Behind the Lens

Film Career · Editor

Head Editor

Editor · IATSE Local 700, Motion Picture Editors Guild

Union
IATSE Local 700
Day rate
~$60K–$400K+/yr
Experience
8–18+ yrs
How to join your union

What does a Head Editor do?

A head editor leads within the editor department, answering for its output while managing the people and logistics behind it.

On union productions the position falls under IATSE Local 700, Motion Picture Editors Guild, which sets the rates, hours, and conditions the role works within. Like every editor 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 a Head Editor make?

  • This is a department-head chair, toward the top of its department's range.
  • Editorial is paid weekly: assistants roughly $2,000-$3,000, editors roughly $3,500-$8,000, with feature editors negotiating above.
  • Roughly $60K-$400K+ a year (IATSE Local 700).

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:

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 know editing craft and software

Soft skills

  • You can lead a crew, hold a budget, and answer for the department
  • You are as comfortable managing people as doing the craft

The ladder

Related chairs in this craft family, ordered from entry toward leadership:

  1. 1Assistant Editor
  2. 2Second Assistant Editor
  3. 3Associate Editor
  4. 4Editor
  5. 5Main Editor
  6. 6First Assistant Editor
  7. 7Lead Assistant Editor
  8. 8Lead Editor
  9. 9Senior Editor
  10. 10Chief Editor
  11. 11Executive Editor
  12. 12Head Editor (this role)
  13. 13Supervising Editor

Career progression

Within this craft family the recognized progression runs from assistant editor toward supervising 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 editor 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.

  1. Assistant Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  2. Second Assistant Editor

    ~$50K–$400K+/yr

  3. Associate Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  4. Editor

    ~$130K–$400K+/yr

  5. Main Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  6. First Assistant Editor

    ~$50K–$400K+/yr

  7. Lead Assistant Editor

    ~$50K–$400K+/yr

  8. Lead Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  9. Senior Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  10. Chief Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  11. Executive Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  12. Head Editoryou are here

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

  13. Supervising Editor

    ~$60K–$400K+/yr

How do you become a Head Editor?

The path here is internal: the editor department promotes this position from within, based on a track record built in its junior chairs. Start at the department's entry level and let the work argue for you.

On covered productions, rates, hours, and conditions for the role are set by IATSE Local 700, Motion Picture Editors Guild contracts.

Covered by a union? The joining a film union guide explains how each one takes members.

More editor roles

Assembly EditorAssistant EditorAssociate EditorAvid EditorChief EditorCommissioning EditorConsulting EditorCoordinating EditorExecutive EditorFilm Editor

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