How to hire film and video editors
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Cut shot sequences to different angles at specific points in scenes, making each individual cut as fluid and seamless as possible. • Edit films and videotapes to insert music, dialogue, and sound effects, to arrange films into sequences, and to correct errors, using editing equipment. • Organize and string together raw footage into a continuous whole according to scripts or the instructions of directors and producers. • Review assembled films or edited videotapes on screens or monitors to determine if corrections are necessary. • Review footage sequence by sequence to become familiar with it before assembling it into a final product. • Select and combine the most effective shots of each scene to form a logical and smoothly running story. • Set up and operate computer editing systems, electronic titling systems, video switching equipment, and digital video effects units to produce a final product. • Trim film segments to specified lengths and reassemble segments in sequences that present stories with maximum effect. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active learning, speaking and writing skills • Working knowledge of communications and media, English Language, computers and electronics and telecommunications • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $36.26 an hour ($75,420 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for film and video editors
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to cut shot sequences to different angles at specific points in scenes, making each individual cut as fluid and seamless as possible. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to edit films and videotapes to insert music, dialogue, and sound effects, to arrange films into sequences, and to correct errors, using editing equipment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to organize and string together raw footage into a continuous whole according to scripts or the instructions of directors and producers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to review assembled films or edited videotapes on screens or monitors to determine if corrections are necessary. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What film and video editors do
- Cut shot sequences to different angles at specific points in scenes, making each individual cut as fluid and seamless as possible.
- Edit films and videotapes to insert music, dialogue, and sound effects, to arrange films into sequences, and to correct errors, using editing equipment.
- Organize and string together raw footage into a continuous whole according to scripts or the instructions of directors and producers.
- Review assembled films or edited videotapes on screens or monitors to determine if corrections are necessary.
- Review footage sequence by sequence to become familiar with it before assembling it into a final product.
- Select and combine the most effective shots of each scene to form a logical and smoothly running story.
- Set up and operate computer editing systems, electronic titling systems, video switching equipment, and digital video effects units to produce a final product.
- Trim film segments to specified lengths and reassemble segments in sequences that present stories with maximum effect.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for film and video editors
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +3.7% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 3,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay film and video editors
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $103,440 |
| Massachusetts | $92,130 |
| California | $88,490 |
| Connecticut | $83,550 |
| New Jersey | $82,890 |
See film and video editors pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.