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Film and Video Editors

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.

What you’d do

  • 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.
  • Review assembled films or edited videotapes on screens or monitors to determine if corrections are necessary.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Learning
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Speaking

How to get there

Considerable preparation: most need a four-year bachelor's degree

Also called

  • Editor
  • Film Editor
  • News Editor
  • Video Editor
  • News Video Editor
  • News Videotape Editor

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