Video editing business

[javabean]

I am recently retired and I would like to do some video editing on the side. I do need further skill developement. I think my age will be a tremendous obstacle to an internship from a video editing business. Any ideas out there on how to procede?

Thanks

Javabean

[Abbadon]

Hi,

I am not qualified to give advice, but I will try giving you a few tips. First, you said that you need further skills, well, start reading.

This is a good start:
https://www.videohelp.com/edit
https://www.videohelp.com/author
https://www.videohelp.com/capture
https://www.videohelp.com/author

Get a cheap printer and reproduce all the guides you think could help you to practice and learn the trade.

Keep in mind that to start a business you need to invest in hardware, and software, this means that you need "Capital". Having these elements does not mean you will succeed, especially if you don't have a client base to offer your services.

You could, if you try, save money purchasing used but functional equipment.

The following article could sound dumb, but can offer a few hints:
http://sbinformation.about.com/od/bizopportunities/a/startup101.htm

[javabean]

Abbadon, thank you for the articles. I will give them my best shot. I have just puchased DVD Lab Pro. and the TMPenc encoder. Its a start.

[gll99]

I have just puchased DVD Lab Pro.

That's a good software which will serve you well, but before spending any more you may want to profile your customer base to see what kind of video processing they would want.

DVD lab pro will help you author your DVDs and may well sit near the end of the processing chain if that is the format chosen by your clients but it won't look after the often extensive necessary editing and video/ audio preparation which will likely be needed before you compile the final production.

Spending time on the business end of a

video editing business

is just as important. Forms and agreements need to be drawn up. Human nature being what it is, if you leave it to chance and a handshake, you and your clients will no doubt be left unhappy more often than not.

[javabean]

gll99, thanks for your input. Greatly appreciate your input.

I 've got quite a learning curve ahead of me. Mostly been working with simple ediiting like stripping out commercials, re-encoding from SVCD format to full DVD compliancy. However some impressive razzle dazzle and smooth transitions are still on my plate. I think that is a significant part of a sales pitch to an Wedding Videographer. I still need to try my hand at "black" frameserving to lengthen a lead in or scene change when necessary.

What is the most common output format of most Pro video recorders?

Thanks

[lordsmurf]

Video work for Joe Consumer tends to require thousands of dollars worth of hardware and software, and several years of experience. It's not impossible, but can be done.

My best advice is to not take a job that you're not 100% comfortable doing. There are a lot of inferior "companies" out there doing shoddy work. They buy a VCR at Walmart, a DVD recorder and Best Buy, spend some money on crappy software, rent some office space and print business cards, and they think they have a business.

[rallynavvie]

There are a lot of inferior "companies" out there doing shoddy work. They buy a VCR at Walmart, a DVD recorder and Best Buy, spend some money on crappy software, rent some office space and print business cards, and they think they have a business.

Wonder if that could have been directed at me

I got started on my own biz like you mentioned: wanting to do editing. I started off helping out local videographers who were too busy to do much editing of their own so there were lots of weddings and family events I put to DVD. It was a lot of work and not much money. Then I was talking to a regular customer at my day job (the editing biz was to help fund my computer purchases initially) I found out that though big companies may have their own studios and can edit their stuff on their own professionally they don't have anyone that can do the actual DVD mastering: putting their videos on a good-looking DVD with custom, motion menus and the whole deal. See DVD specs are still not taught at most schools, it's only briefly touched upon if that. These video professionals have to learn it on their own and it seems a lot of them figured the simple output to DVD functions were enough for their purposes. I found my niche and started making lots of cash just putting together menus and DVD layouts, and then holding on to the rights to the material so they'd have to come back to me for updates and reprints.

I'd definitely take some time to familiarize yourself with everything a DVD is capable of (which isn't very much as far as menus and layout go) and learn about MPEG2. If your editing is sound then the ability to put together great-looking DVDs will put you above a lot of the other people out there doing the same. Or just do that solely like I did. After 4 years in business I had paid off all my business expenses (3 video workstations, a DTR, etc.) and netted enough to buy myself a nice car when I "retired" from the biz.

Just keep in mind too that there are other formats on the horizon so perhaps now would also be a good time to learn all you can about putting together one of those

[javabean]

I want to thank you all for the feedback. I now have a much better understanding of the path I need to take to achieve this goal.

I am finding this forum to be invaluable!!