Social Media… everyone’s doing it. Well not everyone. There are some late “adopters,” who aren’t convinced of the role that social media platforms can play, especially when it comes to their professional life.
I know how important it’s been for Post and for me as an editor, especially Twitter. When I have TweetDeck opened, it’s like the world of post and production is out there having a conversation, and I get to listen in or take part. Alex MacLean of Colorflow explains it best on page 22: he calls it a “24/7 cocktail party,” and he means that in the best way possible.
Jesse Averna is a multi-Emmy-winning freelance editor who has been working on Sesame Street for the last three seasons. Some of you might know him better by his Twitter handle, @Dr0id. “Social media has allowed me to connect with filmmakers and other pros who I otherwise wouldn’t have had access to. Twitter has forged friendships, gotten me several gigs, and has provided tech support.”
He offers this example. “I was cutting a feature in the Italian Alps, and I ran into some issues dealing with PAL. I asked the post community on Twitter, and within 10 minutes, I had the info I needed.”
For those of you who are active on Twitter, you will likely be familiar with #PostChat. “By using #postchat somewhere in your Tweet, Twitter aggregates all those comments together so it can be followed as a conversation,” Averna explains. For an hour each Wednesday (9pm EST), post pros around the world discuss the technology and art of post. “We’ve covered a range of topics, from tech tips to how to get an internship to the art of cutting promos. Guests have included pros who specialize in specific areas of post, as well as post-related companies like Avid and Adobe, Red Giant, and others.
#PostChat began after Averna was asked to be on a Twitter chat called #ScriptChat two years ago. “I had such a great time, I decided to start the same type of thing for post people. I asked Gordon Burkell (AOTG) and Tej Babra to help me run it.” That was two years ago.
Ian Karr, IKA Collective’s founder/director says IKA (@IKACollective) has always been active on Facebook and Twitter, using it to keep in touch with clients and draw attention to work and company news. “But in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, IKA got involved in helping the communities hardest hit, and Facebook was our primary means of communication,” he says. “We used it to offer our office space to those without power or water. More importantly, we used the platform to raise several truckloads of donated supplies and money for victims.”
Visit Post on our social networks: Twitter (@post_magazine), Facebook (post-magazine) and YouTube (PostMagazineTV). See you there!