JJ Lask is a creative editor with PS260 (www.ps260.com), which has studios in both New York City and Venice, CA. His list of credits includes work for M&Ms, NY Lottery, Yahoo, American Greetings, and UPS to name just a few. Lask has been delivering his ‘5 Rules’ to Post readers for much of 2018 and continues with his latest installment of ideas that editors might consider for both practical purposes and inspiration.
Rule 46 - Alone In The Wilderness
Way back, before film and television or editing, Americans were known to be the ones alone in the wilderness in their cabin. And the man would build everything in the cabin. He would even make the tools to make the cabin. He would dig the well, plant the potatoes, make the hearth, fish the fish and hunt the elk. In other cultures, one guy cooks, the other hunts, the next guy fishes, one person is responsible for the fire, one person farms while the other one digs. So what kind of editor are you? Because I don’t know about you but I would like to edit with the guy who is an expert on editing.
Rule 47 – The Saucer
In fancy restaurants they always serve coffee or tea with a saucer. I once asked why? They simply told me it just tastes better. And they were right. When you present your cut, make sure you have your saucer.
Rule 48 - Fortune Cookie
A young editor once asked, “How do you know when your cut is done?” And the wise old editor replied, “If you started yesterday or a week ago or a month ago you have about 15 years to go.”
Rule 49 - Dedicated To Who?
Every cut you make is dedicated to someone. Someone who either taught you or someone who couldn’t hack it in this highly-stressful, highly-creative, highly-political industry. Think about all of those people every time you make a cut.
Rule 50 – The Shallow End
No one starts on the triple black diamond. You start on the bunny slope. You don’t jump into the deep end, first you stick your toe in the water. You work up to the surfing the 40-foot waves. It’s a slow process. But somewhere along the line you are going to have push yourself - challenge yourself - to get to the next level.
Check out JJ's past postings:
Rules 31-35