The Complete Guide to Becoming A Film and Video Editor
Real pay, real hours, real job prospects — a no-hype decision guide for anyone weighing a career in film and video editing.
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
What does an editor actually do all day? How much do they really earn? This guide gives you straight answers — no hype, no fluff — so you can decide if this career is right for you.
About this book
You've seen the credits at the end of movies and TV episodes — the editor's name flashing by in a fraction of a second. You might wonder what that person actually does. Do they just cut scenes together? Do they sit in a dark room alone all day? And more importantly: could you do it, and would you get paid enough to live on? This guide answers those questions with specifics, not vague encouragement or cinematic clichés.
Reader Reviews
Melissa Anderson
★★★★★I was expecting a lot of 'follow your dreams' content, and this isn't that. The chapter on what an editor actually does used real tools I've seen in tutorials — Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer — and talked about real frustrations like client revisions at 11pm. It was helpful, but at times it felt a bit long and repetitive in the middle chapters. Still, I feel much more prepared to decide whether to sign up for a film program. Worth a read for the salary tables alone.
Kevin Robinson
★★★★★As someone considering a career change from marketing into video editing, I appreciated how specific this guide gets. The breakdown of entry-level salaries honestly shocked me — not in a good way — but I'd rather know that now than after spending $40k on a degree. The first chapter did a great job explaining what production teams expect from an editor day-to-day. I wish it had spent more time on freelance work vs. staff jobs, but the chapter summaries helped me see the full picture. Overall, a solid reality check.