What is the starting salary for Video Editor, just graduated with a BS..I'm pretty proficient with the software, but still have learning to do. I don't have my own equipment and would have use the company that hires me. I'd like to work for a small company that needs an editor with not a lot of overhead, this way i can jump right in and edit.... I'm dedicated and editing is my passion.. should i ask for an hourly wage, flat, 1099? And what should i ask for?
thanks
A

Don't ask for an hourly wage. You will probably get a daily or weekly rate. A high rate for an assistant editor is $250/day, while $3000/wk is pretty standard for an editor. Keep in mind that these are rates for seasoned editors. You will probably get less for the first job, especially if its FCP.

Why do you refer to FCP? Would another editing package be preferred over FCP?

If you are looking for a full time salary position expect it to start around 30,000 to 35,000 a year. This is also dependent on what city you are looking for work in and your negotiating skills.

If you are freelancing, your day rate will be what the other guy said about $200 - $300 a day. You can also not expect to be working very much to start if you go that route.

I think he referred to FCP because it seems like everyone knows it these days. Everyone has a copy of their friends FCP on their macbook thus, anyone can do simple editing on it.

If you want to excel as an editor, learn Motion and After Effects. You can demand more money because less people know it well enough and even less have time to learn because of its intricacies.

You can take that to the bank.

Well... Motion & AfterEffects if you want to be in motion graphics as well as editing--- and I'm right there with you, covering both sides of the divide; content creation as well as content editing.

But what the questioner really needs to know is: there are 10 million people out there with a copy of Final Cut Pro. Knowing how to open it and shove some things around is NOT knowing how to edit in it. If y'haven't already, do yourself a favor & do ALL the Apple Pro Training Series books on the FCS suite. Unless ample experience has taught it, you don't know how much you don't know about its tools & how to most effectively use them.

Also--- as for FCP alternatives---- about 1/2 of my work comes on the Avid MC & Symphony side of the fence. Yes. You've gotta learn both. FCP & Avid. I was hired as a staff editor at a place based on my AfterEffects reel & FinalCut editing, and 80% of the job wound up being Online Finishing editing --- color-grading in Symphony.

Thank you to both of you...your feedback is very helpful.

I think it's important to add to some comments here. There's such a dearth of information on this subject, and it can be very confusing to someone just starting out.

There are so many variables that affect rates of pay for an Editor. The truth is, when you are starting out, anything goes. And I mean anything.

Once you build your way toward having solid credits, experience and reel, yes!, your rate will become more standardized and you won't want to get paid below that.

I find it impossible to explain what a beginning level Editor might earn, without explaining the factors that affect an experienced Editor's rate(s).

At least three factors will largely influence the rate of pay.

1) the general world in which you are editing.
-- advertising world, music videos, motion pictures (TV/film), corporate video, etc.

2) Union vs. non-union gigs

3) freelance vs. salaried (as mentioned by someone else on the board).

4) of course, your skills, experience, and credits


As stated, rates, even for experienced Editors, vary far and wide, across the board. And the economy is also affecting rates everywhere.

Some specific examples of this huge range:

---- I'm based in Los Angeles. I recently worked on a non-union TV show (which were eventually bought for broadcast by Network) in which the Editor was paid $2K/wk.

-- I've worked on two non-union low budget indie features where the Editor was paid $600-$1200/wk. Basically indie = anything goes. (But if feature narrative is where you want to be, taking a pay cut is worth it to some people. )

---- A friend of mine who edits in Reality says the average day rate in Reality for established editors is $600/day. But even there, the rates will range from $400(green editors)-$800. Huge big budgets will pay the most sought after editors $1K/DAY (with the economy, these editors are now taking $700/day).

However, make no mistake: It takes some time and experience to even get hired as a "green" editor on a Reality show.

By the way, most reality out there now is apparently non-union.

---- Various VERY seasoned editor friends of mine on different prpojects earn around $2K/wk. (feature documentary directed by name talent, history channel short series, etc)

---- My first job out of college (about 10 years ago), I landed a corporate video editing job that paid $28K/year. (which is why I point out the distinction between freelance motion picture work versus salaried corporate work --- totally different games)


A starting video editor will basically be taking whatever he/she can get and hoping that it pays. If a newbie wants to eventually edit Film/TV world, he she had better be prepared to assistant edit for awhile. (rates on Asst Editors vary too.)

The hard reality is this: While he/she is working to get some kind of break, he/she should be open to working for free or for very low flat rates on worthwhile projects related to his/her ultimate area of interest (on projects that hopefully have decent footage you can use for your reel, with cool people who have vision and potential to grow).

When I mentor newbies, I encourage them to try and start out from Day 1 in the area that they want to eventually work in. (If you want to edit big features, start working on features -- assistant editing, post production PA-ing, etc and work your way up --- it won't help you much to have worked as a corporate video editor.)


It is all possible, but it is a process!
Supportively ---

AutoEnt, I just reread your original post. Hope my comments are still applicable/useful to you.

I echo the comments from broadcast_mike -- yes. Those ranges for salary and freelance sound about right.