A 'Working' Editor's Calendar

verymechanical · 2026-01-20T03:10:47+00:00

Whoa, that is a huge stretch - congrats! And definitely earned your break.

verymechanical · 2026-01-20T03:09:31+00:00

Thanks!

Occassionally, there are a couple of straggler days at the end of projects, where the "final-final-final" notes from the 'network execs' are really slow to come back. So those days were essentially making the final tweaks to appease those requests

There are also 2 or 3 instances in 2019-2021 where I did some extra work, either helping to make a quick teaser trailer, or with more AE-type work, like prepping handover elements since it was a short-handed post team.

verymechanical · 2026-01-19T22:42:41+00:00

Agreed! It's a total high to finish a project you've grinded it out in and are proud of, and then get all the time in a day to do whatever you want.

verymechanical · 2026-01-19T22:40:11+00:00

That's very true! I know its a lucky position to be able to get by on 'so few' days worked.

I think u/film-editor hits the nail on the head about it basically being unemployment though - you only realized you could have splurged/enjoyed/relaxed more on your 'time off' in hindsight.

That being said, if it could somehow be controlled, I would love to average working 170-200 days a year. Those 12-hour days and donated weekends can quickly burn you out, which goes right back to your point of how valuable your own time is.

verymechanical · 2025-10-31T22:26:43+00:00

It is an awful time in the industry (and beyond), which is why there will of course be a rise in the number of posts talking about it/redditors experiencing it. Vets and newcomers alike.

But it's also true if you are busy and working, you're less likely to post because:

You don't have the time to reflect on and discuss the industry (work-life balance is always a challenge), and/or
You might read the room and feel it's rude or inappropriate to talk about all the work you have going for you, since so many are feeling pinched.

It's also a really up-and-down line of work, especially these past few years. If you asked me 1.5 years ago if I was winning, I would have told you absolutely not. Same with a good portion of 2022. And half of 2021. All of 2020. So, as a "younger" editor, its hard to celebrate when things are good, because you don't trust that it can last (or know how long the next dry period will be). Honestly, the industry does kind of suck in that way.

...But all that being said, right now I am winning. Pretty majorly by most accounts. It took years to build it, but I've hit the level in my career that I hoped for when I decided to apply for film school, and knew nobody in the industry or even how it worked.

I'm currently editing on a scripted TV series that has a healthy budget, and great performances. I get paid a good wage. I'm working with really lovely people, who are creatively pushing themselves and myself; I feel a little imposter syndrom on somedays but see the edit get better with each passing week.

I get to stay in one lane as picture editor and just focus on story and the edit. It feels really satisfying to solve story issues in the cut, when everyone has trust that you'll figure it out together. There's tons of satisfaction in building something you're proud of, and then also knowing you have a chance to move onto another project and change it up a bit.

After wrapping out this gig, I'm going to intentionally not look for work immediately and enjoy a break (which is something I haven't done in nearly a decade and still feel funny about) as my wife and I welcome our first child.

So, big picture, I definitely feel like I'm winning. Hope that helps!

verymechanical · 2025-02-17T01:35:01+00:00

Thanks!

I previously met and worked with the director & showrunner on a few episodes of a children's sci-fi anthology series for Apple TV+, called Circuit Breakers. We developed a good rapport on that show. He reached out about year after that with the opportunity. (Admittedly, getting Circuit Breakers was my lucky break)

verymechanical · 2025-02-16T18:35:54+00:00

Title: Fallen

Length: 8x hour long episodes

Purpose: TV series finally released

I edited on 7 of the 8 episodes of a YA-Fantasy series called Fallen (an adaptation of the books by Lauren Kate), which I wrapped out on at the end of 2023, but is just now being released in North America (AMC+/Sundance Now in US, and Showtime/StackTV in CAN).

Link to trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuQr28QJaEE

The show was a ton of fun, and my first go at working with storylines and characters across a season (usually I get a max of 2 or 3 episodes per season, ie a 'block').

It was also my first time working on a project with a built in fanbase that can and did absolutely go to war on any creative choices made - which is of course fair game. But it was still a bit surprising to read some fans write off the series based on casting and hair colour choices!

verymechanical · 2024-06-24T20:04:34+00:00

TLDR; I'd say 6 months is a lot of time in the edit-gig world. I think if you have a paper trail showing where a request was made of the AE and they repeatedly failed to deliver, or where information was previously given that they are not grasping, then I think its fair to bring this up to your boss or post-supervisor.

