The Rough Cut Lady song

[Wrendercow]

Ultimately, clients are the ones who keep us in business.  Treat them well.

[masenko25]

Anything "placeholder" is completely foreign to clients. This happened to me...

Client: Why does all of the stock footage look low-res and say "iStockvideo" on them?

[joporter84]

HA! This is so incredibly true..

[19410831]

Another true one...

Exec: There will be something over the black bits, won't there?

Producer: Nah - I thought I'd just leave them -black is the new black, you know!

[19410831]

Exec: It's a bit sync-heavy, can we say it in V/O?

Producer: I don't think we can say it better than she does herself...

Exec: OK - you can use her words - but I just want to hear them said by the Presenter...

[leproducer2]

I think if you've made this song it's because it must happen a lot of editors out there! And yes I am definitely one of them!!!! Well sung guys!

[Prizm4Music]

in my experience, never show a rough cut unless it's 99% done. The negative perception is not worth it.

[ViralBaby]

Disturbingly true, the only thing is people like to say "obviously" beforehand.

"Obviously we're going to put something over those black spots right?"

[creolefreak22]

It's good. Real good. Nice. We're there. Change everything.

[abjectboy]

What the client says and what they think

Thanks for your effort (this guy makes video production look so easy)

We'll call you next time we have a video job (F that, let's just use anyone in the office to try and make our next video)

... some clients just don't understand what a creative skillset you need 4 video production. Planning, people management, lighting, camera/audio skills, editing, graphics and web design, DVD authoring, encoding and the experience to let them know the way 'IT' is

[abjectboy]

We shot this ourselves - what can you do with it?

[eClickNick]

haha... so true. I love it.

[blunckhouse]

Save what you have done, but let's go another direction. We'll circle up on it in the morning.

[leecooker]

Or of course, the classic "where's my Master Beta?"

Do you mind if I make a call on speakerphone?

Hi, Frank, this is MY editor -- he makes me look like a genius!!

[welchcompositions]

hahahaha

[traikman]

"Do you have a better take you can use?"

"Oh, you want the GOOD take? Why didn't you just say so? I normally save those for emergencies."

[videofarmer]

"That's good, but make it even creppier"

"OK, no problem"

"And get rid of the dissolves. We don't use them on this show, just cuts"

"Ummm..."

[markdriver42]

Make it look edgier... ok now more magical.

Ok, now split the difference.

[RTiedgen]

This made my life better. Work will be much easier after this.

[vanimages]

Legal says we need to lose that weird set of numbers on the bottom...

[sandcrest]

"I don't think a dissolve is right . . . What wipes do you have? . . . Just go through them and I'll tell you which one I like." (an hour later) "Hey, let's try a dissolve . . . nice. . . We should have gone with that in the first place."

[vagrant1]

"Can you make it a little less final cut pro -ey... and a bit more... after effectsy?"

Then he walks out of the room...

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHH­H!

[murfsa]

Give credit where credit is due, this came from discovery marketing a couple years back and it is true "marketing genius"

[GardnerLou]

Her: Can you change the angle on this?

Me: I'm not quite sure I know what you mean.

Her: Like in the Matrix how you can see the person from all angles, can't you do that like as an effect?

Me: No, but maybe I just haven't found the button for that yet.

[sandcrest]

I had someone ask me, too. If you ever find that button, let me know.

[hackeditor]

you should add a line about dummy trax, like "I don't know if I like the announcer", and then "like I said, it's only temporary."

[filmcarteldotorg]

"those numbers are so distracting when I try to watch the edit, its hard for me to judge the work if they are there. Just fix that spot where that one thing happens. You know where I mean"

Ugh.

[pdrew001]

What kind of music do I want? The spot's for a dog kennel. Don'cha have, like, dog kennel music?

[erikzimm]

I was cutting a piece for an ESPN show I worked on several years ago. I was cueing up the tape for my producer, and I asked him what timecode the next shot was at, to which he said "12 million, 213 thousand, 416." To which I said, "what?" And he showed me the number, and then I said, "oh, you mean 12 hours, 21 minutes, 34 seconds and 16 frames?"

[Ekkobelli]

HAHAHAHAH! Genius at work!

[ahmyerda]

I cut a football promo once, all goals and celebrations. We showed to our head of sport before it was done so there were a few black holes. He was impressed, and i assured him that once we'd found some good celebs to fill the gaps it would look great.

'What? That's a terrible idea.  Why would you put celebs in it? I can't see what that would add to it.'

'But theres celebs already in it. We show one after every goal!'

'Oh right. I thought you meant celeb like Rod Stewart or something.'

[SymphonicX]

another one I did myself...!!

Working for a huge corporate media company in the UK, I was walking up the stairs towards the edit suites when a guy approached me near the foot of the staircase and asked..."have you got an opener for me?"..I had no idea who he was and just laughed and said "no"...I wasn't cutting an opener for this bloke!!!

He actually meant a pass so he could open the door...a door opener....ugh

[SymphonicX]

my two favourites:

"Why are some tapes big and some tapes small?"

"Can you make it look grungy and sleek and sci-fi?".....

erm.......

This one's not really post-prod related but still a doozy....this was said on a teleshopping channel selling an inferior HD TV....(broadcasting on an SD channel)

"Look at the quality of the picture....it's just amazing as you can see, and you'll be future proofing yourself for the switchover..."

Switchover from SD to HD?Jumping the gun aren't we?

