I re-designed my website! Check out the new dwryan.com. it's basically the same info and videos as  my old site but now in shiny new HTML5 so you iPad users can actually see it! And for you iPhone and android users,  go to my mobile site at m.dwryan.com!

Never be irreplaceable! If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

I must be doing something wrong. This year marks 10 years in post-production as an assistant editor. The average assistant (it seems) does it for 2- 5 years before making “The Jump.” to editor. I have my circumstances, in one aspect I was fortunate to have a staff position with health benefits which was vital due to family health issues. But it was also a trap as every time it seemed I might get a promotion I was either told they needed me doing what I was doing or the company was on the verge of collapse and if I wanted a job at all, I should sit tight. I realized that the only way I could get a what I wanted, was to leave.
It was a tough decision but, with family health issues and my daughter about to turn 2 plus a job market left reeling by the writers strike, we decided to move back east with her family in New Jersey (but that's a whole other story). Fast forward two years later and I have been able to find work here and there in New York, and made some new friends and connections. I took what was supposed to be a few days on pilot at a very low rate and I was quickly moved to another show and I became the only assistant on the series (still at the low rate of course). I busted my ass to keep up with the shows fast turn around and sometimes massive amount of footage, doing my best to make it easy for the editors. I was handling it until I got an email that an editor was having problems with some grouped clips I prepared .
I went to my post-producer and asked what the problem was. He said that an editor wanted me to make sure that when I multi-group clips that the A camera is at the top of the bin so the multi-group will use the A cam audio. I said all that you had to do was select the audio by right clicking the audio track in the time-line. He said he knew that but the editor couldn't do it and didn't seem able (or willing) to learn how. On hearing this, my blood pressure shot up and I was like WHAT?! Here I am busting my ass and someone who gets paid twice my rate doesn't know how to run the damn machine and I have to go extra steps to make sure he doesn't have to do a basic skill. It would be like a pilot who can take off but doesn't know how to steer and refuses to learn! I snapped a little and told my producer exactly how I felt and how frustrated I was with my career. I think it may have helped because today he offered to have me cut some clips for the net.

This was also short lived as my work load was to much to have time to cut very much at all. Then, I was told I only had two weeks left on the show. So much for that.

I had only a few weeks off and I was fortunate to find a string of gigs at a much better rate that carried me through the winter. I'm still working as an assistant but I've had some recent interviews that are very promising. More on that soon.  

September 11th 2001 an assistant editors experience

 I was still asleep in my apartment in Valley Village, Los Angeles. I had my clock radio set to turn on at 5:45 in time for the “Ralph Garman Show Biz Report” during the Kevin and Bean Show on KROQ. but instead of the familiar old timey “Hooray For Hollywood” Music that usually plays in the background, Ralph in a somber tone, introduces Doc, KROQ's newsman who reports that a commercial plane has just struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. I woke up my wife and turned on the TV in time to see the second plane hit the South Tower. Deirdre and I sat there numb, as the reports of other plane crashes a the Pentagon in DC and PA. confirmed that this was no accident. Watching the smoldering towers, we stayed glued to the TV and saw them fall.

I didn't know what else to do. So I decided to go to work. I had just started a new job as the daytime assistant editor at Termite Art Productions. I had only been there 10 days and I didn't really know anyone yet and I wanted to make a good impression. We had just started production on a new show about The sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. The consensus in the office was that this was going to be our Pearl Harbor.

I worked on a few things I had but mostly everyone was watching the news for any more information. I didn't have a TV in my office but I found the CBS was streaming video on the net so tried to watch it on a old Mac I had on my desk (Streaming video was still rather primitive in 2001). I remember Alana, one of our producers, telling me she just got off the phone with her panicked sister in who thought every Landmark in every city in the US was under attack. “The Statue of Liberty, gone! the Washington Monument,gone!”... her sister was yelling. Eventually we were all in the kitchen watching the news play the crash over and over again. By this time they had received more angles on the second plane hit and footage of people covered in dust running from the site. By noon my Post-Supervisor, Randy sent everyone home.

I mention the video footage a lot because in the years to come, I had to log much of the footage collected that day for the documentaries we would eventually produce about the events and it's aftermath. I can't tell you how many times I watched the planes hit. Video of the first hit eventually surfaced and footage of the search and rescue effort which then turned to a salvage operation continued to pour in.

