How To “Get There” As An Editor

Recently I was asked how to "get to" professional editing. The answer is that there's no one set path, and the secret is to work hard and become an editor other people want to put on their teams. Here are some ideas to consider on your journey.

At all points in your career, make, make, make. If you're just starting out, collaborate with your friends to make short films (or film one yourself, even with just a phone - expensive gear is not necessary to get started). Build a personal portfolio website and keep it updated. Use the early work you make to connect with more people. Don't get discouraged if you don't land a blue chip film on your very first project, that doesn't happen to anyone. A small film leads to a slightly less-small film which leads to a medium film, etc. You have to build experience by making films and networking with who you meet along the way, so start making! Enjoy your projects and be sure to learn from every step of the process.

It's all about community. Go to any film events you can, whether virtual or in person. Find filmmakers in your local community or move to a city where there is a film scene you want to be part of or find an online community to join. Find someone with whom you share a vision and start to collaborate, even if it's just one person. Make real relationships, and give back as much as you're asking for.

Be generous - discuss other people's own work with them, study other films so you can have an informed perspective, and know who the players are. Be easy to work with, responsive to emails, and always deliver a high quality product. Take a deep breath if things start to feel overly personal. Never make excuses, always find solutions. Carry your own weight and help someone else's be lighter. Give everyone on the team proper credit when you post work to your website and social media. And at all times, do everything you can to keep learning and making.

It's important to remember that the way to "get there" is not to ask someone to give you something, but show them, through your work, what you can give to them. Without being egotistical, show why you would be the best one for their project over all the other editors out there. What's special about your skills, so that you can support their vision? And, crucially, don't just talk, show them through your work. This is where always making something- even small projects - helps you, since the more practice you have, the more skills and nuance you can provide, which you can back up with examples. Don't wait for someone to give you a project, make your own if the well runs dry. It doesn't have to be expensive, just don't stop making.

If it's technical things you need to learn, there's tons of online info for how to use editing programs. Tech is just a tool, so don't let it feel scary even if it's not your homebase. So many of us are taught by YouTube videos! Google away anything that is holding you back. If that doesn't suit you, consider going back to school for film, though, to be honest, even in film school you will have to do a lot of tech troubleshooting on your own, since film school is most focused on learning concepts, not tech.

Stay on top of computer hardware and editing software and roll with the changes. Figure out a system that works for you, creatively and financially. Research creative solutions to get past obstacles. (For instance, though they can need more maintenance, gaming PCs have good video specs and are considerably cheaper than Macs). If you need computer help, find it. Know that figuring out your tech knowledge and set up will be your responsibility as long as you want to be an editor, and that it'll always change, so find a tech rhythm even if it doesn't come naturally. I have a feeling I'm not alone in my love-hate relationship with computers.

Wherever you're learning, it's good to ask questions, but, importantly, make sure to go as far as you can with researching it yourself before asking, since people will be more willing to help you if it seems like you've already put in time towards trying to figure your question out. Be your own best advocate and learn as much common knowledge as you can, so you can best take advantage of your time with teachers to ask the hard and nuanced questions.

As you're finding your community, research different film scenes to see which you like best. Do you specifically want to tell narratives about nature? Or is there a window of opportunity in another field, like experimental films, horror movies, fashion film, music videos, reality tv, adventure videos, etc? Where are the people you get along with? Where is there space for your vision? Similarly, explore all sides of post production. Do you like color correction, audio work, etc? Where could you help the most? Becoming a specialist can be a good way to "get there".

Finally - and this is the real kicker - what I've learned over the years is there is no "there" to get to. Everyone is trying to get to the next step all the time, so "getting there" is a never ending quest. The journey is the actual destination.

So, make whatever you're doing now the best thing you've ever made, no matter how small. Whether you're cutting a personal cellphone film or a big ticket documentary, put your whole heart in it and that alone will take you far. You can't control the future, but you can control the present. Don't always be looking to the next hill, focus on what you're making now and build a community with who you're meeting along the way, and that is what will get you forward fastest. Become the person you want to work with and make the work you want to watch.

I hope this helps, best of luck. Everyone is somewhere on their journey - at least we're all in it together!

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