Explore occupational profile

Version:
OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
Search the OaSIS

51120.05 – Film editors

Film editors arrange motion picture film segments into sequences to achieve continuity and desired dramatic, comedic and thematic effects.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Film editor
  • Video maker

Core competencies

  • Coordinating to ensure all elements are harmoniously integrated, working with various departments, including directors, sound engineers and visual effects teams
  • Problem Solving and Decision Making to adequately address the challenges, such as adding missing sequences to correct narrative gaps, adjusting the pacing and resolving technical issues or improving the overall structure of the film
  • Information Ordering to logically arrange scenes to achieve a cohesive narrative and organizing footage to enhance storytelling flow
  • Colour Perception to discern subtle colour variations, ensuring consistency and mood across scenes by accurately adjusting hues, saturation and contrast to enhance storytelling and visual coherence
  • Attention to Detail to notice minute inconsistencies and seamlessly align visual and audio elements, resulting in a polished final product that supports the director’s vision
  • Knowledge in Communications and Media to understand how different editing techniques affect storytelling to execute complex edits and efficiently control audience perception

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Edit motion picture film and arrange film segments into sequences to achieve continuity and desired dramatic, comedic and thematic effects.

Additional information

  • Membership in a related guild or union may be required.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Announcers and other broadcasters (52114)
  • Audio and video recording technicians (52113)
  • Broadcast technicians (52112)
  • Film and video camera operators (52110)
  • Graphic arts technicians (52111)
  • Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts (50011)
  • Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators (53111)
  • Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts (52119)
  • Photographers (53110)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

5 – Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

51 – Professional occupations in art and culture

Sub-major group

511 – Professional occupations in art and culture

Minor group

5112 – Creative and performing artists

Unit group

51120 – Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations

Occupational profile

51120.05 – Film editors

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 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. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.