One of the first shows we did was  about Nostradamus, it was partly inspired by an Internet rumor that He accurately predicted the attacks. The email included a quote from his writings which turned out to be made of two separate passages spliced together.

Barely a few months had gone by and the tapes started coming in. At first, it was almost unbearable, I would load tapes without actually watching them. Spot checking to make sure they were in but not looking to closely at content. It was just too hard to watch. I know it sounds childish but it was the only way I could cope. I'm sure a lot a people in the business felt this way. Over time it got (for lack of a better word) easier. But it still effects me when ever I see it.

We had several historical documentaries mention it when appropriate and wee did a show about the

salvage effort a Fresh kills landfill. This is where they brought the debris from the WTC including the fire trucks and ambulances destroyed by the collapse. They recovered 1,000s of personal belongings and tried to return them to the victims families if possible. It put very intimate and human face on the tragedy.

The last show I worked on was about the geology and infrastructure of New York City and Ground Zero played an important role as the excavation site gave geologists a chance to do some research before the new buildings were started. I think it also documented the beginning of the healing process for the city

September 11^th will always be a hard day for America. Most people experienced it through their televisions. I didn't get back to New York until late 2008 when the construction of the new World Trade Center was well underway and yet I felt like I had been there all along because of the projects I have worked on. I am proud to have helped create work that I hope will preserve the memories and help people understand those terrible days in my own small way.

Want to see what an editor does all month?

I am revamping my blog so in the mean time, I present a post from a Editor Scott Simmons. Watch him edit an episode of NBC's Chuck in 3 minutes...

ProVideo Coalition.com: the EDITBLOG on PVC by Scott Simmons

Help save the life's work of a little Tokyo Photographer

My good friend, Mike Risner found himself the care taker of the life's work of Los Angeles Little Tokyo photographer Ichiro Ninomiya. You can help save this amazing collection by donating to the project(link below) and following his blog savingninomiya.blogspot.com/

That's what friends are for...

Just a quick note about my ongoing job hunt. The best interviews I've had were always through friends (and lately the only ones)not through any website or job board. So on that I just want to send a shout out to my friend Max (who recently became an associate producer) who has, it would seem, been sending my resume all over New York. Tomorrow I have a interview for an AE job as a direct result his leafleting efforts!
Wish me luck.

Dumb Movie Crap -"Hackers"- Brought to you by Community Channel

I was going write about hackers in movies but she beat me to it. I could not have said it better!

New Media, New Venture

I am trying something new. I have partnered with MDistribute.com to license and distribute my original content for Mobile phones and the web. My first submission is a video ringtone version of some Ostriches feeding at Ostrich land in Solvang, CA. I shot this with a "Helmet Cam" attached to a feeding pan for extreme close up. I mixed the music with samples from Peace and love Productions.
If you produce music professionally or for fun you should check out their loop libraries.

Osrtich Feeding

License this Film Now

Job Hunting- Shooting arrows at the sun

So, in my quest for income, I've hit a dry patch. My last gig ended in August, 2 weeks earlier than planned and I've been out in the employment ether ever since. I search the job boards everyday and send resumes out whenever something looks remotely promising. I've had some luck with Mandy.com and Media-Match helped me get a gig once. But for the most part I get no response what-so-ever from these site listings. Most of the time, I don't even know whom I'm applying to! More often than not they say "Anonymous" or "Undisclosed!" I mean WTF? I'm supposed to tell you all about me and you won't tell me who I'm even sending this to?

I had one where the ad said they were looking for a year long commitment with some travel and final post in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have relatives in NM so it sounded great. I was sent a 12 page application to fill out! A little unusual but, there were specific questions about Avid and other editing experience. They did ask for Social Security number but I left that blank. I faxed it to the number provided and then, ...nothing. I looked up the name of the Production Co. and found a listing in Pennsylvania. I called them and the receptionist said that they didn't post any jobs or send an applications like that. Then she remembered that another person called with same question the week before. I don't know who I sent it to, but I'm glad I didn't give them my SS#!

