This week is all about the helpful articles that populate the net: we've got ones for you that improve your productivity, a few things to shop for that will help fancify your office space, and a couple of hot new toys that promise to revolutionize the industry.

Premium Beats is one of the better post-production blogs around. Here they give 10 things to go pick up to spruce up your desk. How many of these do you already have? Which do you need to add to your wishlist? (http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/10-things-for-your-video-editing-suite-under-200/)

The Gnar Box is a device that turns your iPhone into a "dumb terminal" capable of processing 4K GoPro footage. You can edit and upload your 4K footage on-the-go without having to return to your edit suite. This will be probably make the extreme sports nuts very happy. (http://technabob.com/blog/2015/07/29/gnarbox-portable-video-editing-computer/)

Another device that seeks to squash the editing computer, the TouchEdit app for the iPad claims to be a precise editing system capable of doing advanced edits with your footage with just your fingertips. Dan Lebental A.C.E. created the app to be a mobile solution for editing. He is a seasoned feature film editor so he must know what he's doing building this app. Care to try it out? (http://www.toucheditapp.com/)

Lisette Sutherland is a public speaker and fosters collaborative, long-distance work partnerships. She subjected herself to a 30-day trial of trying different kinds of dressing for work to see how it affected her productivity. Her results led to her making some decisions on how to present herself to her clients even when just teleconferencing at her desk. Any freelance editors should be interested in reading this to find out how you can dress for your work day. (http://www.lisettesutherland.com/2014/06/results-30-day-try-on-athon/)

Finally, this list of simple steps to achieving unbound success as a Hollywood editor seems all in good...until you read the one that says you need to move to L.A. or New York. Seems pretty outdated to think that physical location has that kind of affect on your career nowadays. It's not uncommon to work from a long-distance with just the same level of involvement and efficiency as you would from working in the same building as your client/producer. (http://robertlanford.com/2011/02/26/7-important-steps-to-becoming-a-hollywood-editor/)

Here's where we plant all of our social media links so you can stalk us easier:

You can follow Command+Edit Podcast on Twitter at @CommandEdit.

Check out the website for show notes and other episodes at www.CommandEditPodcast.com

Keep up with our latest updates and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CommandEditPodcast

Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episodes right when they are released.

Leave us a review if you like what you're hearing and want us to know what you think.

Thanks for listening!

Thank you for listening to us, you are part of the #GroundFloor of Cmd+Edit. We had an overwhelming number of downloads in July. So we're off to a really healthy start. Share the podcast with your editor friends, especially those with a commute who need something to listen to.

This week we talk about those times when an editor is not working...confused yet? When you have down time how do you use it? Some work on marketing themselves, some have side projects to work on, some actually go on vacation. This episode isn't about that last group.

Here are some ways to make good use of your down time to further your career as an editor.

*Note that we here at Cmd+Edit fully acknowledge the importance and sheer joy of taking a much-needed vacation. We are not overlooking the value of that here, just saying if you're looking for more work to do, here are some ideas.

You can follow Command+Edit Podcast on Twitter at @CommandEdit.

Check out the website for show notes and other episodes at www.CommandEditPodcast.com

Keep up with our latest updates and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CommandEditPodcast

Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episodes right when they are released.

Leave us a review if you like what you're hearing and want us to know what you think.

Thanks for listening!

It's an often revisited topic by others, but Josh and I have our own thoughts on whether your career is better off by you attending film school versus going straight to work.

Nowadays editors are entering the work force at younger ages. It's likely the work opportunities start presenting themselves before they decide to attend a film school. So what are the benefits of first going through school and becoming certified? And could it make more sense to instead start going after your first clients?

One is the path of the student; the other is the path of the entrepreneur. Which do you decide?

You can follow Command+Edit Podcast on Twitter at @CommandEdit.

Check out the website for show notes and other episodes at www.CommandEditPodcast.com

Keep up with our latest updates and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CommandEditPodcast

Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episodes right when they are released.

Leave us a review if you like what you're hearing and want us to know what you think.

Thanks for listening!

So last week Josh and I had a clashing of schedules and couldn't find the time for both of us to record together. Instead of release nothing we decided that we would each record our own segment and slap them together.

Basically you get two episodes for the price of one this week!

