So…2011 has finally come and passed. I’m not sure if I entirely loved or hated it. If I had to sum up the year, see below:

In yer dreams!!

Yeah. That’s it. It improved at one point I’ll admit, but I could have done without some of the bumps along the way.

I thought it might be fun if I went back and thought of the various editing and/or production adventures, projects, freelance etc. and also the future ones to come for 2012.

2011 year in review: In almost a backwards, sort of random as it comes to mind way 🙂

  • Love Dance – boom op & co-editor with @kyl33t
  • He Who Watches – co-director/editor with @kyl33t and boom op
  • 48 Hour Film Project “Support Group” (dark comedy + other required elements) – editor
  • Cutting Room Editing Challenge – entered piece I edited using their footage
  • Distractions: Texting & Driving PSA – won first place in local contest
  • Cooper O’Brien and the Magical Moustache cycled around some festivals and won 3Fest’s ‘Best Film’ award and also showed at Geek Independent Film Festival, then again with Kate Chaplin’s “Leah Not Leia” premiere. Cooper originated from our first 48 Hour Film Project participation, and remains one of my top favourite short films we’ve ever shot. It won Best Musical Score ;D
  • Leah Not Leia Behind the Scenes – was PA on the set, now co-editing with @kyl33t
  • Freelance Projects (How It’s Made type carpet cleaning process, promotional interviews for variety of schools, student interviews, promos, stock footage, etc.)
  • Totally revamped website. It’s still not 100% -me- but it’s way more interesting than it was prior. Just wait til my logo goes up 😀
  • Started this amazing script by chance (Due to Kate Chaplin’s suggestion to participate in this April contest to write for, which I totally failed due to RL happening, but it got me started on the path) It was developed from  a wonderful dream I had that -should- and -needs- to be a movie. It’s above our skills at the moment :c Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Adventure! The Tale of Down Below & Inbetween shall happen one day I hope 🙂
  • Literally jumped right into a position at Tour Design Creative (for Live Nation: like concerts, comedy shows, theatre, etc.) in their Markets Dept. as the markets editor. It does involve some editing, but mostly it’s more technical side of the world. I think I am getting good Asst. Editor skills from it, but I crave more edit experience it’s lacking. AE titling, logos, a ton of Squeeze + exporting, emailing acct. reps/clients with video links once uploaded, etc. It’s mostly :30, :15, and :10 second spots for broadcast, which is cool. At least it’s going out to a larger audience all around the world. Wheeee. I also prepare the videos for Beta, Digital, and other formats for deliverables.

Other edit related activities: FINALLY bought a Macbook, Avid, and Magic Bullet Suite 11. I cannot express the happiness I have gotten since then, but I feel a lot more valuable having a better laptop for one. More mobile if need be. I do not have Final Cut but mainly because when I got it, it turned out Premiere CS5.5 was better, and was it worth getting the older FCP…meh. So for now, I use it sometimes while editing with @kyl33t enough to know it, but I’d be a little slower in there vs. Premiere for instance ;D (erg, wondering if I am forgetting anything – will come back and visit this post again someday soon!)

I want to interject here that freelance going into 2012 has taken a complete and utter plunge downhill this Nomember 2011 and onward far as projects to work on. TOTAL standstill. Honestly? I’ve been very busy with really awesome projects that have come my way, so it worked out in the end. And, I guess I am tired of tracking clients down when it goes totally dark for weeks on their end (despite sending a mail out to space and never seeing a response) I have decided to use this time to work on side projects and learn more of Avid or other efforts. I didn’t really set out to be a freelancer in the first place, as I have noted in the past, I sort of fell into it and went along down the rabbit hole for awhile. I am not sure what 2012 will bring as far as freelancing. I may seek out some more consistent clients in the future. I’m always looking for work, case in point, but I’m not going to let that time go to waste. As much as I love mmo’s and gaming, I have to keep pushing myself harder and learning more. Downtime feels very odd to me.

GOALS FOR 2012:

  • Learn Avid top to bottom (especially using @AvidAsstEditor’s newly released book)
  • Use more AE and do more tutorials that challenge my skills
  • Shoot a nerdy fun short film for upcoming convention
  • Work more on Down Below script, finish it this year? MAYBE!
  • Enjoy premieres from the fruits of our labours on He Who Watches
  • Get new logo for website finished by artist (UPDATE: draft already sent, yay, it’s looking awesome!)
  • Tweak website and ensure all videos, descriptions, and blogs are updated
  • Additionally, blog more often when possible about projects and upcoming films I enjoy
  • Keep the job search up (and don’t stop reaching for the stars, no matter how far away they seem)
  • Seek out good freelancing opportunities to do on the side
  • Take more pictures + more photography in general with my DSLR (particularly I love to take people photos, I have a knack for finding their best angles!)

 

YAY for 2012. If you are reading this, then you made it too! Now let’s all go cut some stories!! #postdon’tstop