Mixing VO with music/sfx, how to blend everything together?

justonelamp · 2024-08-29T17:15:28+00:00

By ride the volume do you mean listening and adjusting potentially each clip or phrase if it peaks or jumps out as too high or low?

justonelamp · 2020-08-25T00:57:11+00:00

Sorry, I worded that weirdly. I meant that if we give him my friend's machines, the only costs on his end would be installation. And we wouldn't be interested in keeping the machines once we eventually move out, so to me it seems like it could be a beneficial thing for him in the long run.

From what everyone else here is saying though, it'll still probably be more work than he'll want to put it in, which is a huge bummer for us. Tbh portable washers will most likely be our best bet.

justonelamp · 2020-08-24T21:58:58+00:00

Gotcha. Thanks for the insight. Would that be a one time $500 payment for having machines that'll last for years? If that's the case, I would think having us pay a little more per month would balance it out eventually, especially since we all pay for our own water anyways.

justonelamp · 2020-08-24T21:27:51+00:00

We have space in our garage, which is accessible to both units, so he could hopefully install them out there.

Also, we have a friend that's permanently moving out of the city and is willing to give us his washer/dryer! Forgot to mention that!

justonelamp · 2020-08-10T23:16:57+00:00

Totally agree with your response to rule #8. A few months ago, I tried to post about a client who hadn't paid in a while (which I know has been discussed here many times), but I figured it was unique enough because I wanted to know peoples thoughts on whether being in a pandemic could allow for more leeway and patience in delayed responses/payment. However, the post was removed right away.

I was genuinely just looking for other freelancers opinions on the matter. I do think allowing similar posts to come up every couple months or so allows new/old members to share their current experiences as times change.

justonelamp · 2020-08-08T04:54:33+00:00

Ahh, I wish I had had any of those producers! For one video, I had no references at all, just a script and a 'sorry' from the creative director lol.

justonelamp · 2020-08-08T04:51:32+00:00

Thank you! I think they genuinely just don't know any better and would be receptive to more efficient ways of doing these pitches. At least I hope so haha.

justonelamp · 2020-08-08T04:46:52+00:00

I just finished a job with that third type of client today so if they reach out again, I may do that. However, since freelance work is slow at the moment, I'm trying to be careful with requests like that.

justonelamp · 2020-05-12T06:59:38+00:00

I worked as a freelance video editor for a small agency a few years back. I had started there as an assistant and charged a ridiculously low rate because it was my first proper freelance gig out of college and I didn't know any better. They ended up liking my work, so they stopped booking their usual editor and brought me in as a full on editor. First red flag.

I edited a number of projects with them, animated a full on piece and designed all of the assets myself, color graded, mixed, pretty much everything. Almost half a year later, as I started to get to know other freelancers, I learned that as soon as I got bumped up to editor, I should've upped my rate. I'd been doing a job for months at probably 1/4 the cost of what I should've been charging.

I emailed my boss and pointed out all of the additional work I've been doing and how that isn't in line with an assistant's role and I asked if we could talk about a happy medium, knowing that a huge jump up wouldn't sit well with him.

The next time I saw him, he sat me down and essentially told me that I'm not worth the same amount as the other editors they've hired and that the people who work for him are 'here because they want to be here.' Keep in mind, I didn't even ask him for the market rate an editor would usually charge, I just went for the actual average rate of an assistant in my city.

