Career Overview
Edit moving images on film, video, or other media. May work with a producer or director to organize images for final production. May edit or synchronize soundtracks with images.
Also Known As
- Editor
- Film Editor
- News Editor
- Video Editor
Alternate Job Titles
- Content Creator
- Contract Video Editor
- Cue Selector
- Digital Media Coordinator
- Digital Video Editor
- Editor
- Electronic News Gathering Editor (ENG Editor)
- Film Editor
- Filmmaker
- Movie Editor
- Multimedia Specialist
- News Editor
- News Video Editor
- News Videotape Editor
- Non-Linear Editor
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Organize and string together raw footage into a continuous whole according to scripts or the instructions of directors and producers.
- Edit films and videotapes to insert music, dialogue, and sound effects, to arrange films into sequences, and to correct errors, using editing equipment.
- Select and combine the most effective shots of each scene to form a logical and smoothly running story.
- Review footage sequence by sequence to become familiar with it before assembling it into a final product.
- Set up and operate computer editing systems, electronic titling systems, video switching equipment, and digital video effects units to produce a final product.
- Trim film segments to specified lengths and reassemble segments in sequences that present stories with maximum effect.
- Cut shot sequences to different angles at specific points in scenes, making each individual cut as fluid and seamless as possible.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Write scripts.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Telecommunications
- Fine Arts
- Production and Processing
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Information Ordering
- Oral Expression
- Fluency of Ideas
- Written Comprehension
- Visualization
- Speech Clarity
- Originality
- Category Flexibility
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Innovation
- Dependability
- Achievement Orientation
- Adaptability
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- AJAX
- Cascading style sheets CSS
- Extensible markup language XML
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- JavaScript
- Microsoft Excel
Tools & Equipment
- Audio patch bays
- Desktop computers
- Digital video disk DVD recorders
- Digital video editing systems
- Laptop computers
- Network routers
- Personal computers
- Video patch bays
- YouTube.com
Work Environment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
- Spend Time Sitting
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $39,170 |
| Median | $70,980 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $145,900 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 28,860
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Editors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $75,260
Producers and Directors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $83,480
Special Effects Artists and Animators
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,800
Desktop Publishers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $53,620
Media Technical Directors/Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $83,480
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.