Leaving IT for Post Production Editing?

[Joe Calalang]

After 15 loyal years of service at my job, I'm being outsourced and will join the ranks of the unemployed.

With the package I'll be getting, i thought about switching careers into the broadcast/film industry. I was thinking of moving to California and getting trained or go to school there. My sister in law is about to enroll at Video Symphony and recommended I do the same. Anyone have suggestions or advice? What is the job market like for this field?

This is what I've really wanted to do before. So now I'm at a cross road where I could re-apply at my current job or go for something I've wanted to do...but have no real experience in. I've done wedding videos and edited them. Nothing to write home about. :^)

[Shaun Roemich]

Depends on what your goal is. If you're looking at the quickest way to have a stable, supportive income, STAY IN I.T. At least in MY market, IT is a LOT more in demand and actually pays. Most video/film "job postings" here are for interns and volunteers or VERY low paid casual positions.

If you are in your mid thirties with two young children and are/were the sole provider for your family, I DON'T recommend you make that jump at this point. If you are young and have the time to invest or older with a nest egg and the kids and other obligations are out of the way, get on it. Every day you wait brings you closer to The End.

If you are in a position to wade out some slow YEARS and have ALWAYS wanted to pursue Post as a life dream, go for it. Just be aware that you need to HUSTLE to make a great living in video and film. Do YOU have what it takes, not only technically and creatively but in terms of business acumen and self marketing?

Your mileage may vary GREATLY! Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

[Joe Calalang]

Well....I'm married, no kids. House is paid off.

I'm 43. D'oh! But I don't look a day over 35 (not bragging).

I'm tired of IT. I'm burned out. I was unhappy. I wanna do something I've always wanted to do and that's get into the movie industry or at least TV/broadcast industry.

Everyone tells me I'll be doing a lot of internships for free, long hours and dealing with bad attitudes. Hehe! I think i can handle that. So, should I get a degree or go to some training school?

[Shaun Roemich]

I'm a believer that a self taught editor has a fool for a teacher. Take some courses. Do you need a degree/diploma? I've only ever been asked for mine twice and those were both day jobs. And "years of experience" would have sufficed in both cases.

As for advice: spend time learning BOTH aspects of editing:
- the technical ("what button do I push to do that"?)
- the creative ("why am I pushing that button and should I be trimming two frames from this edit?")

I know a lot of new editors focus on one but not the other. I don't care HOW GOOD the effects are if the edit doesn't have proper pacing or doesn't move the story along properly.

My 2 cents.

[Ervin Farkas]

Joe, I feel EXACTLY your pain.

This coming Thursday is my last day at work as a certified electronics technician. Unemployed after 10 years at the same desk/bench/company (29 years total), my job going to Mexico. Unlike you, I can't say I always wanted to do video, but got into it gradually and for the last 6-7 years been doing a little bit of everything: camera, switching, editing, compressing for the web, even web design, edited a TV talk show that aired over sattelite in US/Canada for two years. Big deal...

So I asked myself the exact same question - having a little chushon in the form of half a year paid, which way to go? I'm 8 years older than you, and decided to stay with electronics, but at the same time find some paid work as editor (all I did so far was in the form of church ministry). It so happened that I did find a part time job as editor and webmaster, not sure yet exactly how much is it going to be. My first child came at your age, the second one five years later, and even with wife working, I can't risk a sinking/unstable boat. The economy is bad enough, I don't need to top it off with a poor, sentiment driven decision.

If the part time job turns to something more serious, I might reconsider the decision. At least I don't have to say I hate what I'm doing daytime... I'm really curious which way will you go.

[Andrew Petrie]

I know how you feel Joe, I'm in the same boat now - Whether to stay in IT or shake things up. I don't have a wife or kids, so I'm a bit more open to risk!
Have you made any decisions?

[Cole McDonald]

I've been forced to broaden my possibilities. 10 years in IT, promotions past the point where I can get a job without a degree anymore... but too much experience to get an entry level position. So back to school. One more semester and I'll have a BA in Film Studies with a production focus, a BA in Anthropology with an Archaeology focus and 10 years of experience in IT and a largish amateur portfolio and a few paid gigs.

After 4 years of minimum wage jobs, I'm firmly in the "having all your eggs in one basket SUCKS!" camp. I'd say look for both jobs. You're in a slightly better position than me for this though Joe, I've got a mortgage and kids plus tons of debt built up from trying to get through college to be able to re-apply for my old job. The economy sucks, go for the editing stuff, but keep going for the IT stuff at the same time. If you want to pull together an editing reel, there are tons of groups out there looking for talented editors looking to build a portfolio for free that could get as weekend and evening gigs. From there, I would keep working towards moving to your dream job, but I'm biased.

[Dean Sensui]

Originally Posted by Shaun Roemich

I'm a believer that a self taught editor has a fool for a teacher.

Joe...

I'm self-taught and have been doing OK with my line of business: YouTube - Hawaii Goes Fishing, Demo Reel 2010

However, I have a quarter-century of photojournalism and story telling experience. Nearly everything I watch on TV are documentaries. Technology made it possible to produce a high-quality program without having to invest a half-million bucks in equipment. The other hurdle to clear was mastering the technical details.

Keep in mind, however, that I started messing with film in high school more than 30 years ago and have been playing with video since 1980. I got serious about it starting in 1997. And went full-time producing the show in 2005. You'll want to learn the art of visual storytelling a lot faster than I did! :-)

If you really want to do this, then by all means go for it with vigorous intent. The key is telling a story. You will have to know all the technical details from camera and sound, all the way through post, if you're going to work alone. But it'll be worth it. And if you don't do this, you might always wonder if you should have.

Having worked in newspapers and other media for more than half my life, I can honestly say that there's nothing like the combination of moving sound and picture to communicate ideas and emotions. That's why I left a perfectly good-paying job at a newspaper to start a whole new career in this industry.

It can be a very interesting time of your life. Good luck!

[Steve Kalle]

Must you do editing or are you open to vfx? Over at fxguide.com, I have read about several career IT guys leaving and going into vfx - doing jobs such as writing scripts/plugins at high-end post and vfx facilities to being TDs in various areas.

Some of these guys are VERY well paid and tend to stay at a company for a long time.

A great way to get in the door is by using your IT experience and doing IT work but learning whatever you want in film or broadcast at that company. Mid to Large facilities always need IT workers.

FYI, about the vfx industry, it is moving out of CA at a fast pace due to the higher costs of workers and taxes.