I recently posted about some discussion on editing, ethics and turning down work … so I think it’s also worth looking at the opposite of that scenario. As editors I like to think we are all occasionally blessed with the job that is a subject matter we really want to work on, maybe even a cause we even believe in. I recently did a short promotional video for a cancer benefit event. They didn’t have a lot of money but they did have footage in the can, a specific idea of what they wanted and … wait for it … timecode notes! When someone is that well prepared then I often want to do their job just to reward them for doing proper prep work, but that is another topic for another time. The job was done much to their satisfaction and that of the board that oversees the event. It was a simple piece, made up of testimonials and still images. These kinds of videos are often the most moving (as well at the most effective) as you can see the sincerity and the dedication to a cause in the face of people whose lives have been touched by the disease or whatever might be the topic of the video. I often feel a real responsibility to get a piece like this just right. It’s certainly cliched to say that “this video might touch peoples lives” or “if we can save just one life with this video then it will be worth it” (both phrases have been heard on similar edits over the years btw) as often a producer has a much higher idea of the impact that their video might have than it really will but in some cases that is true, a short video production might make a difference.

One thing I’ve often heard when conversing about this very topic is a question like, “if you believe in the cause when why don’t you do the edit for free?” I guess that’s a legitimate question but I’ve always felt like it’s not really appropriate to ask someone to do their job for free. I they volunteer to work for then that is a different story. If I make my living as an editor, especially a busy editor who is booked on paying jobs on a regular basis, then usually the last thing I want to do is work on an edit for free, especially if it is at night or on the weekend. Personally I’d be more likely to work on a shoot for free or do some color grading on an already completed edit for free as opposed to doing what I do on a daily basis without being paid. I don’t think it would be a good idea to take a job for free out of a feeling of guilt and then rush through it or not give it the attention it deserves because I was pounding my way through the edit just to get it done and move on to something that paid. That payment, though it might be less than the regular rate, is well worth it for both parties involved.

With this particular video, I was given some examples of other work that the producers liked. I worked very hard to mimic some of the ideas using some fancy graphics, transitions and layering of a number of elements. In the end it just wasn’t nearly as powerful as the interview subject full-screen telling their story. That’s always a great lesson to be reminded … the fanciest effects in the world can’t tell a complelling story better than a person’s face. We removed the fancy opening, putting it aside to possibly use in the future, and kept the simple opening that we began with. In the end I think that everyone was happy. The client got a great video that matched the vision they had for the project and was able to easily come in on budget, low budget and all. I worked on a job that I was proud of made money in the process. That’s a nice feeling to have when an edit leaves the editors hands.