[greggie100]

Oh, and one I've had a client say....

" We'd like the music to be like drum and bass....... but without the drums and bass."

[greggie100]

My God, how true this is.

A friend told me once that a colleague of hers, after getting tierd of her client constantly wanting all the graphics in red and gold, told the client that the Quantel had run out of black and gold and they's have to order more in.....

[burlone718]

I was cutting a Charlie Chaplin promo and the producer asked me if all the footage was in black and white. I told her that color film was thought to be the tool of the devil, I swear for about ten seconds she beleaved me.

[sandcrest]

Oh my God, I love saying stuff like that to the client with a straight face. It shows how little they really know about the process.

[LAapplesauce]

Absolutely Brilliant, and oh so true!

[bradtcordeiro]

Why is the timecode on there?

[Spacebassfilms]

Will there be picture where the black is now? That would really help move it along.

[osiriscorleone]

That's phenomenal.

[bigcityjunkie]

Perfect. I love it. Approved. Well done. I just have to quickly run it by marketing, legal, the board, the sister company's board, my mum, the company mascot and the homeless guy who sleeps out front, and we should be good to go.

I don't forsee any problems. It's not like you can 'Unapprove' something is it! A har-har.

[carombilliards]

This is shot in DROP FRAME! I specifically told you to shoot in NON-DROP FRAME so that the contrast would be better - like FILM.

[Metagg]

I'm not seeing anything but numbers. This isn't a good video. It looks like you need to put some more time into it. Good try. Is this what you were planning to broadcast? You need more visuals. The sound is good. I can't think with those numbers constantly counting, I don't see the need to have them up there. I'm not going to pay you for your "service"... you are a terrible editor. Could you put this onto a CD so I can show my lawyer?  Your yellow pages ad said "Professional Service"

[Zanshin1982]

This is perfect, now we're going to need French and Spanish versions by 5pm today.

[bg215pa]

After we finish the rough cut we need to run it by legal.

[sparkmedia1]

What's that? Your IT department doesn't allow you to install QuickTime? Oh, and you can't send me the logo because the attachment is too large? And you can't FTP? Do you mean to say that you can't access our web site because it's blocked? This is an AD Agency I'm talking to... right?

[BattyBob78]

Hmmmm....I was something for more "modern."

[joewilbyshowreel]

can you make it a bit more intense, but in a chilled out way

[designerwhite]

I once got... a little more transparent, but more opaque.

[joewilbyshowreel]

id say that was "medium funny"

[mynogo]

Genius. Of course it was the lady's idea.

[eb32323232]

This is longer than :60

[BattyBob78]

Did marketing sign off on this?

[karinavision]

I just experienced a rough cut lady. Thank you for helping me laugh this off.

[sillitoechris]

One exec comment on adding some more lines of VO - 'Can we riff on that statement?' - like they were Eric Flaming Clapton, Ha Ha.

[lynnguppy]

this constantly helps me get through my week. i heart it.

[eyestormproductions]

Perfect!

[ZeldaSweet]

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[savagerush]

We'll shoot this in HD so it looks good on a iPhone....

[BattyBob78]

Oh shit. Next time I hear that. Someone's getting a donkey punch.

[joshrockman]

"We'll fix it in post"

"This is post"

"AAhhhhhh"!!

[Jkidd2us]

Do we have to use a microphone to get the sound?

[Cre8tvMG]

I've actually had a client say "Will those numbers be there in the final video?" Oh I was tempted to sell them on the concept! "Yah - it's really edgy and behind-the-scenes: no one else is doing this yet." But conscience doth make cowards of us all...

[javitag]

this is rought right?

[seekew]

Is that the final grade? I think it should be a bit greener.

[jasongracey]

Bring the music down by five hertz.

[forcefedmedia]

What are those numbers moving on the screen?

[forcefedmedia]

Did we shoot this in HD?

[forcefedmedia]

Is this in HD?

[RacerExx]

Could we trim that back two frames?

[angrynikki]

can we go a little bigger on the font and is that as big as we can get the logo?

[BlueAnam]

It's not going to look like that is it?

[ravingape]

Dead on!

[malachy14]

Isn't there supposed to be a picture? I mean, we are going to use the footage we shot, aren't we?

[starbuckscowgut17]

this is based off of real american hero's from bud light comercials

[tequila444]

can you make that more dynamic? and bring the supers south by 10%.

[lumopix]

I think our demo skews a little older than this is scanning.

[frankglee3]

lets go ahead and split the difference on that one

[UTubeSnob]

It's like the fly on the wall took notes about my life. YOU ROCK! You have no idea how many times I sat in sessions with the "Rough Cut Lady". After this I think I can do another 10 years in this industry.

[trouble6]

I told that art scool faggot to say it AND super it.

[PopMuse3]

could we make it more 'alive'? Needs to feel 'Vibey'. I'd like the color Yellow, yes, let yellow inspire the next cut. good start, needs to find the funny, you'll get it there.

[seekew]

I disagree PopMuse3. I think this is very fresh and original. It's really nailed the youth zeitgeist with it's pure simplicity and complex undertones. Why not take a DVD back to the office and watch it in downtime with new eyes...

[dweeper1020]

Why is the timecode on it?

[automaticab]

finally, this is long over due!!! Wish we had thought of it. I wish I could anonymously send it to one of our clients; she fits the description perfectly. Thanks.

[crazylovefilm]

Brilliant