Laptopeditor:

What also concerns me is what is going to happen as soon as YouTube and Google bring out their online video editing NLE system ? These two major players have been working on this idea for quite some time, and this literally has the power to reduce our working market by at least 75 % ! Once producers get a handle on this application, then features films will be cut in their offices by an assistant secretary.

don't panic!

1) graphic software is on everybody's PC and graphic designers still get work

2) producers who have their asst secretary (who might be a natural talent at editing...) cut their feature film probably had their nephew shoot it. might not be a gig worth fighting for..

3) change comes. learn and flow

and fourthly, as Joe Hill would have said - organise!

 

RodneyinMunich:

don't panic!

1) graphic software is on everybody's PC and graphic designers still get work

True.   Skeptics prophesized that the advent of consumer digital cameras would put professional photographers out of business.   Going back even further, some wags worried that the introduction of the Xerox machine would put an end to book publishing.   Professionals will always be in demand, because it is our expertise, experience, and judgement that makes use valuable, not the fact that we have a piece of equipment.

Terry Snyder:

Professionals will always be in demand, because it is our expertise, experience, and judgement that makes use valuable, not the fact that we have a piece of equipment.

But all too often, it is in the role of damage control specialist, as producer discovers after the fact that the editor didn't know his/her a$$ from his/her elbow, and left them with a steaming heap of you know what. Now they spend twice as much money to fix it as they would have if they hired a pro in the first place. And more often than not, that means throwing all the previous editing work away and starting over. So I guess the question is, how long must we as editors wait for the pendulum, now firmly in the realm of the bean counters hiring rank amateurs, to swing back in our favor?

"We always fix it right the SECOND time!" - Larry Fine

 

RodneyinMunich:

3) change comes. learn and flow

and fourthly, as Joe Hill would have said - organise!

 

....Hi Rodeyin Munich: Yeah, Union forever ! Then you can be the highest paid unemployed workers around always looking at the clock for the next coffee break

MJ

 

SIMONB:

There is a growing lack of respect for the craft generally.

...Yep ! Increasing amounts of younger producers equate editors as basic graphics technicians making assembly of movies on PC's rather than as serious artists, and/or story tellers integral to the movie or TV series story telling process.

SIMONB:

Maybe as more people get burned by inexperienced juniors this will change for the better

....Nope. Greed and Expediency can never learn !

SIMONB:

or maybe the bottom line will always win out.

....It will.

MJ

Laptopeditor:

Yeah, Union forever ! Then you can be the highest paid unemployed workers around always looking at the clock for the next coffee break

I suspect that many of us are finding themselves in my situation...as the sole proprietor of a small production company, which make me both employer and employee:

As an employer, I force myself (as employee) to work long hours and don't pay overtime.   I often don't give myself lunch breaks.   I provide myself with a company car, which is always filled with lighting and grip equipment.   I offer basic health insurance, but the premiums come out of my own pocket and I don't give myself time off to go to the doctor.   I'm a tough boss, always pushing my employee (me),  because I have to be competitive in terms of creativity, quality and cost.   I pay myself late when I haven't be paid by clients, and I don't give myself paid vacations or holidays.  

Perhaps I can join a union and go on strike against myself, but I know I won't give in to my own demands.   Then I'd have to fire myself and hire someone cheaper, but I know I'll never find anyone who works as hard.   "Workers of the world, Unite!" 

Don't you guys love your job anymore, reading some posts i don't know why you carry on, it is not going to get any better i suspect.

yeh it's just gonna get worse[:'(]

NICKB:

Don't you guys love your job anymore, reading some posts i don't know why you carry on,

I suspect the reason these posts about the alleged "demise" of the industry are so passionate is because--despite the difficulties--most of us have television in our blood and can't conceive of doing anything else.   If we were really that cynical and despondent, we'd have quit the business years ago and gone to law school.

Terry Snyder:

I suspect that many of us are finding themselves in my situation

....Yep. Me !

Terry Snyder:

as the sole proprietor of a small production company, which make me both employer and employee:

....I've actually fired myself, then hired myself back at lower wages ! But now I have a trained assistant, Ray, who comes on some of my shoots.

Terry Snyder:

As an employer, I force myself (as employee) to work long hours and don't pay overtime.

...I force myself to drink lots of coffee as I usually do almost all my editing from 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM. (The phone doesn't ring and it's so quiet ) 

Terry Snyder:

I often don't give myself lunch breaks.

...I pass out from 6:30 AM to 11:30 AM. 

Terry Snyder:

I provide myself with a company car, which is always filled with lighting and grip equipment.

....I drive a SMART 3 piston 45 horse power turbo diesel jam packed with cameras, tripods, audio cables, and batteries.

Terry Snyder:

I offer basic health insurance, but the premiums come out of my own pocket and I don't give myself time off to go to the doctor.

....I'm in Canada, so the doctor is covered with very short wait times now. Good quality care.

Terry Snyder:

I'm a tough boss, always pushing my employee (me),  because I have to be competitive in terms of creativity, quality and cost.

...I take advantage of myself with myself. Being a boss I've threatened to retaliate by cutting off the free coffee. This has been a very effective work insentive for me.

Terry Snyder:

I pay myself late when I haven't be paid by clients, and I don't give myself paid vacations or holidays.

....I frequently find myself away from my desk.

Terry Snyder:

Perhaps I can join a union and go on strike against myself,

...I negotiated a collective agreement with myself. It was a very drawn out negotiation.

Terry Snyder:

but I know I won't give in to my own demands.  

...I always give in to my own demands !

Terry Snyder:

Then I'd have to fire myself and hire someone cheaper, but I know I'll never find anyone who works as hard.

....True.

MJ