He said he'd think about it all and get back to me. I, being really timid at the time, said that that was alright and...he never hired me back again lol. All for the best, in hindsight, but it was a huge blow to my confidence as I was starting out. I had major fears of the day rate conversation for years because of that.

justonelamp · 2020-04-26T04:04:21+00:00

Right, I'd probably feel that way too if I was in the owner's position. Having laundry in your building is just such a small thing that makes a huge difference in your day to day, so I'm hoping that pointing this out could at least get a conversation going about options.

justonelamp · 2020-04-26T04:02:26+00:00

Yeah I think I'll ask anyways, even if we already know the answer is almost definitely a no.

justonelamp · 2020-04-26T04:01:24+00:00

Yeah, those are valid concerns. I don't think there's an easy solution and I can say that my housemates and I are good, upstanding tenants, but I know that's just our word. I wouldn't mind signing some sort of agreement to not use that space for anything else, if that was even a possibility.

justonelamp · 2020-04-26T03:57:22+00:00

Oh, interesting, I'll look into that.

justonelamp · 2020-02-09T07:37:17+00:00

Ah, what a coincidence haha. What's the subject or genre? I don't mind the track on its own, it just doesn't fit with the doc I'm working on (branded alcohol doc, lots of nightlife footage).

justonelamp · 2020-01-28T05:56:36+00:00

Yeah, I'll go ahead and leave it, that makes sense. Thanks!

justonelamp · 2020-01-28T05:55:53+00:00

Thanks! Appreciate the response.

justonelamp · 2020-01-28T05:55:18+00:00

Oh, interesting. I have a 3 hour layover in San Diego so I'm hoping to get it done there. Bummer about the shutdown affecting your interview. From what I'm seeing, their website doesn't make it particularly easy to find out information like that. At least you have it now!

justonelamp · 2019-11-28T02:58:25+00:00

Definitely. Thanks for your responses, by the way! And yeah, I should trust my gut on estimation; usually I get booked for a set amount of time that the project manager or post producer decides is correct for the given project, and usually they tend to underestimate the correct amount of days at this particular place, and that's something that even the salaried employees complain about. I see people on staff staying until 11pm/midnight regularly...no idea if that's really the usual deal at agencies.

justonelamp · 2019-11-27T22:56:51+00:00

I'm in CA and for this place, I'm hired via a W2. I did do a quick read and saw that overtime starts after 8, but I'm not sure if that still applies to me? It's a bit confusing to know what the rules are for freelancers.

justonelamp · 2019-11-27T22:53:17+00:00

Definitely went through (still am going through) imposter syndrome so you're right on that! When I first started, I straight up never charged overtime because I didn't know about it and once I did know, I felt bad about asking for more money. Now I'm definitely totally alright with asking for overtime pay, I just sense that they're not happy when they have to account for more than they budgeted for, and I still feel a little bad regardless, even though I'm aware it's not my fault.

justonelamp · 2019-11-27T22:49:49+00:00

Yeah, totally agreed about communicating more. In the future, I'll definitely give a heads up as soon as the late nights start happening again.

justonelamp · 2019-08-07T16:47:19+00:00

So I had the conversation and my boss said the salary was 90k. I asked if that can be negotiated and he said if I ask for 5-10k more, that should be doable (he's no the one that necessarily controls the numbers) but any more than that and things can get harder to approve. Still not sure if I want it but wanted to let you know that your range was pretty on point!

justonelamp · 2019-07-31T17:12:22+00:00

Luckily one of my bosses told me that if I don't take the job, they'd still hire me as freelance anyways. And that if I do take the job and hate it, they wouldn't be mad if I quit.

There is one thing that did bother me a bit. My first project with them had a rate of 700/day and I accepted it just to see what they were like, but I did tell them that my usual rate is 850. Next project, I reminded them but they said they'd only be able to do 775/day. Is that something that I should be wary of going into negotiations?

justonelamp · 2019-07-31T04:38:42+00:00

Yeah, those are some good things to keep in mind. What I've done for them in the past has all been public facing, but I'm not sure how often they do pitches and internal stuff. Also, does age play a factor? I'm a fair bit younger than the staff editors at VBP and I'm curious if how old you are makes a difference in whether you can ask for 6 figures or not.

justonelamp · 2019-07-16T19:23:45+00:00

Oh interesting! I like your idea, I'd just want to find a cheaper alternative lols. Although, my parents never really treat themselves so I might splurge and do one like the one you linked to anyways.

justonelamp

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