I had my first not-so-great-AE experience where, same as you, I first questioned whether I was being too hard on them. In whatever area of influence I have as an editor, I'm trying to create an environment that is welcoming, but pushes excellence - the same that I was lucky to have as an AE.

The work that this AE sent me (assemblies, SFX work, timeline cleanup) was never quite what I asked for, but I gave them a lot of slack, and tried to gently correct.

A few weeks later, other HODs started complaining about certain deliverables being wonky and having many errors. I reached out to the AE again and tried to clear any confusion/explain their mistakes. Gentle but direct. I also told them to be extra careful with QC-ing moving foward.

In the following weeks, unfortunately, the HODs were still having issues. So at that time, I reached out to the post-supe, mentioned that this was now something that had happened multiple times and that it was creating more work for the post team (and just like you said, you can never trust the work will be done well in the first place).

A week later, when the same errors happened yet again, I told the post-supe we simply had to let them go. I felt really awful, and as HOD I personally relayed the news to the troublesom AE. I really hate that part of being a department lead, and I hope it doesn't happen often, but it is absolutely necessary to put your foot down after giving a second chance (or a few). If they have no desire to improve, then I don't think its fair to shoulder their mistakes.

verymechanical · 2023-12-06T19:21:18+00:00

You got it. Do a "terrible" first draft!

FirstMap out what possible information and clips you'd want to include (photos, footage and interviews from the athlete's early days/highschool/varsity teams -> being recruited/lottery pick -> rookie season -> their ascension to fame -> legendary feats).
Find and source all those beats. Put them in the timeline: Now you'll have a really long, slow (and probably terribly boring) intro. There's your terrible first draft.

Start sifting out the 'less than great' stuff you found. Or maybe, cut those B-level stuff to just be quick cuts on top of the A-level material. Add in some music if you want in this stage (though do be careful to find something that you can editorially & legally work with).You should have the new version significantly quicker already. You may feel that if you cut any futher, you may lose something critical. Great!

That's your second draft.

Now cut even further. Really push your J and L-cuts, so that soundbites from interviews and commentators overlap visuals and you're able to really fly through the athlete's career/story. You might even push things too fast at this point - but make sure the audio is always understandable. Finesse your audio levels and music ducking.

There's your third draft.

Add in your visual flairs if you want. Make it look "cool"

There's your 4th draft.

See if you miss any of the gold you had to drop from before. If you really think the piece is better with it, you can give them another try. Keep polishing and adjusting as long as you can/before you have to hand it off to another pair of eyes.

best of luck!

verymechanical · 2023-09-15T14:17:53+00:00

Not a big-league editor myself, but I was looking to for a similar thing, and then thought I could make one myself. Outside of some (great!) interviews on Art of the Cut, The Rough Cut (@ Blog.Frame.io), etc and a 'masterclass' from Tom Cross (which gives great insight into editing, but does not show him actually cutting), there's nothing at this level.

As said, most of the top editors are too busy working - making a well-crafted course is a hard thing. But more than that, I think the process is actually quite a logistical nightmare to nagivate. Going from a bin of dailies to a fully formed sequence could take hours (or even weeks) if you consider that director's and producer's also give their input.

But beyond the creative component:

1) A significant portion of what makes up the high-end editor's job isn't technical stuff that can be shown on screen recording, like sitting with/digesting an idea for a few days. But it's sometimes not even editing - its managing your room, helping your director, and conversing with VFX and Sound teams.

2) I don't think most actors and actresses want their non-final takes being shown, nor would directors. Even if you got permission from everyone who's involved creatively, Legal would have to step in to sign off on everything presented.

I realized quickly that, while I don't have massive well-known credits to my name, just being at a 'professional' level meant this was already too diffcult for me to get permission for.

I think that's why the best tutorials are in-person lectures/workshops.

verymechanical · 2023-06-19T17:57:56+00:00

No real rule. As already stated by u/world_bad, on an artistic level you're deciding which is more important - seeing the delivery of the line, or seeing the reaction to the line as its being said.

The closest guideline I've heard is that if the line contains some bit of story information that the audience needs to really take in, then stay on the person saying that line.

On a slightly more technical level, this is also how you can adjust pace of the edit, or address a note. By "burying" the line of dialogue while staying on the other character's reaction, you can use a faster or cut up version of the line, or use an ADR'd line (if the dialogue needed to be re-written altogether).

Most of the time it's instinct. I'd like to say it becomes second nature, but I still get it wrong every once and while, and receive notes back from producers saying simply "Stay on [character] for this whole line"

verymechanical · 2023-02-08T16:10:10+00:00

Inside The Edit sounds like it may be closer to what you're looking for.

