TK Assistant Inquiry

[Mark David Kelly]

Hello.

 

I am interested in becoming a telecine assistant. While I have a general understanding of the telecine workflow, I was hoping someone could elaborate specifically on what a facility is seeking when hiring a TK assistant and also a brief outline of the day to day duties of a TK assistant.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Elliot Rudmann]

Hello.

 

I am interested in becoming a telecine assistant. While I have a general understanding of the telecine workflow, I was hoping someone could elaborate specifically on what a facility is seeking when hiring a TK assistant and also a brief outline of the day to day duties of a TK assistant.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Aside from knowing how to operate/thread the telecine machine and the color correction system you're using, knowledge of tape decks and laying off finished products/transfer-selects to tape is definitely an essential trait one needs when going into that type of work. Every post house works differently so there's no set outline I can give you of what you'd be doing on a day-to-day basis. Depending on how confident the colorist you're assisting is with you, he/she may have you do base grades on a conformed piece (if you're transferring selects). Prepping the room for clients, getting them lunch/coffee may also be some duties.

 

Try to get an internship with a post house (preferably one that specializes in doing digital intermediate/film scanning vs straight telecine, as that seems to be where the business is heading). Make sure you stress that color correction is the field in which you want to build your career (which I assume it is because it's the most logical step forward in a telecine/colorist assistant's career). Obviously learn as much as you can from the colorist, TAKE NOTES, always offer to work late, get them coffee, and do whatever you can to get your hands on that color system. It takes a lot of time, a lot of mistakes, a lot of trust from others to get to where you want (a rule of thumb for most jobs).