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Documentary Editing Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Significant professional editing experience across documentary, branded, commercial, or editorial content, with a proven track record of delivering exceptional work for top-tier clients or in-house.

Conduct a range of video shoots, including interviews, documentary-style field production, b-roll capture, and short-form digital content. * Edit video content using contractor-provided editing ...

Senior Editor

Burbank, CA ยท On-site

$115 - $130/hr

Stay up to date on the latest editing techniques, trends, and industry standards. What do you need ... long form documentary. * Expert level experience with post-production and graphics software ...

New

Editor

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$65K - $100K/yr

Stay current on editing trends, techniques, and tools that can elevate our work What We're Looking ... or documentary work * Strong reel that demonstrates story sensibility, pacing, and range across ...

... and editing. * CPG or food industry experience a plus (but not required). * Strong and proven sense of storytelling and style in the medium of video across genres (long-form, documentary ...

Video Editor | Titleist

Oceanside, CA ยท On-site

$69K - $86K/yr

Minimum three (3) years of professional editing experience creating commercial, branded, documentary, or digital content, including work across YouTube, social media, digital marketing, product ...

... and editing. * CPG or food industry experience a plus (but not required). * Strong and proven sense of storytelling and style in the medium of video across genres (long-form, documentary ...

... and editing. * CPG or food industry experience a plus (but not required). * Strong and proven sense of storytelling and style in the medium of video across genres (long-form, documentary ...

Senior Video Editor

Long Beach, CA ยท On-site

$74K - $112K/yr

You'll be editing the videos that tell the story of Terran R and shape external and internal ... This role is geared towards someone who has experience across commercial, branded, documentary ...

You'll be editing the videos that tell the story of Terran R and shape external and internal ... This role is geared towards someone who has experience across commercial, branded, documentary ...

Filmmaker / Storyteller

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$100K - $140K/yr

Produce 4+ short-form videos monthly, 1 commercial monthly, and 1 documentary quarterly, handling ... After establishing our content foundation, recruit and manage freelancers, editors, and production ...

You'll own end-to-end editing for internal video projects across the company. The formats are ... documentary. You'll get real creative ownership here, not template-based assembly work. The ...

$16.50/hr

Collaborate on planning, shooting, and editing short documentaries and video content Create engaging social media videos, reels, and graphics that highlight program activities and community stories ...

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Documentary Editing information

What is documentary editing?

Documentary editing is the process of assembling, organizing, and refining recorded footage, interviews, audio, and other elements to create a cohesive and compelling nonfiction film or video. Editors work closely with directors and producers to shape the narrative, determine pacing, and ensure that the story is both engaging and accurate. This role often involves making creative decisions about what content to include or omit, as well as incorporating graphics, sound, and music to enhance the final product.

What are typical challenges faced by documentary editors when shaping a story from raw footage?

Documentary editors often encounter the challenge of organizing large amounts of unscripted footage into a compelling, coherent narrative. They must balance the director's vision with the available material, sometimes working with incomplete or evolving storylines. Tight deadlines, last-minute changes, and collaborating closely with directors, producers, and sound designers are also common aspects of the role. Strong communication and creative problem-solving skills are essential for overcoming these challenges and producing a polished final product.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a documentary editor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Documentary Editor, you need a strong grasp of storytelling, video editing principles, and experience with non-linear editing software, often supported by a degree in film, media, or related fields. Proficiency with tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, or Final Cut Pro, as well as knowledge of formats and post-production workflows, is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, time management, and collaboration are crucial soft skills that help editors craft compelling narratives and work well with directors and producers. These skills and qualities are vital for producing engaging, coherent documentaries that effectively communicate their message and meet production deadlines.

What is the difference between Documentary Editing vs Video Editing?

AspectDocumentary EditingVideo Editing
CredentialsOften requires editing experience, film or media backgroundRequires editing skills, often with specific software knowledge
Work EnvironmentFilm or documentary production settingsVaries from corporate videos to social media content
Industry UsagePrimarily in film, television, and documentary projectsAcross multiple industries including marketing, entertainment, and corporate

Documentary editing focuses on shaping real-life footage into compelling stories, often requiring a deep understanding of storytelling and factual accuracy. Video editing is broader, encompassing various types of video content, from commercials to social media clips. While both roles require editing skills, documentary editing emphasizes narrative construction within factual contexts, making it more specialized.

What are popular job titles related to Documentary Editing jobs in California?

For Documentary Editing jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Documentary Editing jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Documentary Editing jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Documentary Editing jobs?

Cities in California with the most Documentary Editing job openings:

Infographic showing various Documentary Editing job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Internship, 81% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 73% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 21% Remote job distribution.

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

Who are we hiring?ย 

The Senior Video Editor will be responsible for creating a variety of video content, both long- and short-form, to support various Sphere company initiatives. This role will have a focus in executing the full post-production process including, but not limited to, editing video, story editing, media management, logging and maintaining content archives, selecting stock footage, building text animations and some motion graphics as needed, audio editing, sound design, color correcting, exporting multiple formats for social, compressing and resizing files, and captioning.

What will you do?ย 

  • Responsible for assembling complex long and short form video content with layers, including graphics and effects to support various company initiatives.
  • Clean up, organize and archive all projects and components to appropriate servers for easy access in the future.
  • Occasionally serve as internal expert on sound design, sound mixing and creating original sound scopes in house.
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to Video Editor(s) and freelancers.
  • Stay up to date on the latest editing techniques, trends, and industry standards.

What do you need to succeed?

  • 4 years' experience working as a Video Editor in advertising, branded content, in a production company or long form documentary.
  • Expert level experience with post-production and graphics software, including Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, After Effects and Davinci Resolve.
  • Strong experience with sound mixing and color correction.
  • Motion Graphics capabilities preferred.
  • Knowledgeable about various cameras, equipment, shooting and editing styles and techniques extremely helpful.
  • Possess a refined creative touch and have a deep understanding of storytelling techniques.
  • Strong storytelling skills.

Special Requirementsย 

  • Work during non-conventional hours will be required.
  • Travel to our venue in Las Vegas will be required.

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