Surprise: Not every YouTuber edits their own videos.
In fact, many of YouTube’s biggest stars have teams of editors that help them churn out content, select music and sound effects, and design eye-catching thumbnails.
Often a behind-the-scenes gig, the lives and career paths of YouTube editors aren’t as public as the stories behind the platform’s stars. The industry also isn’t as established as other areas of production, like editing commercials, TV, or film.
“It’s very Wild West,” said Nicholas Stanley Erhart, a creative who edits videos for YouTuber Brittany “Broski” Tomlinson. “It doesn’t feel like there’s many norms for how you’re supposed to work with YouTubers or how editors are supposed to work.”
Creatives who are operating cameras or editing videos for YouTubers are often forced to build their careers from scratch rather than follow an established path. Many early-career editors use social media to land jobs, either by showcasing their editing skills in their content or DMing bigger creators.
But like freelance work in media more broadly, many YouTube editors are still figuring out how to structure their payment rates and hours. Some even wonder whether working with YouTubers can offer the stability necessary for a lasting career. And unlike in Hollywood where unions often dictate labor terms, YouTube editors are often on their own.
“You have to be the one vouching for yourself,” said Tony Santos, an editor for educational YouTuber Thomas Frank. “You have to be putting yourself out there, knowing how to navigate business conversations.”
Successful editors can make thousands of dollars per month, too.
While less structure on YouTube can breed uncertainty for media workers, it also creates opportunities for editors to take on a lot of creative autonomy and build experience in a variety of roles within entertainment.
“I consider us lucky because we have so much more creative input and a lot more trust in us,” said Cam Peddle, who edits for the YouTube channel Yes Theory.
Business Insider connected with editors, creators, agents, managers, and other digital-media industry professionals to learn more about the work of editors on YouTube.
Here are the stories behind the careers of 10 editors who work with top YouTubers, listed in alphabetical order:
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