Film Career · Sound
Supervising Sound Editor
Sound · IATSE Local 695 and Local 700
- Union
- IATSE Local 695 and Local 700
- Day rate
- ~$450–$750/day
- Experience
- 8–18+ yrs
What does a Supervising Sound Editor do?
A supervising sound editor leads within the sound department, answering for its output while managing the people and logistics behind it.
On union productions the position falls under IATSE Local 695 and Local 700, which sets the rates, hours, and conditions the role works within. Like every sound 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 Supervising Sound Editor make?
- This is a department-head chair, toward the top of its department's range.
- Production and post sound is paid by the day or week: boom and utility roughly $450-$750 a day, mixers and supervising editors far more, plus kit rentals for production sound.
- Roughly $60K-$220K+ a year (IATSE Local 695 and 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:
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 have sharp ears and command of audio gear
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:
- 1Assistant Sound Editor
- 2Sound Editor
- 3Supervising Sound Editor (this role)
Career progression
Within this craft family the recognized progression runs from assistant sound editor toward supervising sound 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 sound 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.
~$60K–$220K+/yr
~$60K–$400K+/yr
- Supervising Sound Editoryou are here
~$60K–$220K+/yr
How do you become a Supervising Sound Editor?
The path here is internal: the sound 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 695 and Local 700 contracts.
Covered by a union? The joining a film union guide explains how each one takes members.