came to the conclusion that if you are a photographer, your family is going to get photographed a lot. Free models and one gets practice of the art. Even though photo is a hobby of mine, I do not have willing participants that want to be photographed. When kids are young, they thrive for the attention to have that moment in time documented for the future.

If you asked me where I would be in 10 years…10 years ago, I would probably say, married with a good job. I would never expect to be where I am today, finishing up my BFA degree in Motion Picture & Television with emphasis in editing, meeting wonderful people along the way. I would not envision reconnecting with people I met 10+ years ago, and when I see how far they have come, I am reminded of how young we used to be.

Until another time…

Check-Check 1-2...

More to come when I get things started. Though I do have another blog over at livejournal.com. You will find it here: Psycho Babble...it's crazy talk. That is if you are interested about my shenanigans.

For the record, I am a video/film editor or as of now, one in training. Some of my work (7 projects) can be found at Vimeo. Oh and while I am at it, I do have a Flikr account also, and a facebook page. I think that covers it all.

"Peace and Love Brother's and Sister's" -Mr. Waller