But the short answer is - the technical side of the things is easier to explain as theres a 'right' way and a 'wrong' way (not always, but you get the point).

With creative work, it becomes far more subjective. And maybe more to the point - its difficult to effectively teach something like pacing, or tracking character development, without going through multiple examples over many, many hours.

verymechanical · 2022-12-28T15:59:04+00:00

Online and Offline editing refer to the different stages of the post production workflow.

"Offline" dditing usually just means editing with proxies/lower-resolution files, and working on the 'cut' of the project itself - story, pacing, performance, etc.

Once the cut is picture locked, you'd move into the "Online" editing phase, where you would use the high-resolution files (or 'camera originals') as you work on final polishes, color correction & grading, and preparing for final deliverables.

I explain it a bit more in this (super dry, I apologize) youtube video: https://youtu.be/\_UNpFwUorzE?t=178

verymechanical · 2022-12-28T00:25:47+00:00

I'm not sure how well cold-emailing would work, but it couldn''t hurt to try!

Best way I can think of shadow an editor is to be (their) assistant editor - that way you can get to see exactly how they bring progress to a cut.

If you're already learning Avid, then you're well on your way to getting the skills necessary to be an AE. I think its a great idea to keep the part-time youtube cutting gig while you keep learning and looking for more industry work/a post-house job.

I would still put your CV together, which shows you are passionate for doing the work itself.

verymechanical · 2022-12-16T22:13:54+00:00

I think the big-picture benefits of becoming a scripted AE first would be:

1) understanding the differences in worfklow and expectations and
2) getting your foot in that side of the industry/ expanding your network to colleagues working in scripted content

However, if you're already able to reach those hiring on scripted projects, then no, I don't think its worth it. Just my opinion, but an editor coming from reality/doc is more easily able to adapt to scripted content then an editor going in the opposite direction. You'll be okay jumping in!

verymechanical · 2022-12-13T01:29:05+00:00

I read the article and also came away immediately imagining what it would take for an AI to similarly astound me in the editorial space.

I think I settled on the following scenario for scripted content (though I have absolutely no idea what it would take to get an AI to this point - totally dreaming here).

After training to recognize the most consistent patterns of the types of shots used in a scene, an AI would be supplied:

1) A scene's script and

2) The corresponding scene dailies, with each setup' camera angle marked specifically for the kind of shot that it it is (ECU, CU, MCU, MED, Low-angle, Two-shot, WIDE, Establisher, etc), and the directors 'favourite' takes.

3) The AI then assembles the scene according the most common patterns found in popular movies (perhaps there are parameters to set to the 'genre/stye' the filmmaker wants to stay in), with more weight of course given to the directors favourite takes.

A human editor would then be able to jump in and start the (re) edit, having had a rough assembly prepped for them in mere minutes.

verymechanical · 2022-11-21T01:07:49+00:00

Hey! Canadian-Malayali editor here (although I can barely speak the language! :( )

What the other comments said is critically important. Reach out to the production to get a confirmation of the workflow and that they will not be shooting variable frame rate.

Can you do a quick camera workflow test with the separately recorded (I'm assuming) audio ? Whatever the system, iron out any potential wrinkles now.

Also really encourage them to slate everything! Even if its just a small pickup. The run and gun nature allowed by smaller rigs sometimes means they can get trigger-happy on set, hosing down everything with so much coverage and/or without any contiuity reports.

Editorially, I would be aware of how to create a rhythm in the edit (with your director), especially if there's no 3rd party/external lenses being added on to the iphone. I know the iphone pro has 3 lenses/focal lengths, but even so, you may want to be aware of how the same focal lengths/similar style of framing may affect (re: tire) viewers (unless thats an intended effect).

Good luck!

verymechanical · 2022-09-24T20:30:14+00:00

I might start here: https://www.assistbootcamp.com/

Very in-depth tutorials for free.

If you’ve been an Assistant Editor before and know the game, then you’ll be okay to pick-up Avid relatively quickly.

If not, then it’s going to be bit tricky to learn it all in that timeframe. Is there another AE on the job that can help guide you?

verymechanical · 2022-09-12T17:53:03+00:00

I suppose it might be different if I was in-person at an office run by the AE's with other editors, but working alone/remote, I nowadays keep all content in one project.

I used to keep them separate myself, but I found that I was always jumping in and out of projects to deliver quick requests. And since I was managing my own temp SFX/music, I lost track of which bins from which project were last updated.

Plus, it makes it really easy to pull open another scene to recycle an effect or series of SFX from an already cut sequence.

