A lot of people are interested in joining the film industry but want to stay away from the humdrum of the glamorous life. Working behind the camera in the film industry does not mean you have to become a director or producer.
Film editors are a significant contributor to the success of a film. They are the people who help create the final cut of a movie and narrate a captivating story to the audience. But the job of a film editor is not an easy one, and it requires a lot of effort to become successful in this profession.
Here are a few steps that are necessary for the journey of becoming a successful film editor:
1.   Obtain a Film Editing Degree
All film editors do not hold a professional film editing degree. But getting one provides you with more opportunities for becoming a film editor. You will come across multiple educational courses related to film editing. Filmmaking, video productions, broadcasting, media communications, and several other university programs can be pursued to build a career in film editing.
Pursuing an educational degree will help you gain practical experience through projects. You can also enroll at reputed film institutes to develop an in-depth knowledge of creating and editing films. But getting enrolled in such programs is quite difficult, and you need to submit a portfolio of your work before applying.
2.   Learn Using Different Video Editing Tools
You need to learn how to use a video editor before joining the film editing industry. Acquaint yourself with different editing tools. Go through online tutorials to understand how to use the various editing tools and create top-notch videos. You will come across many video editing software too.
A major benefit of online video editors is cloud storage. Using an online video editor is also beneficial when working in teams because all team members can remotely access the video on the cloud.
Video editing software can only be operated on high-end devices. Otherwise, your system will freeze and crash during the editing process. You also need to keep updating your editing software from time to time to access all the latest features.
3.   Leverage the Power of Networking
You should try building connections with people in the film industry right after completing your educational degree. When you are trying to build a career in the film industry, networking can help you get in touch with directors and producers.
You should talk to the alumni of your educational institution who have successfully secured a career in the film industry. Also, you should speak with your teachers and see if they can recommend you to any eminent film personality.
In addition to that, you should attend film festivals, premiers, and other film-related events to build stronger connections in the industry. If you have any mentors in the film industry, contact them to see if they can write a glowing recommendation letter to you.
4.   Examine the Work of Others
Before you start editing films yourself, you should find out how professionals work. Watch critically-acclaimed films to understand which editing patterns and techniques stand out among the crowd. You should also watch movies that won editing awards to gain a deeper understanding of film editing. Being a keen observer will help you understand the type of editing preferred by directors and producers.
5.   Keep Improving Video Editing Skills
You should keep updating your video editing skills with time. Use a video editor to edit random clips and test your skills. Try learning new film-editing skills whenever possible.
Furthermore, you can collaborate with your friends to create low-budget films and edit them. You can even volunteer to shoot and edit promotional videos for local nonprofit organizations. Keep watching video editing tutorials and attend seminars and workshops to enhance your skills further.
6.   Apply for an Internship
Before you enter the film industry as an editing professional, you should try gaining as much video editing experience as possible. Applying for video editing internships can be a great way of getting practical knowledge about the industry.
You might get assignments where you will be required to edit films independently. Sometimes you might also have to work in groups, and you will be able to learn from each other. Moreover, at times you might have to assist an editor, which is an excellent opportunity to learn from an expert.
Internships aren’t necessary to pursue a career in the film editing industry. But it will look good on your resume and give you something to add to your portfolio.
You will also be acquainted with the daily routine of a film editor before joining the industry as a professional.
7.   Understand the Responsibilities
Before becoming a film editor, you should understand the responsibilities that come with the job. You should know that a film editor has to stay in touch with the director and other crew members to gather the overall vision. Your job will be to bring the movie to life in a way that the director envisioned.
You will have to cut and rearrange the different shots in a film to narrate the film’s story. In addition, you will have to take care of aspects like color grading, adding subtitles, and adjusting the pace of each shot. Film editing requires a lot of technicalities, but it is also an art.
A film editor gets feedback from the crew members at different stages of the editing process. One should remember that filmmaking is teamwork, and you should be able to handle constructive criticism well to become an efficient film editor.
8.   Start Looking for Film Editing Jobs
You should start looking for film editing jobs after gaining adequate experience and understanding the responsibilities clearly. You need to create an impressive resume and attach a portfolio of your work to increase your chances of landing a good film editing project.
Research different film editing jobs to understand the type of jobs you are looking for. You should also find out what employers are searching for and add relevant skills to your resume accordingly.
Closing Thoughts
The advancement of technology and the need for entertainment will increase the production of films every year. Therefore, job opportunities for film editors will be on the rise. Apart from working in full-scale move productions, a film editor is also in demand at content creation agencies.
Film editors can also earn their living by editing short videos for websites and social media as people are becoming more interested in video content.
