Film Editor Resume Example

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How to Write a Film Editor Resume that Gets Interviews

Maybe one too many people told you to “have fun with it” then asked to change the music on your edits. For one reason or another, you’re searching for “How to write a Film Editor resume” and wishing it was as straightforward as a highlight reel.

Fortunately, we’re here to help.

We’ve written a step-by-step guide and a resume example so you can craft your own resume and get back to cross cuts and cutaways.

Prefer to have someone else write your resume?

Leet Resumes will expedite the process and write your resume for you. Even better, they’ll do it for free. (Though tips are always appreciated.) Try out Leet Resumes today.

How to Format a Film Editor Resume

Editing is more than timecoded cuts and color grading. Good film edits dictate the pace and make the audience forget that they’re watching a film at all.

It’s those storytelling elements that will help you write a Film Editor resume that stands out from the rest and highlights your experience and expertise.

Let’s start with the storyline of your resume to showcase the arc of your film career. There are five acts altogether:

• Professional Headline
• Professional Summary
• Work Experience
• Education
• Keywords

In this article, we’ll cover what to include in each section. If you need inspiration at any point, reference the resume example above for a visual of everything we mention in this guide.

Here are a few tips before we start:

Keep it tight.

More is not more. Everything you include in your resume should support the sole purpose of having the recruiter call you for an interview.

Apply the same attention to detail to the editing of your resume as you do to your films and make sure everything you include supports the story of your accomplished editing career.

Be a minimalist.

Multiple columns, various colors and elaborate fonts don’t make your resume any better, just like putting everything in black in white doesn’t make your film artistic. These “artistic” elements on your resume detract from your core message and make it more difficult for your reader to find the information they’re looking for.

The best format for your resume is the single-column, minimalist approach you see in the resume example. Put your best Robert Bresson hat on and keep it minimal.

Use this as a template.

Of course, it would be nice to write one resume and land the film editing job of your dreams. Without crushing any dreams, the likelihood of this happening is slim (but we’re totally rooting for you).

For this reason, consider the product from this article to be a resume template. Most of it will remain the same regardless of which film editing job you apply to. But certain sections should be customized for the specific job you’re targeting. This personalized approach will help you land more interviews and job offers.

With those tips in mind, let’s get started.

Name + Contact

Type your first and last name at the top center of the page. Pick a font that’s professional and easy to read and make your name slightly larger than the rest of the text – you’re the title of the show, here.

Directly underneath, add your contact information: phone number, email address and location (just your city and state are necessary).

No matter how established you are, there will always be someone with the stereotype that anyone in the film industry is an irresponsible artist-type. Don’t fuel the fire by using an email address that confirms this opinion.

Use a professional email address instead. When in doubt, the firstname.lastname approach always works.

Professional Headline

Your professional headline is the logline of your resume. In three to five words you’ll summarize your Film Editor career so far and hook the reader into reading the rest of your resume.

Start with a slightly flattering adjective that puts you and your editing work in a positive light. Think of words that might make you stand out from other Film Editors, like: dependable, accomplished, thorough, detail-oriented, professional or proficient.

Then add a word that describes your level of experience (expert, intern, assistant, lead, etc.)

Finally, finish it off with your official title, including your specialization if you have one.

For example: Proficient Senior Commercial Film Editor

Professional Summary

If your logline made them bite, next is the professional summary. This is where you start tailoring your resume template to address your audience.

In the first line, list the job titles you’d accept for your next position. Be sure to include the exact title of the job you’re applying for in this list.

In the second line, add the skills, attributes and technologies that qualify you for your targeted position. There’s limited space here, so keep the focus on the skills mentioned in the job description.

These might include: Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, HDR, Post-Production, Color Grading, etc.

If you feel limited on space, don’t worry. There’s an entire section of keywords dedicated to listing your skills and capabilities at the end of your resume template.

Lines three and four of your summary are optional, but worth including if you have the accolades to fill them.

In line three, list your film editing achievements (notable projects or highlights from your work experience). And in line four, add any promotions or awards.

If nothing comes to mind for these last two lines, that’s quite alright. The first two are enough to land an interview especially with the detail you’ll include next.

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Work Experience

The work experience section is the narrative of your resume. It’s here that you’ll provide context to the logline and targeted keywords that hooked your reader’s attention.

By using anecdotal evidence backed by numbers, set the scene for why you’re the best Film Editor for the open position. Here’s how:

Start by listing your previous work experience in reverse chronological order. Be 100% accurate with the exact job title and dates of employment and take a look at the resume example above on how to format each entry.

Under each position, create a bulleted list that highlights the ways your film editing brought success to your employer by including these three elements:

Success verbs

Start each bullet point with a strong success verb that implies your success before you illuminate the details.

These are words like advanced, enhanced, optimized, or generated rather than the tepid alternatives of managed, performed or operated.

Using strong success verbs in every bullet point makes your work experience read like an action-packed trailer for an overall successful career.

Numbers

Adding numbers to quantify your work helps your potential employer visualize the impact your work has. They’re specific and make it instantly clear that your work brings positive results.

When you’re looking for numbers to include for film editing, look at total views, an increase of views on the videos you edited, length of films edited, number of assistants you trained and managed, and so on.

It’s important to include as many numbers as possible in your resume. When you think you’ve added enough, go back and try to double that number again.

Promotions

Promotions show how successful you’ve been through the lens of someone else. Include every promotion you’ve received in film editing like when you moved from assistant editor to associate editor.

Every promotion shows a potential employer that your work was seen and worth rewarding. That’s the kind of work anyone would want on their team.

Education

The brief education section of your resume provides context to the rest of your film editing career.

Here, you’ll list where you went to school, your dates of attendance, the degrees you graduated with and any honors or awards you received.

If you were a part of any notable film project at your school, add it in. But any extracurriculars unrelated to film can be left out entirely.

Keywords and Skills for a Film Editor Resume

At the end of your resume template is a list of keywords, skills and technologies to be customized for the job you’re applying for.

This is a quick view of everything you’ve included in your resume and anything that didn’t fit elsewhere.

Here are a few ideas for your Film Editor keywords:

• Adobe Premiere
• Adobe After Effects
• Color Grading
• Non-Linear Video Editing
• HDR
• Problem Solving
• Ability to Meet Deadlines

Find the keywords and skills that apply to your film editing work and use the job description to fill out the rest. Once your list is complete, you’ll have a Film Editor resume ready to send.

Have Leet Resumes Do the Work

The experts behind this resume example and guide will write your Film Editor resume for you…for free. (Tips are always appreciated.)