For those of you wondering what I do for my "real" job... I edited a feature film called AmericanEast which is now out on DVD.

It stars Tony Shalhoub and others and is about a Muslim family living in LA. Think Do the Right Thing meets Crash meets Arab America.

Check it out:

AmericanEast (Netflix)

AmericanEast (IMDB)

AmericanEast (Amazon)

Hey Chris, that's awesome. I'm going to put it in my queue.

Could you explain the process of how an editor gets a job like this? I'm just curious. Are you with the production company? Did you put in a bid for the project? Did you call in some favors? Were you the favor being called in? I'm just interested in how it all works, so if you had a moment I'd appreciate it

The short version?

When I first moved out to LA in 2001 I got a gig at a post house as an assistant editor on music videos.

One of the editor's that I assisted there got offered a feature film in 2002 and brought me on as an assistant editor on the feature.

In 2005? 2004? I got a call out of the blue from the producer on that film and he asked if I wanted to edit a low budget feature that he was producing.

Which was:

The Dead One (IMDB)

The Dead One (Netflix)

The director of that film then brought me on to edit AmericanEast which he produced... and then onto the film that I'm finishing up right now.

So you see - it's the random jobs and connections you make in this business. In the meantime between all of these features I was cutting alot of music videos too.

Interpol - Slow Hands

Five for Fighting - Devil in the Wishing Well

Jessisca Simpson - With You

I loved doing music videos - not much money in it now though.

Plus - there's something to be said about being employed these days on a nine month gig versus a week in this economy...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Studentfilms.com,

Congrats, Chris! I'll add 'em both to my queue!

Added some links to old music videos that I cut above too. I haven't seen them in a while - I love the Interpol and Five for Fighting one... I put the Jessica Simpson one up as that was my first big break as a music video editor - it was nominated for VMA too!