FEFilm and Video Editor
FE
Career

Film and Video Editor

By the numbers
Typical pay
$75,420 / yr
Education to start
Bachelor's degree
Future demand
+4.0% by 2034
People in this job
26K
Figures shown for ·1 O*NET occupation
The work
A day, hour by hour
09:00
Footage intake

Log and bin yesterday's rushes — hundreds of clips, sorted before a single cut.

09:45
Director check-in

Quick call to align on priorities and flag any unusable footage problems.

10:15
Assembly cut

Pull the best takes and string the scene together in rough order.

12:30
Pacing pass

Trim or stretch beats until the scene feels tense, funny, or earned — not just correct.

14:00
Rough cut review

Screen the cut with the director; absorb notes, push back on one bad call.

15:00
Rework & refine

Rebuild flagged sections, sync sound effects, and dial in dialogue levels.

17:30
Color & polish

Correct shots so every cut matches — no jarring jumps in light or tone.

18:30
Export & deliver

Render and package the right file format for each platform; deadline met.

Things you do
  • Cut raw footage into a story that flows and feels right.
  • Choose the best take from dozens of similar shots.
  • Adjust the pacing so scenes feel tense, funny, or emotional.
  • Sync dialogue, music, and sound effects to the picture.
  • Color-correct footage so every shot looks consistent and polished.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Does this cut feel right emotionally, or am I just used to it?
  • Should I trim this scene for pace, or does it need room to breathe?
  • Is this the director's vision, or should I push back on this choice?
  • Do I have enough usable footage here, or do I need to flag a problem?
  • Should I keep working to get this perfect, or ship it and meet the deadline?
Education Pathways · how you get there
84 in 100 went the college route · 16 in 100 found another way in None, typically
Education mapped from O*NET:Film and Video Editors · 98% related
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