What does a sound editor do?

They edit and clean production dialogue, cut effects and atmospheres, prepare ADR, and build organised mix-ready tracks. Much of the work is invisible repair; the rest is constructing a world of sound.

What is the difference between a sound editor and a sound designer?

Sound design is the creative approach — what the film should sound like. Sound editing is the assembly and cleanup that makes it deliverable. On smaller productions one person does both.

When should sound editing start?

After picture lock. Editing against a cut that is still changing means redoing the sync work every time, which is why locking picture before sound post matters.

All Roles

Post-Production

Sound Editor

Builds the soundtrack from dialogue, effects and atmosphere before it reaches the mix.

The Sound Editor Role

The Sound Editor assembles and cleans every audio element of a film before the final mix — editing production dialogue, cutting sound effects and atmospheres, preparing ADR, and building the layered tracks a re-recording mixer balances. Much of the work is invisible repair: removing a generator hum, replacing an unusable line, smoothing the join between takes recorded hours apart. The rest is construction, building a world of sound that feels like it was simply there.

Key Responsibilities

Edit and clean production dialogue across the cut
Cut sound effects, atmospheres and backgrounds
Prepare and edit ADR against picture
Build organised, mix-ready track layouts
Prepare elements for the M&E and international versions
Collaborate with the sound designer and re-recording mixer

When to Hire a Sound Editor

After picture lock, or on a locked reel if you are working reel by reel. Editing sound against a moving cut wastes the work, because every change invalidates the sync. Budget realistically — dialogue editing alone is substantial on a dialogue-heavy film.

What to Look For

Dialogue editing samples, which is where the invisible work lives
Organised track layouts a re-recording mixer can work from
Experience preparing M&E and international deliverables
Realism about what production audio will support
Familiarity with your delivery specification

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FAQ

Sound Editor — Common Questions

What does a sound editor do?: They edit and clean production dialogue, cut effects and atmospheres, prepare ADR, and build organised mix-ready tracks. Much of the work is invisible repair; the rest is constructing a world of sound.
What is the difference between a sound editor and a sound designer?: Sound design is the creative approach — what the film should sound like. Sound editing is the assembly and cleanup that makes it deliverable. On smaller productions one person does both.
When should sound editing start?: After picture lock. Editing against a cut that is still changing means redoing the sync work every time, which is why locking picture before sound post matters.

Related Crew Roles

Sound