Unconventional Paths to a Successful Editing Career
Navigating a career in editing can be a daunting task, especially when traditional routes seem limited. I’ve never seen more posts about how many people are looking for Hollywood jobs than I have recently. It's an unfortunate growing list and sad state of our industry.
So many people including those who are just starting out are finding it difficult to navigate the industry and having a hard time figuring out where to look. So today, we’ll explore unconventional paths to find work in post production that I personally have taken and continue to take. I’ll repeat that, these are things I’ve done personally. Sometimes combining multiple job types from this list to make ends meet. While there is no one-size-fits-all formula, these creative strategies may lead you to the break you've been looking for. Or they can at least inspire ideas to find paying work.
1) Sports Editing: Many aspiring editors believe that the only way to make it big in the editing world is to be in cities like Los Angeles or New York. However, our journey begins in the world of sports editing. An internship at NFL Films opened doors to new storytelling possibilities for me. It set me on a path I never thought about before. Sports seasons are consistent, and freelancers are frequently sought to create compelling sports content, making it a steady avenue for seasonal/permalance work throughout the year.
Here are a few seasons to check out. Look towards the beginnings of these seasons for new opportunities that are posted.
NFL season: September – February
NASCAR season: February – November
MLB season: March – November
NBA season: October – April
College Basketball: November - March
MLS - February - October
The benefit to sports industries is those who want a job in post can really find a home anywhere in the world. It’s not just LA, London, and NYC. In the US, NFL Films is in South Jersey. NFL Network HQ is in Culver city. NBC Sports is in Stamford, Nascar is in Charlotte, ESPN in Bristol, you get it. But then you have the teams. They are everywhere! All have a post production department and usually are looking for people before the seasons start up. So keep the schedules nearby and start looking several months in advance for job postings.
2) Sizzle Reels: Another intriguing path in the editing landscape is development sizzle reels. It may vary from network to network, but it's worth exploring. Producers and production companies are continually pitching new shows and ideas. In the current landscape you may not think so, but the development business is very much alive. Seek out examples and think about how you can make the idea better in the edit. I’ve seen a TON a very bad sizzles that someone got paid for so it’s not rocket science here. My suggestion is think of a show idea or a docuseries and create a sample sizzle reel to share as a sample with potential clients. Seek out ways to improve your trailer editing, sound design, how to tell/shape storylines very efficiently to stand out. Get good at cutting a tease. Research the type of production companies that develop pitches and shows. Reach out to offer your services in this department. You never know how cutting a sizzle for someone could turn into a major break!
3) Corporate Editing: Enter the corporate editing world, where companies churn out repetitive and uninspiring soulless sales videos for retreats and meetings. This presents an opportunity for editors to bring innovation and excitement to the table. By demonstrating how you can spice up their content and engage their audience, you can secure lucrative projects. Most of these projects are internal, offering a chance to use platforms like YouTube and Spotify to your advantage without any copyright restrictions (I’m not a lawyer). Major corporations invest heavily in these materials, making it a potential goldmine for quality editors. Reach out to companies directly or better yet, ask your family/friends (who are more likely to be working for a major company) for a good contact. These projects are sometimes the bread and butter to sustaining a career in the arts.
This work is not always fun, but it pays the bills. Think of this Hollywood dream you have not only as a passion, but as a business. In any great business, you have to make decisions on how to keep the lights on. The films and shows you watch aren’t always going to be readily available and you’ll need to find ways to keep the lights on. Make sound business decisions. Don’t let your dreams cloud your judgement. Find creative ways to keep the dream alive while making money at the same time. As my friend Rory Karpf always says: there’s one project for the reel and one project for the meal.
I want to pause here briefly. Sometimes you may need to work outside of the creative field to make ends meet. Don’t be ashamed in that. Don’t feel you’ve failed. Because every step you take in your life now is a step towards a better future. So get that job at Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, or McDonald’s. Be the best at that job you possibly can be. Do it with passion just as you would in the creative field you dream of. Keep your lights on and keep your eyes forward. You’ll land your dream job eventually when you keep that mentality, I promise you that. Back to it…
4) Weddings: Before delving into the world of sports and corporate editing, I embarked on my professional filmmaking journey by shooting weddings. I bought my own gear by leveraging student loans. I went out and did wedding trade shows to promote my own business and make a living as a college student and early in my post college life. I started from nothing and built clients from just putting in the work.
This path allows you to master the art of eliciting emotions through visual storytelling. It’s an amazing way to learn craft in post because there’s a built in beginning, middle, and ending to every wedding day. Story structure can be honed this way. Best part is that YOU can find your audience by telling the types of wedding stories you want to tell. Do you like documentary style videos? You can do it! Do you want to cut emotionally driven montages? You can do it! Do you want to just set 5 cameras up and let them run with minimal editing? Well, I mean you can do it but where’s the fun in that? Point is: If you’re driven enough you can build a flourishing business with your signature style and find the clients that want the same things you do. If you build it, they will come as we learned in the Field of Dreams edited by Ian Crafford (Clip attached)
Additionally, shooting photography alongside wedding videography can be a creative outlet that keeps you engaged creatively. It’s great because you get to hone a creative AND technical skill. After I hung up wedding videos years ago, my wife started her own wedding photography business. Alyssa Frost Photography. I proudly have worked with her photographing over 100+ weddings and getting outside of the daily grind of my edit suite. Being able to explore other creative avenues is really how my brain stays fresh. But it’s hard work. It’s like working on set with 10 hour days plus the drive back. Free cake is a nice touch though!
5) Broadcast/Local Editing: The final avenue we explore is broadcast and local editing. Working at NFL Films and NASCAR productions opened doors to a permalance gig for me at SPEED channel, later transitioning to FS1. The key takeaway here is the sheer volume of content produced daily – from bumps and coming ups to features and sit-downs. This intense workload enables editors to become lightning-fast in content delivery and refine their storytelling abilities on the fly. I can wax poetically on the many insane deadlines I’ve had to hit while telling emotionally driven content. I got very good at telling these types of stories quickly both on the creative side, but technical side as well.
Broadcast and local networks often require additional personnel due to this type of demanding schedule/nature of the job, providing opportunities for those seeking entry level gigs. But don’t just fall into the trap of formulaic low end mush you expect from a local channel. Flex your creative skills. Challenge yourself to change boring or dry stories into something new and refreshing.
The truth is the industry is facing a lot of challenges right now. Artists fear for their futures. It's essential not to overlook that when making life decisions or hedging your bets on future that may be delayed. But it shouldn’t keep you down either.
There are many companies who aren’t affected directly by Hollywood market struggles and I’ve listed some of those industries here to help you get a broader picture on how you can still find work in an industry that feels fresh out. All this to help you hone storytelling skills, gain experience, and most importantly pays bills. Plus, it's a fantastic way to build your network! When the industry rebounds, you'll be well-positioned to leverage your skills and connections for success. Stay adaptable, and remember that opportunities often arise where you least expect them.
While the path to success in editing is not always straightforward, these unconventional avenues offer exciting opportunities to explore and create your own unique journey. Much of them are remote, and offer a ton of creative flexibility and expression. Whether you find your niche in sports, sizzle reels, corporate editing, weddings, broadcast, or unscripted, remember that determination can pave the way to a fulfilling editing career especially in a particular post production bear market. Stay creative, seek out new possibilities, and get comfortable with being uncomfortable!