The Programs Required for Film and Video Editing

Film and video editing requires knowledge of certain programs, and a creative mind to turn any idea into a reality. There are different kinds of film editors such as audio editors, and video editors, but the more preferred editor is someone who can manage both. A job is tough to acquire just after beginning the career. A good place to start is an assistant in a movie production, and slowly climb the corporate ladder (Dannenfeldt). Connections to highly praised people are essential because getting referrals from people could be the deciding factor in getting a job. The career is full of twists and turns that keep it enjoyable. Film editing is an interesting career that requires a special set of skills, an education in creative courses, and on-the-job experience.

A desired degree for being a video editor would be a bachelor's degree. A great school to earn an education that can give any editor a slight advancement in the field would be Full Sail University. Full Sail is located in Orlando, Florida and has one of the most prestigious computer labs out of most colleges. The lowest tuition for just the classes can be about thirty thousand dollars or about eighty thousand dollars for room and board, classes, programs, books, lab fees, and other educational charges. Full Sail University is a little bit over one thousand miles from Schwenksville, Pennsylvania where I live (“Full Sail University”). The SAT scores are not stated as the recommended education is no more than a bachelor’s degree. The school offers multiple programs including film, design, and programming that can be a major deciding factor between colleges (“Full Sail University”). One of the only education recommended is a bachelor’s degree because the career is based more on skill level rather than proper training in the field. After schooling, it is time to start the hard work and to get your name out there.

An average work day, if an editor is hired for a job, is spending around eight hours a day working on effects, syncing audio, clip transitions, etc and learning to perfect them. The average salary is about fifty thousand dollars a year, but of course it is determined on the project they are given, how experienced they are, and of course, how long they have a job. Dependent on the city, and estimated starting salary is about thirty thousand dollars a year. After about ten to fifteen years of experience, an estimated salary would be about sixty thousand to seventy thousand dollars. Usually there is not a salary increase based on education, most companies only look for a bachelor’s degree, some do not even look for any education. A good city to consider would be Hollywood or Orlando as they have a very productive movie and film community (“Film and Video Editors: California”).

Good time management is needed to finish a product on time. Clients will want an estimated time that the project will be finished by, and it is your job to give them a time range and stick to your own deadline. Knowledge is power and will help a true editor succeed. If they do not know what they are working with, they will never be able to finish the product. Time management, people skills, knowledge of the software, and creative thinking are all essential parts on editing videos. They show that a person is responsible and fully capable of completing the work they are given. Usually video editors are not given “vacation time” because the project needs to be in constant motion. An editor’s time off is the time in which they should be looking for more work. If any time off is given at all, it will usually be national holidays, and about two full paid weeks (Gordon 114). Usually if someone works independently, they will not retire until they need to. Most healthcare plans need to be paid by the editor himself, as they will not work for the same company or on more than one project if they are independent. Depending on the city, a job can either be easy or very hard to get. A job is less about availability and more of the name that a person has made for themselves. With so many people all doing the same business, a person wanting a job needs to stand out.

It is truly hard to pinpoint an exact number of editors because there is a very fine line between being a professional and a freelancer. Anyone, in theory, could pick up the programs and become an editor in an instant (“What Can I Do Now?”). Other jobs in film could be directors, storyboard, audio manager, photographer, cameraman, etc.

Andrew Kramer, a famous internet video editor, started as a small scale freelancer and after submitting his tutorials to YouTube, he became a household name for video editing, developing a website called VideoCopilot and developing amazing plugins for software such as “Element 3D,” he now makes tutorials and effects that are commonly used in new movies. He is truly an inspiration to the video editing community and got there from doing the job his way.

Video editing is a DIY job, where the editor makes all the choices and decisions. Video editing is a very exciting job where a person finally has control of their products. The job market is all about self-image and how a person presents themselves. It requires creative thinking, time management, education in creative courses, and on-the-job experience. An editor’s salary is based on their hard work, determination, and ability to be persistent. The job can get rough at times, but a job well done can make it all worth it.