What's worse (I see this mostly on Craig's List) is the listing for jobs that are "Entry Level" and yet you are required to have tons of experience on all the latest software, Avid, Final Cut, After Effects, etc. and they only pay $11 per hour. Even more annoying than that are listings that explain everything they don't want! I saw this recently: "Looking for a sharp video editor that does not think they are Steven Spielberg for the rates they are asking." Anytime an ad has more about what they don't want is usually code for "we are cheap and difficult to work with". Similar to that is the more insidious phrase "Looking for some one who is a 'Team Player." These are huge red flags and I don't even bother applying. Note to potential employers: I am a Team Player, I want to be your MVP! Just so long as the rest of the team doesn't suck!

The third thing I've encountered lately is a listing that look's great, just the gig I've been looking for! I send my carefully tailored cover letter with links to my online reel, and resume to the email address indicated. I get a reply with instructions to fill out an online application. So I have to then break out the resume and fill in each field (apple C, Apple V) and wade through the myriad of pull down menus for the category that best describes you ( they rarely do). In my experience, these are not the jobs for me anyway, but I have to try. "Ya neva know!"

What do producers look for in a Demo reel?

I'm revamping my demo reel and I'd love to see some examples of "good" reels. Also I'd love some feedback on my current reel. Please send me links in the comments!

1985 My first video appearance! I'm mostly in the background but I am proud to have been part of it. Thanks Jim for posting this!

...and Back ground action!

It's people like this that made me go work in post!

Need a gift for the Editor in your life?

Media Offline T-shirt is a great gift for any Avid editor available at www.deerinheadlights.biz. They also have a selection of TV centric Ts.

Dumb TV Crap I Think about-Movie Editon! "The Wizard of Oz"

I know it's a movie but, growing up every year they would show this on Thanksgiving so I've only ever seen it on TV, so it counts.
This is what I think, Dorothy crash lands in Oz and is immediately blamed for the death of one person, the Wicked Witch of the east. Glinda The "Good" witch gives Dorothy the dead witch's shoes and tells her she need to find the Wizard and she has to walk the entire way. Glinda floats away in her big bubble. The Wizard, in exchange for granting the wishes of her friends, tells Dorothy to steal the Wicked Witch's broom and Dorothy accidentally kills her in the process. Then, after all that, Glinda tells Dorothy she could have gone home anytime she wanted. I would be pissed. I'd be like; "Are you serious? You put me through all this shit and I could have gone home anytime WTF? I KILLED SOMEONE!"
I have come to the conclusion that Glinda is as much a villain in this story as the Wicked Witch of the West. She wanted to protect her image so she took advantage of an innocent stranger in order to eliminate two rivals.
Stuff that in your turkey

We are experiencing technical difficulties, please stand by.

I was told this week that the show I am on has to cut back. Starting with me. I only had two weeks left any way so I have already been looking for the next gig. The post Producer is also trying to help find me something else. He has a lot of great connections. I’m not to broken up about this. I have been working nights in New York. Having to commute from my small New Jersey town on the only express train in bound in the afternoon and riding the local train back in the morning, an hour and half to two hours each way. This is as long as some of my commutes in LA but I was only going 15 miles!
The long hours and lack of sleep are starting to show.

This is a familiar situation. When I was first starting out in LA I was fortunate to land a PA job on the NBC Series “Profiler”(I knew someone, as the they say, more stories from that to come) from there I moved on to the show “Pretender” an NBC show produced by FOX. I was on the show for about 4 weeks when the production manager called me into his office and told me that show was “over staffed” with office PA’s and asked me if I’d like to work on set. Well I thought I’d be on set for “Pretender” when in fact I was to report to a new show called “Judging Amy” (even more stories to come about that). My first day, they told me that this was my “interview” and they would call me back as they needed me. I worked every day of every episode for the entire season.
My experience on “Judging Amy” was great but it took me farther away from my goal of working in postproduction. When season 2 was starting up, I met with the post supervisor to interview for the Post PA job but she had to hire someone else more local (He knew someone). The production had moved to the FOX studio lot, which was very far (in LA terms) from my apartment in North Hollywood. So that was that.

I’ve been through this before and I’ve started to build a new network of contacts here on the East cost so it’s emails and phone calls.

Job hunting-What we have here is failure to communicate!

I have email, a so called smart phone and a landline. I have sent out tons of resumes to leads. I check my email and my phone obsessively. Today I was out on errands, I checked my email on my phone and I got a question from a prospective employer which I decided to answer from a real computer rather than struggle with miniature keyboard on said phone. Some where later in the day, my phone decided to take an afternoon nap ( It does this everyonce in a while) and I didn't relaize it was off untill my 2 yearold daughter decided to throw a bucket of bathwater on me and i had to rescue the phone from my now soaked jeans. I turned it back on and that's when I got the "New Voice Mail" alert at 8:20 pm! The call was at 3:15 and of course it was the Producer who emailed me earlier. I left a voice mail as soon as I got the message. This could be a huge opportunity. I hope my cell phone didn't blow it for me!

