Film Career · Script And Continuity
Assistant Script Editor
Script And Continuity · IATSE script supervisor locals
- Union
- IATSE script supervisor locals
- Day rate
- ~$450–$700/day
- Experience
- 1–4 yrs
What does an Assistant Script Editor do?
The assistant script editor supports the senior members of the script and continuity department, handling the preparation and follow-through that keep the department moving.
On union productions the position falls under IATSE script supervisor locals, which sets the rates, hours, and conditions the role works within. Like every script and continuity role, the job is hired production by production, and repeat work comes from department heads who trust the name on the call sheet.
What does an Assistant Script Editor make?
- This is an entry or assistant chair, toward the lower end of its department's range.
- Script supervision is paid by the day or week: roughly $450-$700 a day, $2,800-$4,200 a week, or roughly $70K-$130K a year (IATSE script supervisor locals).
Film work is gig based, so crew are paid a day or weekly rate rather than a salary. These are realistic 2024-2025 ranges grounded in union rate cards and industry data; actual pay swings with budget tier, market, overtime, and reputation.
Sources & how we estimate pay
Union scale is the floor; the ranges above also reflect market day rates above scale. They are grounded in the following 2024–2025 sources:
Union rate cards & wage schedules
Official guild scale — the floor each craft is paid from.
- IATSE — 2024 Basic Agreement wage scales (PDF) ↗
- IATSE Local 600 (International Cinematographers Guild) — camera rate cards ↗
- DGA — minimum salary rate cards (director, unit production manager, assistant directors) ↗
- WGA — schedule of minimums (writers) ↗
- SAG-AFTRA — theatrical & background rate sheets (cast, stunts, background) ↗
- Teamsters Local 399 — basic feature wage rates, 2024–27 (transportation, locations, wranglers) (PDF) ↗
Government wage data
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the closest federal occupation.
You’ll like and be good at this job if:
Hard skills
- You can track continuity, timing, and coverage in detail
Soft skills
- You have the energy for long days and a good attitude under pressure
- You are reliable, eager to learn, and happy to start at the bottom
The ladder
Related chairs in this craft family, ordered from entry toward leadership:
- 1Assistant Script Editor (this role)
- 2Script Editor
- 3Senior Script Editor
- 4Executive Script Editor
- 5Head Script Editor
- 6Supervising Script Editor
Career progression
Within this craft family the recognized progression runs from assistant script editor toward supervising script editor, with each step earned through set time and the trust of the chairs above. Where this role sits on that ladder is less important than how the script and continuity department works: people move up when the department already believes they can do the next job.
A typical path, from entry to the top of the craft. Times are rough and vary by market, luck, and how steadily the work comes.
- Assistant Script Editoryou are here
~$70K–$130K/yr
~$70K–$130K/yr
~$70K–$130K/yr
~$70K–$130K/yr
~$70K–$130K/yr
~$70K–$130K/yr
How do you become an Assistant Script Editor?
This is a chair you can target directly: productions staff it from applicants with related skills and from people already working nearby on the crew. Get onto sets in any capacity, tell the department what you want, and be ready when a slot opens.
On covered productions, rates, hours, and conditions for the role are set by IATSE script supervisor locals contracts.
Covered by a union? The joining a film union guide explains how each one takes members.