Preface Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Mark Twain Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life. Confucius If you are passionately in love with the art of editing and have dreamed of making it your professional career, there is little doubt in our mind that you can make the cut. We would like to share with you our strategies on how to navigate your career in the film industry from your first step as an assistant film editor to the ultimate goal--becoming a film editor. There are many ladders that can be climbed in the world of filmmaking. Some departments have well- trodden paths that cultivate the initiate.This is particularly true in the world of editing. In postproduction, there are entry-level jobs that include postproduction assistant, shipping and receiving clerk at post facilities, appren- tice editor, and eventually an assistant editor. These jobs will lead toward a career as a picture editor. Though