There is a somewhat traditional path towards becoming an editor which starts you off as an assistant editor. Much in the same way that the path towards becoming anything in production starts with being a PA. I started as an assistant editor with dreams of being promoted to a creative editor position and it was a long and arduous journey that added an unnecessary amount of time. It's good to know the ins and outs of being an assistant editor because sometimes you'll have to be both, but being labelled as an assistant editor tends to be more like being an engineer. You're most likely not going to be doing anything creative and will become a transcoding, video and audio syncing, capturing, organizing level 100 wizard. If editing is your main goal, I would suggest doing that from the get-go. Build your reel. Shoot videos with whatever you have and edit that and post it constantly. Work with your friends, find stuff to edit. Find footage you can legally use to edit and post. There are so many outlets these days at your fingertips. If you start as an assistant editor and don't edit, you are more likely to get pigeonholed as an assistant editor for a while. It can take longer to get work as an editor, but if you keep putting your work out there, you will get hired eventually and it pays off quicker once you get your foot in the door.
Post-Production : Assistant Editor Vs Editor by Michael Teisan
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thank you Michael Teisan , I have done video editing for my YouTube page and never had the chance to explore it in a film studio setting but understanding where it starts is a major help. thank you for such an eye opening post.
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Michael Teisan I really appreciate you breaking down the reality of the assistant editor track. It’s an incredibly important role and skill set, but you’re absolutely right that it can lean heavily technical. Your advice to start editing immediately and consistently build a reel is so important. At the end of the day, editors get hired off of what they can show, and the more you’re actively cutting, experimenting, and putting work out there, the faster you’re developing your voice and proving your ability. This is a great reminder that there isn’t just one “correct” path, it’s about being intentional about where you want to go and making sure your day-to-day work is actually supporting that goal.
Is there anything from your time as an assistant editor that you feel gave you an unexpected advantage once you stepped into a full editor role?
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Ashley Renée Smith! I wouldn't say unexpected, but there definitely are advantages to starting out as an AE. I've worked with editors who couldn't even transcode a file. So yeah, having some technical chops is really helpful, but the odds of you being promoted to editor within that company are pretty low for the first couple years. That's why I recommend just taking editing jobs from the start if that's what you want to do.
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Great guidance! Thanks for sharing this Michael Teisan.
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Assistant editor is a technical role, not a junior creative one! You learn systems, not storytelling. If editing is the goal, just edit. Shoot anything, cut anything, post constantly. The pigeonhole risk is real. Build your own reel, not someone else's assembly.
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Yes, in the past assistant editors were working with film and sitting right next to the editor, they would learn all the tricks and learn to become an editor from that. Now everything is electronic and so many post positions are remote these days that you aren't even working in the same room as the editors anymore