Define an Editor

[saxondale.]

Like a post production editor. Their roles, what specifically do they do, importance etc

I'm just trying to think of a good way to sum up an editor (in terms of broadcasting) in a paragraph.

 

[decadentdave]

There are several different kinds. You could have an Online Editor, Offline Editor, Sound Editor, Finishing Editor, Content Editor... etc. Their roles vary depending on the task they are doing. An Offline Editor, for example, would be responsible for assembling rough cuts for creative review whereas an Online Editor usually assembles the final cut.

 

[Gondry]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editing

Film editor

A film editor is a person who practices film editing by assembling footage into a coherent film. Film editors often are responsible for pulling together all of the elements of story, dialogue, music, sound effects, visual effects, rhythm and pace of a film. In the making of a film, the editors usually play a dynamic and creative role.

- thats a pretty good definition and easily changed to fit broadcast telly or news. I do editing work and it can really vary as to whats required depending on the client. For tv work you might have to do all the picture finishing and audio yourself and make a master or for someone else its offline only at a crappy 15:1 resolution, before someone else does the finishing.

 

[LethalWolfe]

There are several different kinds. You could have an Online Editor, Offline Editor, Sound Editor, Finishing Editor, Content Editor... etc. Their roles vary depending on the task they are doing. An Offline Editor, for example, would be responsible for assembling rough cuts for creative review whereas an Online Editor usually assembles the final cut.

Just a point of clarification, the offline editor will create a final creative cut which will be passed along to the online editor for color correction/grading, final effects, final gfx, etc., and eventual output.


Lethal

 

[supercooled]

Which editor's role is considered crucial thereby netting the largest salary? I'm not not how to construct my question another way but basically the most important role would be given to the person with the most experience. My thoughts on this is, the Online Editor may supersede every other editor because s/he would have had many years of experience and can act as the supervisor from the first step to the final product.

 

[748s]

A story teller.
If you can't tell a story your editing will be very ordinary.

Too many people think if you can run a software application you are an editor.
All the technical skills wont make you an editor.

Before video there was 'Editor'.
Video has created quite a few variations of editor.
An offline editor is the story teller, the creative.
The rest work on the locked off picture edit.

 

[bigbossbmb]

Which editor's role is considered crucial thereby netting the largest salary? I'm not not how to construct my question another way but basically the most important role would be given to the person with the most experience. My thoughts on this is, the Online Editor may supersede every other editor because s/he would have had many years of experience and can act as the supervisor from the first step to the final product.

You are correct, the online editor is both the highest paid and most experienced editor on a project. The online editor is higher on the decision-making food chain in terms of creative decisions as well.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Which editor's role is considered crucial thereby netting the largest salary? I'm not not how to construct my question another way but basically the most important role would be given to the person with the most experience. My thoughts on this is, the Online Editor may supersede every other editor because s/he would have had many years of experience and can act as the supervisor from the first step to the final product.

You are correct, the online editor is both the highest paid and most experienced editor on a project. The online editor is higher on the decision-making food chain in terms of creative decisions as well.

At least in my experience this far from the truth. Offline editing and Online editing are two different disciplines. Offline is typically "creative" while Online is "technical." If there is a Lead or Senior editor on a project that person would typically have more experience and could oversee the other editors.

Typically, this is the post workflow. All the footage is captured at low-res for the Offline editor who cuts the show and uses temp gfx, rough efx, etc.,. Everything at this stage is about getting the story right as the polish will come later. Once the edit is locked the audio is sent out to be mixed and the footage used in the show is recaptured at full res for the online. The Online editor will color correct & grade the high res footage, lay in the final gfx, final efx, make sure all the levels are b'cast legal, drop in the final sound mix that comes back from the audio house, etc.,. The Online editor will then output the show to tape making sure it meets all the technical specs required by the network (or whomever the show is for).

Online editors are typically paid more because there are fewer of them and because they work long hours under lots of stress (I guess that's part of the reason why there are fewer of them). As the last link in the chain a successful Online editor has to be very fast because, no matter how many other delays have happened, he is expected to make up for that lost time so the show doesn't get delivered late. I worked on a TV show once where the online editor's shift was pretty much one 36hr or so long shift each week.


Lethal

 

[bigbossbmb]

Yeah, I can see that being true on most shows. I should've started my post with "In my experience...". With the shows that I've worked on, our online editor essentially acts as a senior editor, as well as covering the technical side of things.

When our executive producer comes in, he sits with our online editor and they make any final changes together while the OE makes primary color changes.