ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXTips for UK based Editors trying to get feature drama work
8 years, 6 months ago - Gareth Blower
Does anyone have any suggestions for Editors looking to get paid drama work?
Producers, how would I find you? Which production companies should I be approaching? Is it just about getting lucky?
I have a fair few TV credits (I've been an editor since 2003), but film work is understandably elusive - not really helped by the fact that I don't really know where to look or who to canvas. I have one independent feature under my belt, but that was through TV colleagues and he isn't quite ready to take another crack at the box office just yet.
So does anyone have a strategy that has worked for them in the past?
Cheers
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8 years, 6 months ago - Dan Selakovich
I feel for you, Gareth. It's so easy to get pigeon-holed as a TV editor, feature editor, or fill in the blank genre editor. Early on in my career I got pigeon-holed as someone who could fix a film. Quite an ego boost at first, but after 30 years of non-disclosure agreements, it's a bit exhausting not being able to tell people what I worked on or use those credits to find other work. Because of my unique position in the industry, every single job I ever got was word of mouth. My suggestion would be to expand your base of people within the industry. If that means taking a step back, and work as an assistant editor on bigger budget features, do that. If it means taking a huge pay cut on an indie feature, that might be necessary to move you into a bigger pool of potential employers. Personally, if someone had a great script and great actors and a great director, I'd probably do it for free. I really miss coming in on a film from the beginning.
The big problem is that features just don't pay anymore. Budgets have been slashed to the bone. Most television still pays, and much of it is creatively better than features. Why not stay in television?
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
8 years, 6 months ago - Gareth Blower
Yes, very few things are entirely positive!
I think that my problem is that I haven't done enough research into the UK independent film industry at the moment to accurately target the companies or individuals who could have the work for me - it all seems a bit of an impenetrable forest at the moment.
I need to refocus and make more of an effort. Thanks for your response.
Is it largely individual personal relationships i.e. with specific producers, exec producers, distributors that get you the work? And do you contact them regularly, or do you wait for them to get in touch with you?
Many thanks
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Gareth Blower SHOW
8 years, 6 months ago - Dan Selakovich
@Gareth Blower They contact me, as I don't know when a film needs my special skill. It's usually word of mouth between producers. I used to make all sorts of calls to producers and directors, but it's a little weird when you've signed non-disclosure agreements and can't give them your credits (except for those early in my career, which aren't worth squat).
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
8 years, 6 months ago - Jim Page
Gareth - What tv credits do you have?
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Jim Page SHOW
8 years, 6 months ago - Gareth Blower
Hi James, sadly no TV drama work (excluding some crime reconstruction stuff which doesn't really count), but a range of showsfrom Fact-Ent, Magic, Cookery and Quiz shows.
So I've recently cut The Great British Menu. I did some work (not the entire show) on Troy: The Highwire and Derren Brown Twisted Tales, I've done a few Quiz shows such as Tenable and Cash Trapped, I've done 'Couples Come Dine With Me' and 'Who's Doing the Dishes', I cut two series of a BBC daytime show called 'Thief Trackers', I did a BBC3 show called Stupid Man Smartphone - or whatever it's name is now it changed a couple of times. It's across quite a few genres.
Alas the only proper full on Drama thing I've done is a UK independent feature called 'Amar, Akbar and Tony'.
Hope this has been useful...?
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Gareth Blower SHOW
8 years, 6 months ago - Adrian Bracken
It works the other way round too, because of the new SEIS/ EIS rules, which state there must be more than one "project" within a scheme to get EIS acceptance. This comes in the form of Advance Approval from HMRC. So within my EIS "wrapper" I have 2 feature films in preparation, both with a budget of £1.2m.
In the investment prospectus usually you identify the Heads of Department (HOD), Editing is a critical HOD. A good editor can make or break a feature. How do I find a good editor ? In fact how does a Producer find any Head of Department ? The problem for an Indie Producer is that so much HOD selection has to happen BEFORE the money becomes available.The likes of Talent Manager are useful, but I can't make a firm offer, about start dates, and if the money doesn't become available, then both sides feel let down. Inevitably it's word of mouth- I asked my 2 attached directors for help- and have some names, but I am still looking for Editors with feature film experience, fully paid (but not TV rates of £1500/£2000wk). Expected first shoot in Autumn 2017 . Other positions will be on SP boards later down the line.
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Adrian Bracken SHOW
8 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
If features experience is essential, I can send you a couple of suggestions who will probably cut deals, PM if that's helpful
Response from 8 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW