Television is going through a(nother) Golden Age. With the influx of streaming companies to the entertainment sphere, there have never been more TV programs to watch than today. For colorists and online editors like Alex Parnell, this means ample work and incoming clients.
Today marks the first episode of a three-part series in this edition of CineCast: A Cinedeck Podcast. Designed to elevate the voices of creative professionals in the field of media, film, and television, CineCast dove into Parnell’s freelance journey as a colorist to unpack the vision and software the guides his work.
On the first part of this series, we got to know Alex Parnell, president of Splitting Lanes Entertainment. He elaborated on what drew him to the creative field of media and why the freelance lifestyle worked best for him.
“I love taking footage …and figuring out what’s wrong with it,” he said.
The field is full of challenges and hiccups, but the daily life of a freelancer never looks the same, a quirk of the job that Parnell thrives on. With an ever-changing office, he must remain flexible to the tools and apparatus he has to work with. Different monitors, panels, and button configuration add extra challenges to the job, but the joy, freedom, and financial benefits of being a freelancer outweigh the extra effort.
With the world of entertainment demanding fast turnaround, Parnell explained how long days can work against colorists trying to set themselves apart. Despite the struggles, the reward of the final deliverable is worth the industry uncertainty.
“I love it when someone comes to me and something isn’t working and we’re able to make it work,” he said.