Josh talks about how you can benefit from "backing your car in". That one needs a bit of explaining, but rest assured it is a metaphor for how you can be better prepared for whatever your work may throw at you and at any moment's notice be able to seize an opportunity like a pro.

Nick has some thoughts about this whole "CGI is ruining movies!" cry that is being heard across the internets lately. With the release of so many movies this summer that rely heavily on CGI, it's become the usual suspect for when the movies fail to tell a good story. But is that fair of us? After viewing Jurassic World last month with some filmmaker friends, it changed Nick's view of CGI in movies nowadays and this will explain why he feels they get villified too much.

If you could tell the director to shoot something differently, what would you tell them?

There are many times when editors wish they could travel back in time to when filming was happening and advise the production crew on how they can make the edit go smoothly.

Whether it be "I wish they got a shot of this" or "Could they have cut a second later" or "Could they have gotten this angle instead?", there are many things that would make the editor's life a lot easier...but they often never occur to the director.

Why? Because they're filming as a director, not as an editor. They have a million things to be thinking about while shooting a scene, and not always is "How will this edit together?" one of those.

So educate them! Tell them what you as the editor needs to do your job the best you can and deliver a golden edit.

Here are some common things that we wish directors would keep in mind when on set. And the most important reason for them to do so is not to make you happy, but to make Mr. Future-Director happy when he/she sees their movie come together in the editing room.

Tweet us your own things that you wish directors would do to make the edit better. @CommandEdit.

E-mail us if you enjoyed the show and let us know how we're doing. (commandeditpodcast@gmail.com)

We all seem to be spinning too many plates or juggling too many balls in the air when it comes to work.

This episode talks about the ways you can help improve your multitasking skills and prioritizing your tasks. From the macro (organizing larger feature projects into manageable steps) to the micro (prioritizing the minutes of your day), we could all afford to become better masters of multitasking to avoid being buried in work.

8K video hath arrived to YouTube! Actually the ability to upload 8K video has been there for a while but it seems there's someone with the ability to shoot and upload a short doc called "Ghost Towns" in full 8K resolution. Test out your internet streaming speed and press play on it. Do you notice a huge difference in the clarity of the image? (https://youtu.be/sLprVF6d7Ug)

We discuss a few noteworthy points from the big Apple update at WWDC 2015. There were only a couple of interesting points for post-production folk. Nick is excited that humanity is a step closer towards having a personal JARVIS. (http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/8/8745353/apple-wwdc-2015-highlights-announcements-recap)

Follow us on Twitter and let us know what you think of this episode (www.twitter.com/CommandEdit)

They are the holy trinity of networking tools for any post-production minion: the business card, the demo reel and the CV.

There are those who swear by them and label them as must-haves. Others think differently and choose to not use them at all. Which camp are you in?

Every editor means to get around to updating his/her CV or reel but it seems to only become a priority when you receive an email from a producer asking for them before they can hire you.

Nick and Josh discuss the benefits to using each to score your next job, and how you can use them more efficiently. Plus we explain why and when we don't bother using them at all.

Does the concept of an editing demo reel even make sense?

Are business cards a good investment or is there a better way to give your info that costs you less?

Should you create a CV or is it okay to just link to your IMDB page?

Follow us on Twitter and tweet us if you use any of these tools to nail down jobs.

Nowadays it seems like you can throw a stone and hit 5 editors. The industry has exploded over the past decade and in the struggle to get noticed and hired some have taken different approaches. Some treat other editors strictly as competition and work hard at improving their own skills and marketing themselves. Some treat other editors as collaborators, brothers-in-arms to team up with and support one another in their careers.

It may seem that taking the competitive approach is a negative one, but there are some advantages to it. As well, there are times when collaborating and building a team can help further everyone in attaining a booming career.

Somehow Nick manages to squeeze in Nash's Equilibrium theory and a strategy for getting laid into his explanation on how to decide whether to compete or collaborate.

Not everyone is looking for someone to collaborate with (or be a mentor to) and you can expect some to not react well to a proposition to work together for experience. Listen at the [30:28] mark for a story about an encounter Nick had with a gruff veteran photographer and the price he had on working together.

