Lately Ive been getting asked to submit a reel when applying for Assistant Editing gigs. Is this normal? If so, what do you include?
Richard Sanchez: Ive never included a reel for an assistant editing job. Thats very weird.
Bryan Colvin: Send them timelapse videos of your multigrouping / conforming skills I guess lol
Sarah Beth Shapiro: Weird
Robyn Migel: Inappropriate. Sounds like they dont know what an assistant editor does.
Steven Phares: That makes no sense
Kinga Orlikowska Brooks: That only can mean one thing: they want you to cut for assisting rate
Stan Kellam: All of the above. LOL.
Scott Janush: Like Kinga said.
Scott Janush: They know. They want a cheap editor
Lauren Sorofman: Ken Burns treat your resume!
Arvid Cristina: Very weird.
Chris Camerote: Its good output practice.
Frank Barnes: Do not take that gig they are clueless no one asks for AE reels, they can ask for a resume thats it. Only take that gig if youre desperate.
Alex Andre: I second that.
Jon Griggs: Ask some editors youve worked with to record a quick phone/webcam-video saying how awesome and indispensable you are – string together and send that 🙂
Chris Camerote: I guess the question is (since everyone is giving you the typical glass half empty doom and gloom schpeal). Do you want to be an editor? If not move on, if SO, get them something, if you have nothing ..cut something and put it out there. The majority of editors i know (no matter the format) all started cutting on the books as AEs, its just the way it is.
Frank Barnes: Its not an editing gig. Shes being asked for an assistant editor reel.
Chris Camerote: No such thing, they want an AE with the option to lean on Jr type.
Gordon Antell: Who is it? Studio gig or indie?
Eric Babinec: Send them an iPhone clip of a bin full of clips scrolling. Lol😄😄😄
Leslie Tong Gache: Its not normal. Theyre looking for a cheap editor.
Dick Buckley: No…….
Nigel G Honey: In my day edit assistants were vt / mcr ops i would of sent them a manual
Kelly Mac: In my day too! That makes me laugh. These days Id send them a sequence of grouped sources.
Jason C. Lee: Why would an AE have a reel? Dumb is dumb in this case.
Hillary Burgess Hanson: That usually means they want you to edit which means youll be getting paid as an AE with the expectations as an editor. Theyre cheap. Run.
Sean Lander: Editing reels are bad enough but for an assistant? Wow.
Matt Silfen: Ive rarely been asked for a reel as an editor…
Roger Matthews: Sounds weird, but there are also Junior gigs that pay the same as an AE rate, so Id perhaps go with a place that is interested in having you edit vs a tech only position where you never get to learn editing
Michael V. Williams: reels are so 15 years ago.
Joe DiPippa: Wow. I never heard of that when I was an AE. I agree with the others. RUN! they are looking for a cheap editor
Zach Fine: Ive contemplated making an assistant editing reel for myself. Itd include lots of shots of me squinting at the screen grouping and renaming clips, as well as editing spreadsheets and watching progress bars.
Chris Camerote:
Stefan Avalos: Zach wins
Cathy Mayville: Yeah…Zach wins. Maybe someone Jr made this request and doesnt know its not relevant. I had one company make me sit down to make a couple edits, so they could see that I knew the system. That was fair. If you sent my company what Zach suggested, I would hire you on personality alone. Then again…I would give them what they ask for if you think the gig can bring you more work. But stand your ground on rates. If they hire you to assistant edit, but make you do more than that…make a plan with them to revise your rate if they want you to edit
Eric Scott: Not normal
Ben King: The person who asks you – can you respond asking for a showreel of stuff theyve employed editors on. You know, so you dont have to read a list of projects on their CV…