As I’ve looked for editing gigs over a period of time I’ve noticed something…
…the definition of one creative job has eventually become, well… more.
Example, I saw this job listing recently:
Part-Time Graphic Designer & Video Editor
Here’s what it says about what the job entails:
Create Content: graphics, promos, menus, and marketing materials for restaurants
This is one job, a graphic designer.
It asks for someone with “Strong graphic design skills (Adobe Creative Suite, etc.).”
As of writing there are over 20 apps in the Creative Cloud. The main ones that are focused on graphic design are Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. There are others beyond that, but lets just say these three. In fairness, unlike some jobs I’ve seen, it doesn’t specify an applicant’s level of proficiency in any of those apps. But I’ve seen descriptions ask for high level proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud. If they mean just a couple of apps, then they need to specify.
The description goes on:
Edit short-form videos (Reels, TikTok) and occasional long-form content
Now, it’s asking for a person to be a video editor. Which is obvious by the title of the job description.
They ask for video editing experience and list Premiere Pro, Final Cut, CapCut… presumably any of those are ok, but the wording isn’t clear. Video editing is a second job.
Then it says:
After Effects, etc.
Now we’ve software that does digital effects, motion graphics, and compositing application. Most corporate jobs don’t need digital effects, but you’d still need to know the other elements: motion graphics, and compositing application, So it seems like a third job has been snuck in. Lot of editors seem to be required to do motion graphics these days. Unless, of course, they think After Effects is just another editing software? Not sure. Unclear.
Next it says:
Capture or enhance storytelling through visual- whether it’s a plated dish or a detailed car shot
Not quite clear what that is? It’s not a graphic designer uses existing assets. The language is kinda broad so it could be a photographer, art director, maybe… a videographer? For argument’s sake, lets sake photographer. So that’s job number four. Next part says:
Maintain a consistent, on-brand look across all content
Ok, so what is this? I’m not entirely sure. A Brand consultant/director? Art director? it’s not just make something, it’s maintaining consistency. Ok, maybe not director. Maybe assistant art director? assistant TO the art director? (hat tip to The Office UK). It’s a decision-making role. Job number five.
In the section about what they’re looking for they mention the following:
Eye for detail, lighting, and composition (food + automotive is a plus)
This seems to connect back to what seems to be the photography role. However, they have a bonus skill section which says:
Experience shooting content (photo/video)
Which is seems a little confusing if they’ve already suggested something which sounds like a photography role. But the word that jumps out at me here is video. That’s unrelated to video editing. I mean, it could be useful for a videographer to know how to edit, but that’s not really their area of focus. So this is job number six.
It then mentions the applicant needs to have an:
Understanding of social media trends and what performs well
Which to me sounds like a social media manager or marketer. So, job number seven?
This is role is asking for one person to handle, essentially, seven roles. Or, at least, some sort of mishmash of seven roles. That’s a lot to try and achieve in a part time role.
Salary
The pay range? $25-$45 an hour.
At the time of writing, according to Glass Door, the average salary range for a video editor in my state of Illinois is $52K – $86K/yr and it lists $66K/yr as the Median total pay. But the role discussed is part time.
Which means if it’s $25 an hour that works out to be $26,000/year. Or if it’s $45 an hour that works out to be $46,800/year. Well below the average range and definitely below the median total pay.
And don’t forget, that’s for a video editor only.
I won’t do a breakdown for each of what seems like seven roles, but I will just add that the average salary for a graphic designer in Chicago, according to Glass Door, is $54K – $84K/yr with a median total pay of $67K/yr.
According to the website Living Wage Calculation for Illinois, two working adults with two kids minimum wage is $15 an hour. So this role is above minimum wage. That’s good. However, the same website suggests that a living wage is considered to be $29.34 an hour. So the quote pay range within the living wage. That’s positive. But what Living Wage Calculation for Illinois refers to is full time.
That website goes on to say that for two adults working, with 2 children the average expenses are: $102,944 total. So this part-time role doesn’t even make up half of that.
Let’s look at this a little more broadly away from this specific job.
Historically, each of these roles discussed earlier have been separate roles. One only need look at the crew list on a Hollywood film to see separate roles listed. This seems to suggest the hiring manager don’t know that they are separate roles. Or they do, and they’re trying to save the company money. As a business owner myself, that’s completely understandable. But I think the risk is, employee burnout.
And it’s not just in the creative industry.
I worked in a variety of office jobs back in the 2000s, in roles like Administration Assistant, Admin Officer, and Executive Assistant. One job I had, I was hired as an admin assistant but ended up being that to three different managers; one senior manager, and two non senior. Which is a lot. I even got told that there used to be three different people doing my job prior to the 2008 financial crisis.
Given that context, it makes sense from the business’s perspective. Kinda.
It’s all very well me thinking, why don’t I just up skill and add After Effects to my editing skillset (predominantly on Final Cut Pro X), or learn Graphic Design, but that isn’t really helping the broader market. Just because a person can wear multiple hats, which is especially common making a micro budget film as I have, it doesn’t mean to say a prospective employee should have to.
I think an honest assessment of what a video editor (sticking with an area I know) should actually do is important. Knowing the difference between that and Motion Graphics, Graphic Design, etc is key.
Video editors take raw footage filmed on some sort of video recording camera device, cuts, arranges, and assembles it into a cohesive and engaging video.