Film Editing Schools and Career Choices

Film Editing Career - What it entails:

Film Editors and film directors work collaboratively during the post production stage of the film-making process and often shortly after (the same day) the actual filming takes place. Access to the material shot each day, known as dailies in the industry is often reviewed by the director and film editor(s) together. This allows the film editor to make detailed notes from the director or producer about which takes and angles he or she may want to us in the final cut of the documentary, short or full-length movie.

Once filming is completed, the film editor spends a lot of time with the director hammering out and choosing the best takes and shots that reflect the director's vision for the finished production. Is it easy? No, not really. Don't count on getting home to your family before 9pm. Editors work hard and long assembling the pieces of scenes and takes to create cuts. Cuts are preliminary versions of the film.

The film director must sign off on each cut until the film satisfies the people financing the project, the director's vision of the completed film and even the actors themselves. It's all an exercise in compromises and often forces conflicts among the parties involved in the film. The film is reworked and revised until the final cut of the movie is ready for audiences. You as a film editor will be caught between the emotions of the director and the actors and film crew. It would be very helpful for a film editor to be very detail-oriented and know the ins and outs of editing such that nothing is lost and everything is organized.

Working as a Film Editor

Diplomacy is a crucial skill for film editors because more than once,the director's artistic vision will differ from the financial backers who want to make a profit. These financial backers are usually the producers. Producers will want the cheapest graphics and will be thinking primarily of how an audience will react to the film and how popular it might become. Directors and screenwriters too are often unwilling to compromise their artistic integrity for the almighty dollar but more often than not, the almighty dollar wins out in the end. The editor's job then is to find that sweet middle ground that everyone is comfortable with. This is not an easy job and can be quite demanding of even the most skilled editors.

Education and Training

The aspiring film editor should have an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in film. Most programs and classes will cover directing, screenwriting, or critique, but there will be some time spent on the all-important technical editing process.

These types of programs give the student chances to work with other aspiring filmmakers,forming professional relationships that last many years. Many times, it's who you know that will make your film editing career a success. Form no relationships during this time or no strong ones and you are unintentionally crippling your career aspirations. Directors often have a favorite editor - sometimes the same editor throughout their careers. Martin Scorcese and his editor, Thelma Schoonmaker are very good examples of this. The two got to know one another by attending the same film school.

Getting a Job in the Industry

Film editors usually start out as a production assistant, or PA, on films. PAs are 'grunt' jobs; thankless. Pay is very low but the work is necessary work needed to keep the wheels of film-making turning smoothly. Everyone depends on the 'grunts' even other crew members. If you're serious about your aspirations, you'll just have to do your best to have fun,to network and gain valuable experience for the future.

Film Editor Salaries

According to the US Department of Labor, www.bls.gov, a film editor working in television or film earns a median salary of $44,000 per year. The top salaries included more than $95,000 per year.

The Outlook For Film Editors

Film editing skills are rapidly being displaced by digital editing skills. You would be better off in your hunt for an appropriate film-editing school online or offline to focus on programs that emphasize digital film editing, digital photography and special effects editing. These are burgeoning fields with tremendous upside in the film industry. Colleges and universities are already beginning to offer more courses in film editing technology. You will be studying traditional film-editing skills in your film history classes. It should also be kept in mind that many film-editing jobs will be outsourced to other countries with lower salaries for the same work.