Sometimes, the small things make the biggest impressions.
As an assistant editor in TV or feature films, you are responsible for creating a seamless workflow for the editor. You want the editor to be able to walk into work each morning and dive right into the day's tasks. Of course, a huge part of this is getting dailies prepped or making sure that notes are printed, but this tip is about step one.
Automatically Turn On Their Computer
Set up the editor's computer to turn on automatically each morning. Set your computer up the same way. By making sure the computer is on and ready to go you remove one step from the editor's morning to-do list. You can also set Avid Media Composer and the Nexis Client Manager to launch after the computer wakes up, removing one more step from the editor's day.
How To Auto-Start Your Computer on a Mac
Note: For all of these changes, you might need to click the lock in the lower left-hand corner of system preferences, and enter your username and password.
Open Up System Preferences. To do this, go to the menu bar and select Apple > System Preferences. Or, if you have Spotlight Search enabled, hit Command + Space, type in "System Preferences," select it, and hit Enter to open.
Once System Preferences is open, click on Energy Saver.
In Energy Saver, go to the bottom and click on "Schedule..."
Check "Start or wake," change the interval in the drop-down menu to "Weekdays," and then set a time.
For the time, I suggest 30 minutes prior to the editor's usual arrival in the office. In this case, that's 8:30am.
Click "OK" and you're all set.
How To Auto-Launch Applications After Start-Up: Mac
Open Up System Preferences. To do this, go to the menu bar and select Apple > System Preferences. Or, if you have Spotlight Search enabled, hit Command + Space, type in "System Preferences," select it, and hit Enter to open.
Once System Preferences is open, click on Users & Groups.
In Users & Groups, select the "Login Items" tab.
Click the "+" button at the bottom, navigate to AvidMediaComposer and add it to the list. Do not add the Avid Media Composer Folder, be sure to add the application.
You can also add the NexisClientManager, and select the "Hide" box, which will tell it to launch and then hide the application.
How To Auto-Start Your Computer and Launch an Application on a Windows
Open Cortana search from the bottom menu bar, and type in "Task Scheduler"
When Task Scheduler is open, click on "Task Schedule Library"
Click on "Create Task..." in the right-hand sidebar.
In the General Tab:
Create a name for the task, such as "Avid Daily Auto-Start"
Select "Run whether user is logged in or not" and select "Run with highest privileges"
Select OK
In the Triggers Tab:
Select "New..." at the bottom of the box.
Set the trigger to "Daily" starting today.
Set to recur every 1 day.
Check the "enabled" box at the bottom
Click OK
In the Actions Tab:
Select "New..." at the bottom of the box.
Set Action to "Start a New Program"
Click "Browse" and select AvidMediaComposer
Click OK
You can also add NexisClientManager in this tab.
In the Conditions Tab:
Check "Wake the computer to run this task"
In the Settings Tab:
Check "Allow task to run on demand"
Click OK
You're all set.
Will this really make me stand out?
Creating an auto-start feature shows the editor that you're forward-thinking, concerned with efficiency, and looking out for their time and yours. With this simple step, you're letting the editor know that you take their time seriously and that you want to help.
Let us know how this worked for you in the comments.
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