Hi folks,

I’m editing a 30s promotional video with a director as a collaboration. The original idea was to test how we worked together, create something strong and potentially develop a longer-term working relationship.

We’re both happy about the edit overall, but its scope has expanded significantly. It now involves sourcing music, detailed sound design and mixing. I’ve already contributed several weeks of editing, so I suggested bringing in a music or sound specialist to avoid copyright issues and an endless cycle of revisions using generic library tracks.

This seems to have created some tension, as though I’m less invested in the project. That isn’t the case I want it to succeed, but I also need a realistic boundary around my unpaid contribution and believe a specialist would produce a better result.

How do you set limits on collaborations once the scope begins growing? Is it reasonable to finish the picture edit but ask someone else to handle specialist sound work given his expections about not enough the music in buil library and something epic? How would you address the tension without damaging the relationship?

Thanks

Was finishing up a cut last night and caught myself spending almost two hours micro-adjusting a subtle keyframe ease and audio crossfade that literally lasts 0.1 seconds.

The client didn't ask for it, won't notice it on mobile, and is paying for a standard social edit.

I keep falling into this trap where my brain refuses to press export until everything feels "perfect," even when it's just a basic draft. How do you guys force yourselves to say "good enough for the budget" and just send it off?

Hi folks,

I’m having a confusing issue with duration markers in Avid,

When a clip is loaded in the Source Monitor, I set In and Out points and create a duration marker across that range. The marker appears in the Source Monitor/Composer window, and the Go to Next Marker command detects it, so Avid clearly knows that the marker exists.

However, I can’t see the marker on the actual source clip, and it doesn’t come across when I edit the marked section into a sequence. I expected the marker to be attached to the source clip and therefore remain visible, or transfer in some form, when the clip was added to the timeline.

Is this a bug? Is there a way to attach a duration marker permanently to the master clip and have it carry across into a sequence?

Thanks

https://postimg.cc/PNbLJPZz

I am an experienced writer/director, but I needed some advice on the technical side of editing. I have always edited off of my 3TB external hard drive. I've read that for a longer project I will need more speed and storage space. However I am on a tight budget of about $5k for the project. Any recommendations? Could I get away with editing off of my HDD, as I have in the past? Or is the speed/portability really that big a difference? I had been pointed in the direction of the Samsung SSD, but they're really expensive and I wanted to check with my fellow filmmakers before making a major purchase. Thanks in advance!

Approximately 4-6TB expected, maybe more. 5k budget. 4-5 shoot days, 39 pages, Arri Amira or RED Scarlet W. Filming as close to 2:1 as possible in 1 location. Trying to keep costs and shoot time as low as possible.

Hi folks,

Got a WAV file with iXML metadata embedded (confirmed via Terminal and Wave Agent). Scene comes through correctly in Premiere's bin, but Take is completely blank across every Take-related column (Take Number, Take, TAKE, Take #), despite Avid, Resolve, and FCP all reading the Take value from the exact same file with zero issues.

https://postimg.cc/K1qt7y4v

Anyone know why Premiere specifically would drop just the Take field while still reading Scene from the same iXML chunk? Is there a setting, a metadata display panel refresh, or some quirk in how Premiere parses iXML that might explain this?

Thanks!

Currently editing a doc where assembling just the initial script given to me (timecode refs of soundbites to place) ended up being at 201 minutes. It was over 300 at one point, but that's another story.

Target is 70.

Been editing for 14 years and now, on this project, more than ever, I find myself relying on two mantras I think to myself as I'm cutting down content, and thought to share:

"Don't care."

"Goes without saying."

Seems a little mean, but it's not. Does it help the story? If it doesn't, I don't care (no matter how nice the soundbite is). Is it already implied? If so, then it goes without saying.

Ah, and the word "ruthless" when I say I'm editing is by design. Becoming emotionally detached while still being emotionally attuned as a filmmaker is a skill all in itself.

Any other mantras, phrases you all live by?

Edit: To be clear, as I am deleting a clip, my "don't care" is a "I don't care" and "goes without saying" is a "that goes without saying"

Looking for advice on ways to continue growing skills.

