OK this post is a little different, and not directly about using Premiere, instead I want to talk a little about work at home. Most editors have switched to working at home during the covid-19 pandemic because it just isn’t safe to work in an office.

Personally, I have absolutely loved it. I am married and I own a house, and have dogs, so I love being home as I can see my wife and dogs, I can start laundry at lunch, and most off no commute.

The commute in Los Angeles is always brutal, I would say it averages an hour each way a day, but can be much worse. I worked a job in Long Beach and it was 2 hours each way, every day, and the day it started there were fires and my drive took 4 and a half hours to get there and 3 and a half to get home. I don’t mind never commuting again. Hell on The Hobbit behind the scenes, where we forced into 12 hour days, I started at 5 am so at least my morning commute was better.

I hate the commute, but also getting ready for work. Now I can just wear sweatpants, which is so much more comfortable, but it is also the time getting my ice and water bottles and ice tea. And even more so it is being able to spend that time with my wife and my dogs and sit on my couch. And when work is done, to be able to go right to making dinner. Or even starting some dinner early so you can eat bot longer after finishing dinner. Maybe some of it comes down to being married and having a house and loving being home.

What I was surprised about, was a thread on a post production Facebook group about the topic, where I would say 2/3 of people hate work at home or would prefer to return to an edit bay (at least half), while the rest loved work at home. This blew my mind as if I had a choice I would never return to an office.

Most said social interaction was what they missed, others thought editing went better in real time in a bay, less versions, others wanted to get out if their home as there were too many distractions, and people also said not having a powerful enough machine or fast enough internet at home.

OK so I have loved worked at home forever, my first real editing job was on the Lord of the Rings behind the scenes and I did all those from home and it was wonderful, just went in tor screenings.

Honestly when at home, I get more work done, I don’t get distracted by people at work, and I spend less time surfing the net, and can focus better without being distracted.

And my home computer is better than most computers I have run into at work, and even if the machine was more powerful, it is not as customized as mine, and it isn’t just keyboard shortcuts. Never has as many plug-ins, other pieces of software, nor pieces of hardware, like my Tangent Wave, Ergo keyboard, Elgato Streamdeck or my trackball. And software like LaunchBar speeds up everything I do on the computer. So everything I do is more efficient on my own computer.

And I do get working on secure things for studios is harder being at home, but certainly not impossible or more expensive than maintaining edit bays. 

And the argument that the investment for new post people is ridiculous. First off most assistants will at least have to start in an office. And they can save up for a system. I had to have a system or I would not have been able to get my first edit job. And honestly all editors should be learning new things or at least new features on their home machines.

And the social thing. Sure I get making relationships with people, but when editing, personally I would rather have the least distractions possible. And when I am eating lunch (when I diet I fast and don’t eat till dinner) I would rather bring lunch and eat while working, because it means leaving for home 30 minutes early, and I would always rather be home.

As for it taking longer, and not being in person, well something should be worked out for that. I have heard of people using blackmagic boxes to live stream, and being able to switch to a camera at the press of a button. Need a secure method to do this that is studio approved. I am going to research a solution to this more, from Blackmagic ATEM Mini or I was also thinking about streaming boxes from Elgato. Screenings in person do always make you see issues you didn’t see before.

And speaking of tech, I have seen posts on the same facebook forums on local raids with custom cloud syncing software, with built in encryption. This way you are given most files and keep them organized the same, then just syncing new graphics. This would be amazing with a solution like Adobe Teams for project management.

As for notes, I like e-mailed and time-coded notes, written down so I know what they want. I hate taking notes because you always miss stuff (or things don’t get said). I am good at taking notes, but I would rather have e-mailed notes or Frame.io markers. 

I really do hope work at home is an option after the pandemic, because for me it is how I would always like to work. I have loved it since I first got to do it.

Now the biggest problem with working at home in California is the AB5 legislation which has made 1099 and Schedule C work basically illegal. So to write off your home computer and software, in California you have to incorporate and then be double taxed, as the corporation and then paying yourself, which negates at least some of the money you would save in write offs. And to work at home you need a smoking fast rig and screaming fast internet connection, that got much harder to write off.