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L.A. Editor’s Salary
COW Folk,
I’m moving out to the L.A. area and finding some work. There are already a couple potential leads; but I’d like to be prepared in knowing how much to ask for. Got a decent reel that people respond very well to (for example, landed a pretty big directing job with it, funny enough – it was mainly a camera/editing reel…), and have quite a bit of experience shooting and editing from Texas, to KS, and MI, TN, and Atlanta; from DV now to HD… including documentary, a short, music artist stuff, and a Grammy Award-Winner.
As a contractor I’ve made a varying $25-$75 an hour for editing (oh, b.t.w., I use Final Cut), depending on the client.
Like a lot of folks, I’ve got an award and nominations to put on the resume, along with taking part in winning producers awards and big DVD sales. SO! All that to say, I’m experienced, with around 5 years of production.
Hope all that wasn’t a waste of your time, but that maybe it could help you in giving a ball-park of what one can ask for from a post-house, editing either:
-Trailers
-National/International Promos
-Behind the Scenes
-Documentary
-Indie Features (okay, so don’t even talk about this…)Where I’m headed is writing/directing features… but I like the livability of a steady income in the meantime, you know? 😉
Thanks in advance, and sorry for the extended post!
-Joe Schmo
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13 Replies
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Dang…I need an award or two. Emmy, where are thou?
Salaries in LA for editors range from $1200 to $4000….depending on skill level, skills you posses and the strength of the reel, AS WELL AS the project budget, where it airs, and much much more.
One thing though…you’ll need to know the Avid. More places edit on an Avid here than FCP…easily an 80/20 split. Get Avid experience under your belt and you will be worth even more…and be more viable as an editing candidate.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
Thanks a lot, Shane!
So, by “$1200-$4000” are you saying per-week?
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[Shane Ross] “Dang…I need an award or two. Emmy, where are thou?”
You need to come work for me. 🙂
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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Sorry…yes…per week.
Walter, you have Emmy’s? Well, this current project might garner me a nomination. About African conflict diamonds.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
Thanks again.
One more clarification – is that contracting, or full-time editor at a post house? Or, since it’s such a wide gammut of moola, perhaps straddling both realms, no? 😉
With full time positions, I’m assuming benefits are common out there.
Too bad about the state income tax. 😛
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1200 per week sounds more like a freelance PA in Atlanta. 4000 per week would be a real good videographer or producer. Is that all LA gets for a director? I’ll stay here.
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Or are you just talkng about editors? I thoght he had switched the topic to directing gig… Still, the rates sound about the same here, with the low low end college grad getting $25-35/hr and the best naming their price, but I couldn’t imagine more than $100/hr.
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I was only talking about editors. No clue about editor salary.
Union rates here have Assistant editors at $1275 and Picture editors at $2500…but that is union base. Many shops aren’t union, so they go low low low to pay editors $1200. But, then you have reality TV and feature films that pay upwards $3000-$5000 a week.
We get this much because we also have dry spells where we won’t work for weeks or months on end. Like what happened to me in October…no work. But I have a work savings…and I am digressing…so…
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
[Bret Williams] “with the low low end college grad getting $25-35/hr and the best naming their price, but I couldn’t imagine more than $100/hr.”
Bret
I know of more than a few FCP editors all over the world that command more than that figure, while often that depends on what type of project they are working on. As with any commodity the market will dictate who can charge what for a project. In my experience Commercials pay 3-5X what doing a doc would pay at the very minimum.gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows
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