Unscripted Editor

Early Media • Austin, TX

5d

About The Position

Early Media is hiring an unscripted editor to shape real-world footage into premium, YouTube-style content across its unscripted slate, including character-driven docuseries, challenges, and other formats. The editor will work alongside directors and producers, using editorial judgment to find stories, moments, and character arcs in raw footage and create polished content with a strong YouTube-native sensibility.

The role owns editorial from assembly through picture lock and involves delivering tight, polished pieces on a fast-turnaround schedule. The editor will maintain a clean, high-volume edit pipeline in collaboration with an Assistant Editor and organize handoffs so color, sound, and VFX finishing can proceed smoothly. The department is evolving quickly, so the editor will also help build its processes and ways of working.

Requirements

• Be an efficient editor with a strong creative point of view.
• Have a strong editorial portfolio in unscripted content, such as docuseries, documentary, reality, or social-first formats, demonstrating storytelling instincts and the ability to build narrative from raw footage.
• Be fluent in YouTube-style editing, including video openings, act structure, pattern interrupts, and the editorial choices used by large creators.
• Have proven fast-turnaround experience and experience building or adopting sustainable production systems.
• Have expert-level experience in Premiere Pro, including collaborative workflows, sync sound, finishing round trips, and proxy workflows.
• Have working knowledge of other disciplines, including graphics, temp VFX, and sound design.
• Have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and knowledge of workflow and naming conventions; be able to manage multiple projects without losing quality.

Nice To Haves

• Background in both short-form content and unscripted entertainment, with comfort shifting between formats, concepts, and episode lengths.
• Proficiency in motion graphics, including developing story-supporting GFX ideas and implementing them independently.
• Experience at a post-house, production company, or on projects with multiple post team members, and familiarity with larger-scale workflows.
• Mentoring experience and an interest in developing assistant editors and young talent.

Responsibilities

• Edit projects from assembly through picture lock, delivering creative, polished edits on time and to a high quality bar.
• Find narrative threads, moments, and character arcs in raw footage rather than relying on a scripted story.
• Create cuts with a YouTube-native sensibility, using strong hooks, pattern interrupts, and engaging pacing.
• Maintain an efficient edit pipeline with an Assistant Editor, keeping media and workflows organized for a high-volume, fast-turnaround cadence.
• Deliver tight pieces on a schedule, including turning 15-minute shoots into 5-minute pieces every 2–3 weeks.
• Prepare clean, consistent handoffs to color, sound, and VFX finishing.
• Help build the editorial department and its processes.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed