There is an inherent prerequisite for parenthood.
This may sound strange if you don't have kids, but it will make sense to parents and... video editors!
I refer to it as:
The ability to acknowledge that, in some instances, you have to act like a parent and not like a friend toward your kid.
If you are a parent, you know you need to set clear boundaries for your kid and consistently check if he/she crosses them!
Does he/she play with a friend? You need double the awareness!
What if there is a third friend in the game? Then it's an exponentially bigger task to set and check boundaries for all three of them!
And if you wanna be their fourth friend and play with them? Then you have to set boundaries for you too!
Why is that?
Because...
- Friends tend to 'play with fire'.
- Parents tend to 'keep it safe'.
But what if you don’t want to remove the joy from your kid’s and his friend's playtime?
You do it like this...
You first 'set' the boundaries. Then you let them play inside and say 'You are free to do whatever you want'.
You let them 'get wild' but only inside the playground, not on the street.
It's a trick, a way to let them explore their creativity and freedom but in a 'safe' and protective environment.
Now, you may find this statement strange, but sometimes…
Clients are like kids...
Editors are like their parents!
Clients like to go 'overboard' when they shouldn’t, and you need to be their guardian angel, silently watch over them, acting quickly, and preventing them from being harmed by sharp knives or hot stoves.
The Editing Bay is the playground where Clients should always 'play' and be creative while feeling 'protected'.
But if things get out of hand, you may have to step in and do 'damage control'.
Sometimes, you may even have to pull them aside and explain the consequences of their actions and the cost they have to pay!
It needs great discernment to evaluate which are those instances and diplomacy, but inevitably, there will be a day you will have to choose your 'role' against your client:
Are you their Friend or their Parent?
It is great when we share the same playful feelings and express our creativity, but we can't be both simultaneously.
- Our work is not always to be 'a friend' to the client.
- Our work is to know when we will be 'the parent' and how to protect the client.
-Yannis
