Navigating Client Relationships...Remotely
Q&A with Jake Benjamin, Freelance Commercial and Short-form Video Editor
The Freelancers: Tell us who you are.
Jake B: I'm Jake B, your friendly neighborhood editor from Brooklyn, New York. My specialty is crafting short-fom concise narratives that pack a punch, delivering compelling stories that resonate.
The Freelancers: What led you to freelance editing in the first place?
Jake B: One of my friends in college was having trouble figuring something in Avid. He knew I was good at computers and asked me to help. I opened the program and it was love at first sight. Within a week I decided to change majors to film.
The Freelancers: Day rates vs project rates. Who you taking?
Jake B: I tend to prefer day rates. Scheduling and billing are more straightforward, and I don't have to engage in as many conversations about scope changes.
The Freelancers: How do you navigate working remotely with clients?
Jake B: Honestly, working remotely has worked very well for me. It's nice to have full control over my environment. I feel more creative and get more done faster and more efficiently. As long as I have the right tools and a clear line of communication with clients, things go pretty smoothly.
Jake B: Even on the really difficult stuff like the Timbaland Campaign for Verizon. We were doing something new. To show how the Samsung Galaxy Z series remixes your life Verizon had Timbaland write an original track to get remixed by an AI bot trained on his biggest hits. Then if fans retweeted the video they would get their own version of the song with personal shoutouts, a custom track, and location callouts just for them.
I needed to edit all the normal campaign stuff but was also editing the custom music video and helping figure out creative solutions on the fly as we were figuring out what this music video should be. The deadlines were tight but the communication was good. We did a lot of live edit sessions a lot of outside-the-box thinking, and the campaign was a success.
The Freelancers: What technology has helped bridge the gap between you and those you work with?
Jake B: The most important tools for remote work are Frame.io for posting and Louper for live edit sessions.
The Freelancers: Do you find it easier or more difficult to connect with other creatives, producers, designers and directors when you're not face to face?
Jake B: It's definitely more challenging. I have to put in more effort into maintaining my client relationships, reaching out more, and ensuring I make the most of any face-to-face interactions, whether they be through emails, Zoom calls, or live edit sessions.
The Freelancers: How do you go about building long term and continuous opportunities with your clients?
Jake B: I reach out every once in a while, am active on LinkedIn sometimes making funny little availability cards, and always try to anticipate my clients' needs before they have to ask. It's worked out pretty well so far.
The Freelancers: After years of freelancing, what's been the biggest challenge or change in the industry?
Jake B: I've always struggled with imposter syndrome. It's never changed; nothing is more intimidating than a blank timeline. That said, I trust the process. History has proven that I always get where I need to be (and then some).
The Freelancers: If you were stuck on a deserted island (with wifi and a computer) what 3 items would you bring with you to make a killer edit?
Jake B:
A pen and paper. Sometimes I like to write out my ideas
Snacks, I hate editing hungry
And thatâs it. As long as I have footage nothing else really matters.
Jake Benjamin is a freelance Commercial and Short-form Editor based in NYC. www.jaketotheb.com