Video Editor job description
A Video Editor turns raw footage into finished reels, ads, explainers and long videos. Businesses hire one to publish video steadily without sending every cut to an outside studio.
Why the role exists
Video now carries ads, product pages, training and social channels. A Video Editor sits between the camera and the audience, shaping story, pace and sound. In India this role often works with a marketing team, a content lead or a founder, sometimes alongside a shooter.
What the person does
- Review raw footage and shortlist the best takes against the brief and script.
- Cut and assemble reels, shorts, ads and long videos to the agreed length and format.
- Add subtitles in English and Indian languages, plus titles, lower thirds and simple motion graphics.
- Clean up audio, balance levels and add music or voiceover with proper licences.
- Apply basic colour correction so footage from different cameras and phones matches.
- Export files in the right sizes for Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp and website use.
- Handle feedback rounds, keep project files organised and name versions clearly.
- Maintain a library of raw clips, templates and brand intros for faster turnaround.
Skills and tools
- Editing software such as Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro or CapCut
- Motion graphics basics in After Effects or similar tools
- Audio clean-up and mixing in the editing suite or Audition
- Subtitling workflow, including Hindi and regional language text
- Storytelling and pacing for short vertical and long horizontal video
- Colour correction and grading for consistent looks
- File management, backups and naming discipline across projects
- Taking feedback and turning revisions around within agreed time
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- Diploma or degree in film, media, animation or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience
- Preferred: a reel showing varied work, such as ads, social videos and explainers
- Preferred: experience editing for the platforms your business uses, such as YouTube or Instagram
- Comfort working on a fast calendar with several videos in progress
How the work is judged
- Share of videos delivered on the agreed date without rework for avoidable errors
- Quality of edits judged by the brief owner, including pace, audio and subtitles
- Number of revision rounds needed before a video is approved
- Performance of published videos against what the team expected, such as watch time
- Tidiness of project files and ease of handover to another editor
Where the role can lead
- Senior Video Editor or Post-production Lead handling bigger projects
- Motion Designer or Animator with deeper graphics skills
- Content Producer or Video Director who plans shoots and guides the story from the start
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- Take us through a recent edit from raw footage to export. What choices shaped the final cut?
- The founder wants five changes an hour before posting. How do you respond and prioritise?
- How do you edit one shoot for a reel, a YouTube video and a website banner?
- What do you check before you export a video with subtitles in two languages?
- Your footage has poor audio. What can you fix in editing and what needs a reshoot?
- Which editing tool do you prefer and why? What would you need to learn a new one?
Hiring tips for this role
- Always ask for a timed edit test using your own raw clips. A showreel can hide how much was done by someone else.
- Check which parts of the showreel the candidate truly cut. Ask for before and after versions and the original brief.
- Confirm they own or can use suitable hardware, or budget for a capable editing machine. Slow systems waste skilled hours.
- Clarify music, stock footage and font licences early. Editors under pressure sometimes reuse unlicensed material.
Questions about hiring a video editor
If you publish video every week, a full-time editor gives speed and consistency. If volume is occasional, freelancers cost less. Many businesses start with freelancers and hire once demand is steady.
Not always. Some editors shoot simple content, but the skills differ. State in the job description whether shooting is expected, so candidates and your budget match the real work.
Give two to three minutes of raw footage, a short brief and a deadline of a few hours. Ask for a vertical cut with subtitles. Review pace, audio, text accuracy and how closely the brief was followed.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, including formats, tools and volume. We then find and screen candidates, review their portfolios and support the offer for a permanent hire.
Hiring a video editor?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.