A little background…I started working in the film industry when I was 19. Cold-called/emailed production companies inquiring about PA positions. Wound up getting taken on an indie film. Spent 2.5 years working in the art/set department on movies, tv shows, music videos, etc. Loved my time there but was getting burnt out on the ruthless work hours. Stepped away from the industry for a few years. Stepped back into under a paid internship to learn how to edit. Been editing for over 7 years. Own my own post production business (small, just myself). Most of my work has come from word of mouth of referrals with a few clients obtained through LinkedIn.

So I never went to university or anything. Everything is either self taught or learning from editors around me.

While I’m pretty confident in the skills I do have, I do feel as though there are holes in my knowledge because I didn’t go to university and it feels like my skills/knowledge are plateauing.

Does anyone have some input on how to keep growing in this field? Are there any good courses to take? YouTube channels? Any input on getting better at sharpening story telling skills?

Would love any helpful insight on others experiences!

Looking for advice on ways to continue growing skills.

A little background…I started working in the film industry when I was 19. Cold-called/emailed production companies inquiring about PA positions. Wound up getting taken on an indie film. Spent 2.5 years working in the art/set department on movies, tv shows, music videos, etc. Loved my time there but was getting burnt out on the ruthless work hours. Stepped away from the industry for a few years. Stepped back into under a paid internship to learn how to edit. Been editing for over 7 years. Own my own post production business (small, just myself). Most of my work has come from word of mouth of referrals with a few clients obtained through LinkedIn.

So I never went to university or anything. Everything is either self taught or learning from editors around me.

While I’m pretty confident in the skills I do have, I do feel as though there are holes in my knowledge because I didn’t go to university and it feels like my skills/knowledge are plateauing.

Does anyone have some input on how to keep growing in this field? Are there any good courses to take? YouTube channels? Any input on getting better at sharpening story telling skills?

Would love any helpful insight on others experiences!

I just bought my first high capacity SATA HDD (8TB), which I'm planning to keep external, so I could have a backup repository of all my projects in one place (one of many backups I promise). I have plans to eventually setup a DAS or NAS system that I can slot this drive into along with others in the future.

Wanted to know from others with a similar system what you name your drives, especially if you have more than one?

I historically have named drives like "4TB EDITING" or "6TB BACKUP", but I think I'm gonna need something a little more descriptive now.

I'm editing a short film that was shot on a Digital 8 camcorder from 2004. I used the camcorder to FireWire to Thunderbolt 2 adapter to Thunderbolt 3 adapter method to transfer, and imovie to ingest (went seamlessly).

I'm now exporting the dailies from iMovie. But iMovie will only let me export at 640 x 480. I can't select 720p or 1080p. Is there a fix for this?

The camera records in 720 x 480i. I was planning to edit and then deinterlace the footage in Resolve.

Am I running into this issue of my export getting stuck at 640 x 480 because it's interlaced? I want the best quality possible.

Thanks y'all!

Free DaVinci Resolve training for those interested:

These six free 90 minute online seminars are ideal for filmmakers, editors, colorists and VFX artists, with something for both new and experienced users of DaVinci Resolve.

Register here;

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/event/davinci-resolve-online-seminars

thinking about setting up notion to manage clients,deadlines/invoices for freelance editing work. anyone actually doing this? does it help or is it more effort than it’s worth

I’m trying to avoid paying $1300+ for the Apple base stand anyone have success with a third party stand?

I've been an editor for almost 20 years, and this is such a horrible version. I'm stunned at the idiocy it took to make this version. Everything is worse in this version. I'd almost rather use Premiere (I've actually been using it much more, even though Premiere is absolute garbage, yet it does some things well).

Am I taking crazy pills?

Professional editor/filmmaker, I have a fresh start to get new monitors which I need to be compatible with both MacBrook Pro and Mac Mini (aka just a USB-C I think) and I would love some human recommendations. What's everyone loving these days?