SHAMELESS PLUG TIME:

Nick's first feature edited for Black Fawn Films was recently released. The Drownsman (2013) was the first time Nick worked on the edit of a film while it was in production and it changed his career path forever. It's available on iTunes for $12.99 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-drownsman/id982105972) and on Amazon on DVD/Blu-Ray (http://www.amazon.ca/Drownsman-Blu-ray-Import/dp/B00UJH1R60/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434465267&sr=8-1&keywords=the+drownsman).

Josh has released a blog series titled "Over the Editor's Shoulder" chronicling a new series he is editing. It's split into 4 parts and you can see his daily progress and tips for editing faster. http://www.editvideofaster.com/otes-part1/

We start out with a couple of shout-outs to some of our loyal listeners and retweeters so far.

Jaclyn Rogers, Michael Cardilio and Rachel Bogan have been some of our top contributors this past week. Thanks for tweeting us and for sharing our episodes.

The Shameless Plugs of the Week: Nick is back from the set of Bed of the Dead, the latest horror feature from Black Fawn Films that he was editing on-set while they were filming.

Internet fans were abuzz with opinions on the Supergirl 6-minute "trailer" for the TV series premiering in the fall. It was described by some as "The Devil Wears Prada mixed with that SNL Black Widow parody trailer. Some editors have taken it upon themselves to re-edit the trailer by slimming it down considerably and amping up the action while ditching a lot of the "ditzy, urban girl problems" material. Nick has started cutting his own version, too.

How do you set up your editing suite and office so that you can better concentrate and do your best work? Some editors have personal touches that they put on their work space, personalizing it and making it there own. Some are neat and tidy. Others are messy and more decorative. Some swear by 18% grey walls and balanced lighting. Others not so much.

There are some things that you can do to improve your work space and allow you to edit better. Listen on to hear from Nick and Josh and about what might work for you.

This episode is brought to you by ScreenLight, the service that allows you to easily share and collaborate with others helping to get your project to approval faster.

This episode marks the first of our podcast that has an official sponsor. Screenlight saves you time on your editing projects and makes you look like a pro in the eyes of your client. Upload your videos to a customizable gallery with ease and allow your clients to easily offer frame-accurate feedback. It’s a great service that gets projects to delivery quickly, which is a win for everyone. Both Josh and Nick have used it for both commercial and feature-length productions and it has proven to be an incredibly valuable tool. The best part is it’s 100% free for you to start using right now. Head over to Screenlight and sign up to use it for your projects now.

For shameless plugs this week: Nick hosts another podcast called Limited Release that features reviews of web series and insightful interviews with filmmakers. Check it out to hear all about how web series are produced and which ones are worth watching. Josh has started one-on-one coaching for those who look to improve their editing game. Whether they want to become more efficient with AVID Media Composer, get better at dealing with clients or market yourself better, head over to Edit Video Faster to sign up for an intro session with him.

Michael “Dorkman” Scott is a VFX artist who was struck by a car a year ago and has been on a long, arduous road to recovery. You may know him from the viral Ryan vs. Dorkman video series from the mid-2000’s that were pretty much the first successful Star Wars fan films. His recovery has been covered by his family through the Support Dorkman Facebook Page and just recently he celebrated being able to enjoy a walk outside with some support. Michael, you’re an incredibly person and we all wish you a full recovery. We look forward to seeing you swinging a light sabre again.

An editor is only as good as their edit suite. Well, that may not be entirely true, but it’s incredibly important to maintain your computer’s health and keep it at peak performance. The task list to do so can be dizzying: back up hard drives, upgrade your processor and RAM, and constantly researching new computers and accessories. Plus the rate that technology is changing stresses the need to stay on top of all of this. How long have you had your computer for without upgrading it? Do you have any regular tasks you do monthly to keep your computer running strong?

Your projects will rarely go perfectly according to plan. Because of this every editor develops his/her own workarounds to issues that tend to pop up. We discuss a few that we personally use and how being a skilled editor also means being a skilled problem-solver.

Enjoy this episode and check out our page of episodes to listen to ones you may have missed.

It's incredibly easy and all too common for a career in post-production to take over your life.

There's the high demand of time from your employers, there's the passion that we all feel about our work that pulls us deeper into it, and when we're not actively working we are training or searching for opportunities. Not all of our family and friends understand the commitment we must put into our careers. As we progress in our careers, the rest of our lives can take a backseat. Our passion to be successful at work can come with the risk of losing relationships, our health, or any other priorities we may have in our lives.