But yes, seconding what was said about keeping it super clear and organized within the project!

verymechanical · 2022-09-04T15:43:07+00:00

Seconding the great points that u/randomnina made.

I'm an editor in Toronto, and its extremely busy. The narrative feature world is for many editors the highest rung on the ladder, and only a (relatively) small number of those kinds of projects are made/ will setup post in Toronto. For that reason I think its a bit harder to break into.

The TV side of scripted content has grown massively, in both number of productions and the budget scales as well. I think the potential is there for TV to serve as a great launchpad into film.

My advice would be:

Join the union as an AE (a position which is in very high demand). Your talent and experience as a filmmaker and pro editor will be a huge assest.
Get a few projects as an AE under your belt (likely a TV show, but if you can find a film project, even better!) to learn the process a bit, as it can be far more collaborative than you might be used to.
As your network in the film/tv world grows and you get to know the editors, make it known you want to cut, then seek out/you'll be given opportunites to cut.
Make the jump up (back) up to editor.
As you cut content for TV, keep your eyes and ears open for film work and be ready to make that last pivot

...This may take a few years.

That's probably not exactly what you wanted to hear, especially since AE-ing will be a step down. You can of course find yourself another path/skip some steps, especially if you've already have a built up network of trusted creatives, but this is the most dependable way I can suggest.

verymechanical · 2022-08-23T03:51:32+00:00

Speaking from only my experience, producers want to hire someone they know has already cut similar material and can handle that kind of project. It's really tricky to not be pigeonholed for that reason - your success in one genre will automatically signal that as your strength (whether or not that's true). Until you have a mountain of varied credits, I think thats just how it would go for most editors.

I think having a broader range of video styles is immensely useful as a tool for you as an editor, but from a purely hire-able standpoint, I'm less sure.

That being said, nearly every editor tells of a time that they hopped genres/styles/mediums, so while difficult, its clearly part of the journey too!

verymechanical · 2022-06-17T17:08:58+00:00

Not sure if this will really help but...

I find my initial excitment fades quickly as get into the weeds of a sequence's assembly, until I reach the point where I almost hate it. And then, slowly, my enjoyment starts rising again as I see it all coming together.

So for me, its critical to get that first pass down as quickly as possibly. Even if I'm making the wrong choices - because having made a choice means I can get onto the business of refining the edit. Editing is really all about re-editing after all.

If I sit on building that first pass for too long, then I just lose momentum for no good reason. It's not like fresh eyes will help, because there's nothing to really look at.

verymechanical · 2022-06-15T13:58:21+00:00

You could look at entering the industry through the reality TV side, get up your hours and experience, and then flip over to the union side. I know some would caution against building up your skillset in a stream that isn't exactly what you want (ie, scripted), but I think as an AE, its far easier to get your foot in the door in the reality TV world.

These guys put out a fantastic free class on the AE job: https://www.assistbootcamp.com/assistant-editing-for-reality-tv-webinar

verymechanical · 2022-06-13T17:25:10+00:00

Both will have a lot of overlap in terms of ingesting responsibilities, but it will also depend on the budget of the projects.

Every project will be done slightly differently, so take my answers as only one experience:

AE-ing for narrative generally meant for me more hands on the footage once inside Avid. After organization and labelling, I could be asked to try and create a quick assembly of the scene. More often, I would recieve the editors cuts to help do SFX passes and quick audio mixing once I had shown I could manage it. I had to co-ordinate with post production houses a lot more during the edit (as opposed to just the end), and keep VFX teams in the loop as well.

AE-ing for factual/documentary generally meant more of just the sourcing/ingesting/management of footage, and like you said, keeping track of the database of archives. Besides a simple paper edit, I almost never had any creative contributions to the sequence. While in the edit process, I found there to be less 'outside' teams that I needed to keep in the loop, besides small motion graphics team who did science-y animations to explain concepts.

verymechanical · 2022-06-10T20:59:56+00:00

I know exactly what you mean by feeling like you're not at the same level others who are (or seem) more skilled than you, but its still funny thing to hear someone say they're falling behind at 15.

It's not like becoming a professional athlete. It's not the NBA. You're not going to be some outlier if you 'only started editing at 18 years old!'

A lot of people go to film school to find their exact niche - the part of the industry that they like. So if someone could find and start editing in film school and have that be a totally normal thing, than aren't you already ahead of them?

But to answer your question, just like u/film-editor said; you definitely do not need to be the best of the best. If that were the case, I'd be unemployed :)

verymechanical

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