If I were to start my own Editing company

C

c.g._eads

Veteran
If I were to start my own editing facility, I would probably start off with two systems. I'm thinking two loaded Mac Pros, each with 2 - 30 inch displays. I've added Final Cut Studio, Shake, and 3 1-terabyte hard drives and each machine comes to about $11,500.

A few questions.

1) I'm in Los Angeles. How much can I expect to charge people (I know this varies big time but I'm talking ball park)?

2) Do I have to buy two FCPs - one for each machine? Or can I put the one copy on both? I know a lot of people do this anyway, but since I'm starting my own business, I don't want to screw around and get caught somehow. Is this just considered par for the course or are people really careful about this stuff?

3) What other pieces of software/hardware will I probably need? I know this depends ultimately on what I want to offer. But in the beginning it's going to be pretty bare bones. I'll have both machines, and then some way for them to output the project. Like, for example, how does the whole hard drive issue work? Do they use my drives or bring in their own?

4) What can I offer (should I buy) to separate myself from the average Final Cut user? Are there special effects programs I can get that will bring in more clientele? I mean, I know anybody can edit their stuff on their mac - but not everyone can afford a $11,000 machine. So what can I buy that other people need that they simply can't get on their own macs?

I'm at the very beginning of a long process. Not jumping into this so please be nice. :)
 
You would need two copies of FCP. I'd also get two 23" Cinema Displays for each and a nice HD monitor with an AJA Kona 3. You can always cheap out on those things but as a brand new company in such a competitive market you'll have a tough time finding clients without the best stuff.

Also a lot depends on what sort of facility you're going to offer. I'd take a tour of some editing places in L.A. I've seen everything from artist's loft to an edit room like the Starbucks on the Death Star so you better know which kind of place you're going to be. And then you'll have a better sense of what to charge.

Noah
 
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c.g._eads said:
If I were to start my own editing facility, I would probably start off with two systems. I'm thinking two loaded Mac Pros, each with 2 - 30 inch displays. I've added Final Cut Studio, Shake, and 3 1-terabyte hard drives and each machine comes to about $11,500.

A few questions.

1) I'm in Los Angeles. How much can I expect to charge people (I know this varies big time but I'm talking ball park)?

2) Do I have to buy two FCPs - one for each machine? Or can I put the one copy on both? I know a lot of people do this anyway, but since I'm starting my own business, I don't want to screw around and get caught somehow. Is this just considered par for the course or are people really careful about this stuff?

3) What other pieces of software/hardware will I probably need? I know this depends ultimately on what I want to offer. But in the beginning it's going to be pretty bare bones. I'll have both machines, and then some way for them to output the project. Like, for example, how does the whole hard drive issue work? Do they use my drives or bring in their own?

4) What can I offer (should I buy) to separate myself from the average Final Cut user? Are there special effects programs I can get that will bring in more clientele? I mean, I know anybody can edit their stuff on their mac - but not everyone can afford a $11,000 machine. So what can I buy that other people need that they simply can't get on their own macs?

I'm at the very beginning of a long process. Not jumping into this so please be nice. :)
Click to expand...

ok...

first off loose the 30inch displays. not worth the money at all.

look into a real color correcting monitor not shitty apple displays.

your going to need way more than 3 terabytes.

look into kona hardware components

you do not need to have two final cut pro softwares.

you need one volume license which means you can have it on multiple computers.

if you dont you will not be able to network the computers together. which would then be retarded since you could not work between them easily.

What can you offer or buy to set you apart? answer is nothing. buying expensive gear is not the answer.

you have a lot to figure out my friend
 
a.King said:
What can you offer or buy to set you apart? answer is nothing. buying expensive gear is not the answer.

you have a lot to figure out my friend
Click to expand...

I feel like I'm in a scene in the new Batman. Must I first figure out my heart, and only then will the answers come to me?

Pretty certain I made it clear I have a lot to figure out. Not sure how restating that helps but I think I got a few tidbits of help from you so THANKS!
 
a.King said:
ok...


What can you offer or buy to set you apart? answer is nothing. buying expensive gear is not the answer.

you have a lot to figure out my friend
Click to expand...

Yes, which is why he posted and asked questions.



I would also look into long term storage/archiving options.
 