Not to mention that lately it's become obvious to many that an unhealthy balance between our personal lives and our work lives can ultimately cause a detriment in the quality of our work.

So how do we maintain a healthy balance between our lives at our desk and our lives away from it? Josh and I discuss some tips on how we tackle that challenge, and how you can approach it, too.

Let us know how you feel about setting boundaries between work and life and if you've ever felt that strain between the two.

Speaking of setting boundaries, have you ever been approached for a job you felt like turning down but wasn't sure how to do it without upsetting the client? It's an important skill to recognize when you should say no to a job (whether it's beyond your skill level, you don't have time to do it, or the budget is not enough for the work involved), and it's another entirely to say no professionally. Here is how you can do it.

Tweet us at @CommandEdit about how you found this episode to be helpful for you.

Once you've got your edit suite pimped out and are open for business, how do you then find work? In this episode we discuss how we each market ourselves and pursue all of the prospective jobs out there.

Those who believe "If you build it, they will come" will find themselves out of work very quickly. The jobs are out there and waiting for you to go after them. Here are some ways that Josh and I chase those editing gigs and set yourself up to receive repeat work from clients.

Do you consider yourself a generalist or a specialist? These are two different schools of thought on how to successfully position yourself in the market and be poised for the maximum number of opportunities. Would you rather be a one-stop-shop who can take on any type of editing job or be known as an expert in one particular niche market? There are obviously pros and cons to both, so let's talk about what those are and how to decide which one is right for you.

This podcast is a two-way street, folks. We want to hear from you so tweet us at @CommandEdit or email us at CommandEditPodcast@gmail.com.

Did you like the show? Write us a review on iTunes and you will be helping us be seen more in searches and otherwise fluffing our egos a little bit.

By the way if you want to see what Josh looks like when he's not wearing a collared shirt, head over to the blog to see.

"What program do you use to edit with?"

It's that damn question that every editor gets asked all of the time. And those who are just starting out in the industry also obsess over it. So we set the record straight for each of us, explaining which programs we use and why (Avid and Premiere respectively for Josh and Nick). And then we talk about why it's not nearly as important a question as you may think.

The first steps in starting a project can really influence how smoothly it will go for you. Each of us has their own way of beginning a project. We give some of our own habits and techniques that we follow and how they can help you in starting your edit. Got some tips to keeping your projects organized from the start? Share them with us.

Josh wrote an article for Screenlight's blog, Success Tips from Five Experienced Editors. It's a good read and Nick even got a couple of words featured in there somewhere. There are some good tips in here for anyone looking to get ahead as an editor.

Tweet us at @CommandEdit or email us at CommandEditPodcast@gmail.com

In each episode Josh and I will be fighting the urge to talk endlessly about our own personal projects, but we will include a short "Shameless Plug" segment at the beginning to briefly promote a project we're working on. What are you working on? Tweet us with your Shameless Plug for whatever you're working on.

In this business you've got to keep coming up with new ideas all of the time. But how do you deal with that feeling of being outside of your comfort zone (or trying to get a client outside of their's)? Nick's segment comes from a documentary editing workshop he attended recently, which isn't his usual type of work but learning new skills can be beneficial to your current work.

You have a goal you want to achieve? How do you take that first step towards getting there? Josh's segment is about how to find the determination to take that first step out the door to start a large project, take your business in a new direction or run a marathon. You have a list of things you'd like to do in your lifetime, so decide to yourself that you will take that first step, figure out what it is and GO DO SOMETHING.

"Do something new. Do something different."

Tweet us @CommandEdit or write to us at CommandEditPodcast@gmail.com

Once upon a time there were two editors who yearned for a podcast that discussed topics on post-production. Not just post at the desk, but post BEYOND the desk as well.

When these two editors met, the Command+Edit Podcast was borne.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Command+Edit Podcast. Find out what's going on in the post-production industry, editing workflow tips and other resources to help you understand editing better. But also we'll ways to improve your lifestyle away from the desk: keeping yourself physically and mentally fit, balancing work commitments with personal ones, and improving your business skills while pursuing your career in post.

Get introduced to Nick and Josh in this first episode. Find out how we set out to make a podcast on post that's different from the rest.

First up, how to keep the creative juices pumpin' each day while moving from timeline-to-timeline. And how taking a bit of time each day to keep yourself fit can really give your work a boost.