Waving Hello

After a few months out of work, I am happy to announce that I started a brand new job today as an Assistant Editor with the Audience Network.

While the waiting was hard, and at many times I grew frustrated, this position was a blessing that could only have come from God. The commute this time around will not be quite as taxing, meaning I'll be able to catch up on rest and get home at a more reasonable hour. Being that I previously met the other Audience AE while I was on Playmobil, I was able to quickly form a relationship with the Post Team. Finally, as someone who loves to learn, getting to experience yet another side of Editorial has filled me with joy as I get to continue to broaden my Assistant Editing knowledge.

I'm greatly looking forward to what's to come as production ramps up in the next few weeks, and can't wait for the new adventures to be had!

Here We Are Again

As I write this, I still find it hard to believe that I've been in the working world for almost two years now, with school seeming forever away.

With every year, there comes a remarkable amount of change and growth. After a year and a half with my Pilot family, I set off to join a new one at ON Animation Studios. The confidence and skills I gained from Pilot allowed me to jump right in to the bustling animated feature world, unafraid and ready to work.

2016 saw me becoming more comfortable in my own skin, as well as with the strengths and weaknesses of my abilities. Going in to the working world I was convinced that I needed to know everything since I was brought on to a team that wanted me to work alongside them. Looking back, I realize that I put too much pressure on myself to have all the answers, when I didn't. The great thing about being "fresh meat" is that you're still learning. While you should of course harbor the skills that your employer hired you for, you don't have to be scared to ask questions. I've learned that not asking questions out of fear of looking inadequate can be dangerous in the long-run. Being inquisitive allows you to make new discoveries and have a place to jump off of the next time you come in contact with a similar dilemma. Communication is key to a team working well together, and it can't be done unless everyone is on the same page, bringing their various levels of expertise and knowledge to the table. Staying silent is not the way to go as it keeps you from developing those relationships that will provide you with new points of view, and ways of approaching problems.

With the new year just a stone's throw away, I look forward and up to what God has in store for this blank slate ahead of me. It may look overwhelming, but it's just another step in this journey. And to that I say, "2017, bring it on!"

Puzzling

Recently, my family and I have started to spend time putting together puzzles. We began with one that was 750 pieces, but have since then graduated to 1000 and 2000+ sized puzzles. In constructing these puzzles, it got me thinking about the editing process.

Traditionally, you begin a puzzle by putting together all the edge pieces. They're easy to find and, once connected, show you how large the completed puzzle will be. While my family is able to pick out most of these pieces shortly after opening the box, we always end up missing a few here and there. Likewise, when starting to edit a project, you need some sort of blueprint or groundwork to build upon. This can be in the form of a script, or even some written down ideas or pitches. But, like constructing a puzzle's frame, these editorial foundations may be incomplete, with stories and concepts often tweaked later down the line.

If upon my initial sifting of the puzzle pieces I'm unable to pick out all the edges, I tend to jump into filling in the middle, knowing that as I push forward, the sea of jagged shapes will reveal the smooth, stray ones I need. Editing also requires a lot of moving forward and back. You construct each scene on its own, but continue to keep the overall story and motivations of the characters in mind with every cut. If you ever feel that an actor's performance in a previous scene is inconsistent with how the later ones are playing out, you can always go back and adjust for a stronger edit, and in turn, a clearer and more solid film.

One of the puzzles my family and I completed

When the last piece is finally placed in the puzzle, you get a chance to sit back and marvel at your handiwork. You take a few pictures, talk about maybe framing it, and, inevitably, start thinking about buying another one to begin the process all over again. The thrill of crafting something out of the seemingly incongruent is what draws me to editing, puzzles, and even programming. You're given building blocks that look insignificant and useless on their own, but, when mixed together, make a product that would buckle if even one of them was out of place.