Look into decks as well for whatever the primary formats people in your market use. Also being able to work with almost any format is a huge plus.
 
SilverWolf said:
Look into decks as well for whatever the primary formats people in your market use. Also being able to work with almost any format is a huge plus.
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Although decks can be rented, I´d also expect a post house to at least offer a imx/digibeta deck and P2 ingest.

The "problem" with a FCP editing facility is IMHO this:
When your on a low budget with your production, you probably don´t rent , but buy a 24" iMac/MBP/simpleMP for post.
When you have a good budget and have the money for going to a post house, you´ll expect EVERYTHING. Only the best equipment, nice atmophere and a perfect workflow with no hold ups.

Most imortant for me is, finding a good editor. I´ll do post where ever he is happy.
 
Yeah again not to totally shoot this idea down but in a market as ridiculously competitive as L.A. I'd be looking at it less in terms of gear to buy and more in terms of people. Because yeah just getting a digibeta deck could break the bank to say nothing of renting a decent office in L.A.

If you have say $50K to spend- find a top line freelancer with a established high end clients who's maybe looking to get their own place and bankroll them. These days just buying a couple of seats of FCP in L.A. is a good way to get debt but probably not a way to start a profitable biz.

Noah
 
c.g._eads said:
4) What can I offer (should I buy) to separate myself from the average Final Cut user? Are there special effects programs I can get that will bring in more clientele? I mean, I know anybody can edit their stuff on their mac - but not everyone can afford a $11,000 machine. So what can I buy that other people need that they simply can't get on their own macs?
Click to expand...

As others have said, your number four question should be your number one question. I'm not sure what your current situation is, but I'd work for someone else (freelancing is great way to network) until you build up a name for yourself then you can decide if you want to deal w/opening up your own shop. Instead of opening up your own facility you could just build one nice system (as opposed to two okay systems) and freelance as an editor w/gear (again, once you have a bit of a name for yourself). The low-end market in LA is absurdly over crowded 'cause anyone w/a credit card or two can buy all the sh*t they need (or think they need) and call themselves an editor even if they couldn't cut themselves out of a wet paper bag.


-A
 
That's kinda depressing but I think you guys are right. I mean, I could probably do it, but I would have to hustle my ass off and be setting up clients 24/7 for a very minimal gain.

It seems like the key is offering something nobody else does. Something unique. Any ideas? Any editors out there who go to these houses and think, "I wish they had this. Or offered this."?
 
The key really is being a great editor. At the end of the day that's the only thing that can't be bought in a store and is what will ultimately get you clients. Now if you don't want to do the editing then I would find a really great editor similar to what Noah said
 
I think most of the points here are dead on.
In the past when I've had to work with post houses for any number of things, I've always tried to choose them based on the people, not the gear.

And vice versa - there are post houses I will never go to again because of the people, not the gear.
 
c.g._eads said:
It seems like the key is offering something nobody else does. Something unique. Any ideas? Any editors out there who go to these houses and think, "I wish they had this. Or offered this."?
Click to expand...
I think you need to narrow your focus. What do you want to edit (doc's, features, promo's, weddings, corporate, etc.,)? Who are some of the clients in that area? Where are they currently getting their editorial services and what could you offer the client that post facility XYZ does not? Also you have to decide of the range of services you are going to provide and how that effects your potential client base. For example, you could go "narrow focus" and try to offer the best editing in town or you could go "broad focus" and offer a few different services, like editing, gfx, and color grading, to try and trade a bit of quality in favor of value (one stop shopping) for the client. Narrow focus means you'll probably need to after a smaller number of big budget clients while broad focus means you'll probably being going after a larger pool of smaller budget clients.

Both ways have their pro's and con's it just depends on what direction you want to go.


-A
 
Yeah I'd still advocate hooking up with a well-known editor. Or perhaps find a small post-production boutique looking for investors. You can walk the streets of Hollywood, Santa Monica and Venice to find them easily.

Offering the 'best editing in town' is kind of an impossible goal in L.A. Unless of course you're going into business say with Walter Murch and Thelma Schoonmaker. :) The concept of buying a couple of suites of Mac Pros with Final Cut Studio and making a big splash on that alone in the L.A. market is naive at best.

Noah
 
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