O.K. now I'm in trouble.



Was in the mall today and ran into an editor named Aaron who is also freelancing for Working Pictures here in Albany. Backstory: he and I know each other from The New School. During our brief conversation he informed me they had hired him on full time at WP.



This is bad...and this is why there's been no work for the last month or so.



Of course as far as Working Pictures is concerned I'm gearing up to move to LA at some point soon so why would they offer that to me. Although they do know when I'm in town and early in the year there was work. Problem: this is my bread and butter while I'm here. Projects that have a need for freelance help sometimes can be sporadic but reasonably steady, and I've been their go-to guy for 4 years when they needed it. Now with two staff editors at work (the other being Tim whose been there since they opened) that need evaporates into nothing. This place is not a huge operation.



So in keeping with the 'everything happens for a reason' clause...something's gotta change and fast. No I mean FAST!

The first list of available jobs for G4TechTV just appeared on entertainmentcareers.net, one of the sites I frequent for work. Thanks for the heads up, Dave. Mostly administrative with a few creative positions. I'm sure more are on the way, hopefully editorial. Did see an on-air promo producer/writer opening I passed along to Elisabeth in New York.



Digging more on the web for post houses to send my reel and resume to in the mean time. Mark Schraut just made me aware of craigslist.org where there are a ton of job listings daily, from independent projects to major studio work. He also pointed me toward job postings on the Pixar site. Thanks for both of those, Mark!

Just received an e-mail from i.d.entity. They posted an ad a few weeks ago for Final Cut Pro and Avid editors to cut trailers and promos. They liked my resume and want to see my reel. It goes in the mail overnight tomorrow.



They have a real cutting edge and unique Flash website. Like something out of the "X-Files" via "1984". Their client list is pretty impressive, which includes film and commercial work, so hopefully I'll be called for an interview soon.

O.K. it's D-Day. The planes are ready, the landing craft are ready, the men are ready.



I've been here in Albany far too long (about a month) with not a whole lot going on. Work has slowed to a stand still. So it's time to finally begin the invasion...



Did a few more once-overs to my resume. Think it's pretty nicely tuned. DVD reel of course is ready to roll. Went onto LA411, a directory of all things film and television production. There they have listings for trailer, promo, and general post houses where I lifted most of my contact info last year. Now there are several new listings including two trailer houses right in Woodland Hills (where I'll be living). All in all I'll be mailing 15 to 20 resume and reel packages by tomorrow for both new and previously contacted post houses.



There have been a few listings for feature film editors on several sites I've applied to during the last two weeks. No response yet.



The main thing is it's time to bring up the heavy artillery because frustration is setting in.



Faith...

I read recently that they're going to remake "The Poseidon Adventure". Now do we really need this? However there is one benefit to a number of these recent ("Dawn Of The Dead") and forthcoming ("The Pink Panther") remakes...brand new special edition DVD's! Yeah, go ahead and re-do Poseidon. Right before the release we'll finally see an all inclusive DVD with never before seen behind the scenes footage, maybe new interviews with some of the cast (who are still alive). In that case they can do a remake of "The Towering Inferno" as well! New one would probably suck but a Spec. Ed. DVD of the original would be exactly what I've been wanting for years.



Also heard some curious rumors about how Steven Spielberg refused to let Kevin Smith have any shots of the shark from "Jaws" to use in "Jersey Girl" (George Carlin showing a scary movie on TV to Affleck's daughter). I smell "all new digital effects"; the shark replaced with CGI, which I think would be cool to see. Just make sure you've got the original still up front and accessable. Even if they don't we still have the 25th anniverary disc from 2000. It would be nice if they did release a CGI massaged version and include the original with it's original SFX tracks finally! 5.1 is all fine, well, and good, but I want to hear those mono stock rifle sounds from the 70's when Quint fires at the shark. Or the whale singing instead of bubbling in the background after the Indianapolis story scene. Cameron did it with "The Terminator" DVD; 5.1 and original mono. At least Spielberg knows the value of keeping the 1st version available ("E.T" boxed set)...now if he'd just head over to Lucas' house and talk some sense...maybe even use a baseball bat!



BTW, there's one reason the new Pink Panther DVD Boxed Set really sucks. No "Return Of The Pink Panther"! Instead we're getting 'Trail of...". Guys, either pay the fucking money for the rights or don't do it until you have them all! In fact I'm gonna call the studio right now...! ;-)

Just saw an ad from some company called i.d.entity in Studio City...never heard of them though. Looking for Avid and Final Cut Pro editors for various projects including trailers and promos. Sent my resume along via e-mail.



Compiling an updated list of all trailer houses in LA. I was looking at the nominees for this year's Golden Trailer Awards, the Oscars for trailer editing and producing. There are a few companies I haven't seen before, including one I know is fairly new. These will top my mailing list for resumes and reels. The cool thing about the Golden Trailers is that they give awards to editors(!). Yes and of course the trailer houses that produced them...but editors take top nomination billing after that. Very cool.



After picking up and registering Mac OSX Panther online, Apple offered me a free one year subscription to Macworld magazine. Funny thing is I was just about to subscribe myself. Just received my first issue and saw an ad for the Macworld Conference & Expo in Boston June 12-15. It costs a mint to attend everything on their schedule, but I'm really only interested in the Exhibit Hall. For that they're charging a $15 registration fee which includes 3-day Hall entrance and feature presentations among others. So I'm definitely signing up for this. Hey, Mac software and hardware demonstrations along with some free Apple goodies is what I'm in this for!



This summer Apple is coming out with another software package I am really looking foward to buying. It's called Motion and is very much Apple's direct assault on Adobe After Effects. Cost: $299. What I've seen and heard is pretty amazing and I think this is going to take off and fly over everyone's heads the way Final Cut Pro made Avid quake in it's boots. Must buy, must learn, must immerse...because there's going to be a huge demand for this and people who are fluent in it.



Plus iTunes just upgraded to 4.5 which now includes movie trailers and music videos along with the Music Store. Wow! Talk about one-stop! I'm lovin' this! God bless The Mac!

O.K....NOW I've found a good movie!



Just saw "Kill Bill Vol. 2" and it was GREAT! I will definitely pick up the Special Edition of the two movies joined when they come out later this year. And of course we all know The Bride confronts Bill so no spoiler there. Nothing fascinates more then listening to David Carradine's character in conversation, and there are several scenes where that's all he does. He is articulate, hip, deadly, and mesmerizing. It's true that revenge is like being in a thick forest, because once you get there you tend to lose your sense of direction. Uma Thurman travels from blood soaked revenge in the first movie to an emotional state you might not expect in a film like this. But of course this is Tarentino. Uma of course is a martial arts goddess. Flashback scenes where The Bride is trained by an old martial arts master are part of a nicely edited package which brings backstory into play at just the right moment. All in all very enjoyable, very cool, very funny...and on the whole, combined with Vol. 1, a great film. There's even a cameo by Samuel L. Jackson.

Spoke with Tim at ipostini yesterday.



He was mainly getting back to me since I had called to check in early in the week. Said they are fast becoming a bona fide trailer house and new projects are beginning to line up. He's gonna call me next week for an update.



Also received an e-mail back from a film post house that is looking for a film editor. They had posted an ad on one of the job sites a week and a half ago I had responded to. They asked what type of equipment I had at home and had I cut actual film, meaning on a flatbed editing system like Moviola which I have not. That was it, a one line question. So hey not sure what that means but...