Dumb TV Crap I Think About- Land of the Lost

With the release of the film version of "Land of the Lost" I recalled a thought I had about the original series when I was a kid.
What is the land of the lost? It occurred to me that this place was full of extinct creatures and this family, the Marshals, just happens to be white water rafting when the earth opens up right in front of them and they fall in. So now there are humans here. What if this place is some kind of preserve for extinct animals does that mean humans are now extinct? If that's so, can the Marshal family never escape because there is nowhere to go? I've had this rolling around in my head for years. Glad I could finally share.

Life behind bars and tone

Six months out
The short version

I left my staff position at CDTV after 7 years as the Daytime Assistant Editor (5months on the night shift) for family and health reasons. We packed up the Apartment with the help of my mother-in-law, sold my car, loaded up the Volvo station wagon and we (My wife, her mother, our 2 year old daughter and our diabetic dog) drove cross-country back to New Jersey.

I was able to find some freelance work for the video production department at a Major financial company. Although it paid well it was very short term and infrequent and I have staggering insurance payments to make. I was able to apply for financial assistance through the Actors fund and they lead me to The ESTA Foundation. They covered my health insurance for 3 months. I got another freelance editing gig with a successful (albeit small) infomercial firm and then interviewed and was hired to work on the documentary series “The IFC Media Project”.

At the same time my own health became an issue. I was officially diagnosed with Psoriasis in the late 90’s (I’ve been dealing with since I was kid) and about 5 years ago it progressed to Psoriatic Arthritis. I had pain and stiffness in my knees and hips and just coped with it (Advil and such). I started with a new dermatologist and asked for a prescription of Celebrex for the pain. I lasted a month and then had a possible reaction, after a trip to the emergency room; I had to stop taking it. I had another flare up and it spread to my hands and feet. I found it difficult to climb stairs and it was difficult to grip things like handrails (also necessary for climbing stairs). All this was happening while I had made the commitment to commute to NY everyday and I have work on computers, which aggravates my hands. My derm now has me on Humira and I am making improvements but it’s slow process. My employers have been very supportive and I have been able to continue working for the duration of the project.

Meanwhile, my wife who suffers from MS had a relapse and my poor old dog passed away. June has been a tough month.

Of course I started to feel better on the last week left on my gig. Now I have to start the whole job hunt over again. The pressure is on.

Dumb TV Crap I think about-The Jetsons

Something that always bothered about The Jetsons.
George Jetson works for "Spacely Sprockets" and their main competitor was "Cogswell Cogs" and I can't recall seeing much of anything that needed sprockets or cogs. Seriously they have flying cars, live in a floating suburb and everything is push button. So why the hell are sprockets and cogs such a big industry in the future? OK so maybe Rosie the Robot may have needed some cogs but more than likely her limbs would be hydraulic.

Tony Soprano died and went to "Cop Bar"

I have been trolling Craiglist for gigs and I've seen multiple post for a project called "Cop Bar". The earlier posts were your standard "need crew for project" type requests with a hint of someone who watched one to many "Sopranos" episodes. Then I saw the following:









Frankly, anyone who calls someone a "Skanky Cunt" is angry because he is either not going get sex from said woman or he is no longer getting sex and she and dumped his douche bag ass.

here is what others thought about this:












Anyone who knows me, can tell you I love the bad. "Cop Bar" Hits all the marks. It's poorly edited, unoriginal, arrogant and unintentionally funny. I especially like the cops with their guns drawn, dancing with the "Cop bar girls". Pure Gold.
I give the guy some credit for having made something but, the shear lack of professionalism is evident in every aspect of his postings and ultimately his product. I've seen better student films. The editing is sloppy and the long laughable song would be better suited for a skit on "Saturday Night Live" not a serious edgy drama that this wishes it could be.Usually, I try not to a be to critical but, when I saw the post about the publicist, he opened himself up. See for yourself, Comments please.

"COP BAR" video by Jimmy Lloyd from jimmylloydsuperstar1 on Vimeo.