This bonus episode is a raw recording of my recent appearance at the wonderful event Editfest in Los Angeles where I was on a panel sponsored by Avid Technology titled, “The Extended Cut: How to Survive and Thrive in Editorial.” The panel was moderated by Matt Feury of Avid Technology, and in addition to me the panel also included Lillian Benson, ACE (ACE Officer and co-chair of the diversity committee), Carol Littleton, ACE (Member of the Boards of Governors of the Academy, Past President of the Motion Picture Editor’s Guild, and award-winning film editor), and Andy Seklir, ACE (Award-winning editor of Westworld as well as one of the architects of the “ACE Best Practices” Pamphlet).
This panel was a brutally honest and open look at what it really takes to not only survive but thrive in Hollywood as a film editor. We talk about the brutally long hours, bouts with depression and burnout, issues with diversity on both an ethnic and gender level, office politics, and the importance of not letting anyone steal your creative passion. This was a ‘No Holds Barred’ conversation where no topic was too taboo.
NOTE: This is a raw recording of a live event so I apologize for any inconsistencies in audio quality. No editing has been done to this recording…this is LIVE and UNFILTERED.
Here’s What You’ll Learn:
- Facing the question, “I love my work, but is it worth all of this physical pain and mental anguish?”
- Focusing on your own wellness in order to enhance your storytelling power
- Fighting the status quo of unhealthy working conditions for editors
- Being a woman nin the industry and the quietly malicious ways you are discouraged from asserting yourself
- Finding, refining, and protecting your moral center while discerning whether a job is good for you or not
- How to process being fired and facing other tough workplace confrontations
- Being disrespected will rob your of your passion, you owe it to yourself to protect it and your identity
- Recognizing when “paying your dues” is related to you growing stronger rather than simply being mistreated
- Breaking the cycle of harmful cultures of competition in the workplace
- Learning to give and receive criticism without jeopardizing your job
- Reinforcing patterns of physical movement in your day in order to reduce tension and toxicity
Our Generous Sponsors:
This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.
Show Credits:
This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Elyse Rintelman. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).
Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Zack Arnold
Zack Arnold (ACE) is an award-winning Hollywood film editor & producer (Cobra Kai, Empire, Burn Notice, Unsolved, Glee), a documentary director, father of 2, an American Ninja Warrior, and the creator of Optimize Yourself. He believes we all deserve to love what we do for a living...but not at the expense of our health, our relationships, or our sanity. He provides the education, motivation, and inspiration to help ambitious creative professionals DO better and BE better. “Doing” better means learning how to more effectively manage your time and creative energy so you can produce higher quality work in less time. “Being” better means doing all of the above while still prioritizing the most important people and passions in your life…all without burning out in the process. Click to download Zack’s “Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Your Creativity (And Avoiding Burnout).”