FCP Editor Needed for doc in Tokyo

[mr. sparkle]

looking for bilingual (japanese/english) final cut pro editor for a series of short documentaries about japanese photographers (Moriyama Daido, Shibata Toshio, Hatakeyama Naoya, Risaku Suzuki and Yamamoto Maseo). the videos will first be screened in the santa barbara museum of art (in california) and then will travel to galleries and other museums around the world. each video will be 10-15 minutes in length and have english subtitles.

we will cut each video in 2-3 weeks and the work will start in mid-october and continue well into next year. pay is 150,000 yen/week. you must have your own equipment or access to equipment (we can negotiate payment for this) and you must be based in tokyo. knowledge of photography preferred.

you must be able to provide a reel.

Apply to: Eliza
Email: eliza.segell@gmail.com

Sounds interesting.

[Charles]

Hmm.. I'd apply for this job myself, except that I don't have a professional demo reel as I am strictly an amateur at FCP. But I do have a BFA in photography.

Anyway, my old study group partner from my Japanese language student days has experience cutting artist documentaries for Public TV, I'm going to send this to him.

[mr. sparkle]

Hmm.. I'd apply for this job myself, except that I don't have a professional demo reel as I am strictly an amateur at FCP. But I do have a BFA in photography.

Anyway, my old study group partner from my Japanese language student days has experience cutting artist documentaries for Public TV, I'm going to send this to him.

Hey Charles, work on that reel! I'm sure you could fool the best of 'em!

[Charles]

Hey Charles, work on that reel! I'm sure you could fool the best of 'em!

Yeah, I'm sure I could do good enough editing work to pass the test. But I have no original source material to work with, since I just have amateur grade cameras. I do have a couple of major productions in the works, but they're unlikely to impress anyone as they were all shot from 1 POV on a tripod, for SFX reasons. I will never be a good videographer, I'm too stuck in a SFX mindset.

But Rob, look at the gig. 150000Y a week, to edit a few half-hour documentaries. That should take just a few hours of work if they have their act together (the subtitling would take a bit more time though). A week max per half hour show. You could pay for a new G5 on that gig. I'm looking at a new G5 but this time, I want a gig lined up to pay for some of it, rather than just paying out of pocket, as usual.

[mr. sparkle]

But I have no original source material to work with, since I just have amateur grade cameras.

I had Photoshop 4, Illustrator 6, After Effects 3, some VHS footage and 1CCD 8mm camcorder footage to make my first-ever video collage in '98. All composited with Avid 5.5 on a Quadra 800.

http://robpongi.com/MovieStillPages/blackTOKYO2000.html

Get a little crazy with some found footage. Smudge it up and no one will be the wiser.

[Charles]

But I have no original source material to work with, since I just have amateur grade cameras.

I had Photoshop 4, Illustrator 6, After Effects 3, some VHS footage and 1CCD 8mm camcorder footage to make my first-ever video collage in '98. All composited with Avid 5.5 on a Quadra 800.

http://robpongi.com/MovieStillPages/blackTOKYO2000.html

Get a little crazy with some found footage. Smudge it up and no one will be the wiser.

Yeah, that's what I mean when I say I'm more oriented towards FX. It wouldn't be too hard for me to cobble something like that together with FX packages like AE, etc. But I wonder if it would adequately show that I have what it takes to cut a documentary, or other live action shows.
I really should sit down and just spend a couple of months doing a demo reel. I spent years helping people get ready for jobs, and I have buddies I've trained who work at places like ILM, Rhythm & Hues, etc. but I never seem to bother to do anything about improving my own career. I have got to do something about that.

[mr. sparkle]

Yeah, that's what I mean when I say I'm more oriented towards FX. It wouldn't be too hard for me to cobble something like that together with FX packages like AE, etc. But I wonder if it would adequately show that I have what it takes to cut a documentary, or other live action shows.
I really should sit down and just spend a couple of months doing a demo reel. I spent years helping people get ready for jobs, and I have buddies I've trained who work at places like ILM, Rhythm & Hues, etc. but I never seem to bother to do anything about improving my own career. I have got to do something about that.

Exactly dude. Just start cutting.

Favorite saying in my book:

"Creativity does not exist in a vacuum."

Don't know if I made it up or if I ripped it off, but I am a believer in that statement. You have to work on your stuff to gain skills.

Surely your time would be well spent working on doc work. Screw the fact the format it is shot on.

....Just tell a story....

That's the doc editor's job.

And Mr. Pongi?....I think you would do great on this gig bro. Yer already cuttin' doc material on rp.com as it stands. Dontcha think? I mean, c'MON...Dancin' Geishas? You GO dude!

[jim katta]

I have a question about this. I know a couple of gaijin final cut editors in Tokyo, and while I've never asked what they make, they seem to be okay. So now I'm thinking, is going to tokyo to work as a for-hire final cut editor with your own G5/final cut HD set-up a real option? at first thought I would say no, unless you are super fluent in japanese, but is it an option for a gaijin with basic survival japanese? are there enough gigs out there?