What does a Video Editor?
Video Editors typically work for news broadcast stations, content marketing agencies, corporations or as self-employed individuals, creating educational or entertainment-driven content. When a Director, crew members and Performers shoot, a production ends up with a large amount of footage, not all of which is suitable for use. It is the Video Editor who is responsible for eliminating unnecessary shots, putting scenes in order and enhancing the footage with graphics, sounds and corrections.
When they perform their job duties well, Video Editors make news segments, television shows, commercials and other types of visual media easy to understand and enjoyable to watch. As a result, they play a major role in determining the success of a production. In addition, Video Editors help productions meet deadlines and stay within budget when they execute their assigned tasks in a timely manner.
Video Editor skills and qualifications
To perform their job duties well, a Video Editor must possess certain skills. Listing the following qualifications in your Video Editor job description may help you attract quality candidates:
- Creative thinking ability to translate raw footage into a finished product while following a script or storyboard
- Reading comprehension and critical thinking skills to fully understand scripts
- Organizational skills and information ordering ability to place scenes in logical order
- Ability to take direction and follow instructions from the Director
- Visualization skills to imagine how a scene will look once necessary edits are complete
- Knowledge of video editing, photo editing and production software
- Time management skills to complete edits and revisions in accordance with strict deadlines
Video Editor experience requirements
While it is possible for a Video Editor to learn some necessary skills through on-the-job-training, employers often prefer to hire candidates with some experience. Usually, the hiring process involves a portfolio review, where hiring managers examine a candidate’s previous work. In some cases, you may wish to put more emphasis on the quality of the portfolio rather than work history. If a candidate’s work examples are impressive enough, it may not matter if they have little experience beyond an education or training program.
Video Editor education and training requirements
Relevant degree programs typically include coursework in cinematography and instruction in using common video editing software programs.
If your organization uses a particular type of film editing software, you may wish to prioritize candidates who have a relevant certification. For example, Adobe offers the Premiere Pro Certification credential to Video Editors who meet experience and training requirements and pass an examination.
Video Editor salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Video Editor is $56,072 per year. Salaries vary depending on location, experience, skills and education.
Video Editor salary expectations
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Common salary:
32.64 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.25 -91.10 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Job description samples for similar positions
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Video Editor job description FAQs
What’s the difference between a Video Editor and a Film Editor?
The difference between a Video Editor and a Film Editor is the content they edit and their work environments. Video Editors usually work for marketing agencies, new stations or TV productions and tend to create short-form content like commercials, TV segments or shows and PSAs. In contrast, Film Editors specialize in editing movies, which means they usually work for media corporations or film studios to create long-form content.
What qualities make a good Video Editor?
A Video Editor has good attention to detail, enabling them to catch potential errors in video footage or production layouts. This allows them to edit out repeated scenes, unnecessary objects or typos in graphics that could affect the video’s quality and cause delays later on. They value continued education and always look for ways to enhance their knowledge of video production tools and software programs. People who enjoy working with computers and have an interest in filmmaking are most likely to enjoy working as a Video Editor.
Who does a Video Editor report to?
Who a Video Editor reports to varies. Some organizations may have a Senior Video Editor who serves as the immediate supervisor for a team of less experienced Video Editors. At other companies, a Video Editor may report to the Production Manager, Assistant Director or Director.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