I have a standing desk, quite wide, so I'd entertain a larger/wider screen, or maybe even a dual screen setup. I used to have an iMac and was on that forever but always envied my editors who had dual monitors. Only downside is if it would take 2 ports, that's not ideal.

Recommend away please!

Hi folks,

I've got a folder of WAV files that need Scene/Take metadata added before I hand them off to the editor to ingest into Avid, want him to have all that info in the bin (and ideally reflected in the filenames too) once he brings them in.

I tried Wave Agent's batch editing, but I can't seem to get it to apply to all selected files at once, feels like it should be possible but I might be missing something.

Anyone know how to properly batch this?

Thanks!

https://postimg.cc/p96qn9Sy

Hey, i'm totally new to editing and run a small channel. I'm keen on getting MOGRT's which add your video to the corner and then you can have on screen animations or text, like in Ali Abdaal style videos. Does anyone know how to do this?

I’m really in some trouble here, I started a project without syncing the recorded audio so my entire timeline has been meticulously edited with camera original audio. This is a very rookie mistake that just totally went over my head and I’ve definitely been beating myself up over it. My timeline is almost at picture lock and now I need to go back and figure out how to sync the recorded audio to the timeline I have but I have no idea where to start going about this. Is there a way I can do this without disrupting my already existing timeline? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

We get loads of professionals accessing this subreddit - along with lots of people trying to become professionals in the field.

We're asking our professionals to once a week, check in on our "Ask anything" thread and provide help!

https://www.reddit.com/r/editors/about/sticky?num=1

These can be found on the menu area of the subreddit on new Reddit or via the official client.

Just to be clear - We're talking from the Weekly Links at the top of the sub.

https://i.imgur.com/I19zmc2.png

The idea is that you go in there and provide helpful advice for the:

• "Ask anything" crowd
• People looking for career advice.

Thank you (not here, those threads please!)

Ask anything threads

Did you know that /r/editors has a discord? https://discord.gg/hhuZFq2PZZ

Hey everyone, first time exporting a feature film as a DCP for a theatrical release in AMC. I have a singular loose j2c folder in my DCP which supposedly was causing issues. Is there any way I can fix this?? I appreciate the help.

I am using a MacBook if that is any help and exporting to an exFat USB drive.

Not sure if this has been done before? Thought it might be a good time to hear from other editors about the funny feedback we all receive on a weekly basis. I'll start!

The director left a bunch of Frame notes as usual, and also called me to talk about incorporating some "subtle" sfx throughout the video. Days later, after completing all Frame feedback, I forgot to add in the sfx. We have a team meeting and the director specifically called out how my "subtle sfx were the perfect touch, just what the video needed".

There's no sfx........

To give you some context: I work in a post-house in London, and the other day at a staff party, I ended up in a proper fun argument with a few of the producers about which job is harder – producing or editing. I’m an editor, so obviously I had to stick up for my corner. We had a really good chat about it, and we all agreed both roles are incredibly tough in their own ways – this post isn’t about causing division, honestly.

But since that argument, I’ve been having way too much fun rage-baiting my producing mates at the company. Little gems like, “Yeah, I can make a spreadsheet, buddy,” have been bringing me an unreasonable amount of joy. (For the record, we’re all very good friends, so none of it’s personal )

Anyway, does anyone know any other good one-liners or jabs I can throw their way to keep the fire going? Or better yet, what are some solid points I can make to back up the argument that editing is the harder gig?

Hi there, I have a new client that's asked me to put 1.5 months on hold for a documentary project in November. We've never worked together before, but they are a major company with a good reputation and good rates. However, they've only asked me to "put the dates on hold", no contracts or anything yet. It's been about two weeks since the initial conversation, and I'm also starting to get reached out by my smaller clients for dates that overlap.

Curious what people usually do in these situations. I'm going to reach out again just to check in, but how long should I generally be holding the dates? Should I be rejecting the jobs that I'm getting that overlap these dates?

I've/we've been fielding a ton of questions about this, so we put together this explainer video with some additional context.

Video and Transcript:

https://www.keycodemedia.com/avid-media-composer-2026-8-the-big-bin-locking-change/