Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
•   Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
•   Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Working Life

The Offline Editor is the principal picture editor on factual and entertainment programmes, responsible for organising and assembling the director’s material into a coherent visual story that reflects their vision and meets the required duration.

While the offline editor must have the necessary technical skills to deal with all media, post-production platforms and other digital assets, this in essence is a creative, visual storytelling role.

The offline editor must be familiar with the industry-standard editing systems: Avid Media Composer or Apple Final Cut Pro. 

In a genuine creative partnership with the director, the offline editor will examine all footage, and select and assemble shots against script. 

Throughout the process, the offline editor independently makes creative decisions as to how sequences best work in relation to one another. This also includes making suggestions for music tracks and graphics.

Offline editors should also be very familiar with the signature style of different composers, bands and musical artistes, for example, giving them a broad range when different music tracks need to selected and sampled, or when a composer is being briefed to score bespoke music.

The offline editor is someone who can work collaboratively, but who is also confident about his or her own creative decisions and can stand over them. The role often involves acting as a sort of creative middleman between the director and producer.

Works with

• Director
• Producer
• Edit Assistant
• Post-Production Producer

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Organise and string together raw footage into a continuous whole according to scripts or the instructions of directors and producers.
• Edit films and videotapes to insert music, dialogue, and sound effects, to arrange films into sequences, and to correct errors, using editing equipment.
• Select and combine the most effective shots of each scene to form a logical and smoothly running story.
• Review footage sequence by sequence to become familiar with it before assembling it into a final product.
• Set up and operate computer editing systems, electronic titling systems, video switching equipment, and digital video effects units to produce a final product.
• Trim film segments to specified lengths and reassemble segments in sequences that present stories with maximum effect.
• Cut shot sequences to different angles at specific points in scenes, making each individual cut as fluid and seamless as possible.
• Review assembled films or edited videotapes on screens or monitors to determine if corrections are necessary.
• Verify key numbers and time codes on materials.
• Manipulate plot, score, sound, and graphics to make the parts into a continuous whole, working closely with people in audio, visual, music, optical, or special effects departments.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Education Route: Media studies courses are useful in as far as learning the basic operation of edit systems, media files, and different digital assets is concerned.

Career Path to Offline Editor: Offline Editors will have completed a traditional industry “apprenticeship”, having first been trainee editors.  

Career Path from Offline Editor: Senior Editor, Online Editor, Edit Producer/Series Editor, Executive Producer.