Canadian Cinema Editors and the Comité des treize launch The Editor’s Taskbook: Responsibilities and Best Practices
The Canadian Cinema Editors (CCE) and the Comité des treize are proud to announce the release of The Editor’s Taskbook: Responsibilities and Best Practices, a comprehensive guide designed to empower film and television editors, assistant editors, producers, and their teams. This groundbreaking document has been over four years in the making, and serves as both a reference and a tool for fostering collaborative, efficient, and creative editorial environments.
From pre-production to final delivery, The Editor’s Taskbook outlines every stage of the editing process in detail. It addresses critical topics such as staffing, contracts, workflows, and ergonomic best practices, ensuring that professionals across the industry can approach their projects with clarity, confidence, and creativity.
“We hope that this guide will help editors, assistant editors, producers, and their teams to create rich environments where creativity can flourish,” reads the Preamble. “It describes the key steps in the editorial team’s workflow, and can be used to determine the time needed for each stage in the editing process and identify the role of each team member. Use it. Adapt it. Share it.”
A Collaborative Effort for a Changing Industry
The Taskbook represents a unique collaboration between several organizations dedicated to supporting editors. The Canadian Cinema Editors, a national association advocating for professional development and recognition of editors, partnered with Montreal-based Comité des treize, known for their focus on supporting francophone editors. Together, they have crafted a guide that addresses the nuances of editorial work in Canada’s diverse production landscape. Additional content was generously provided by Monteurs en mouvement, and some sections have been adapted from existing guidelines (the American Cinema Editors’ Best Practices Guide for Post Production, and the Best Practices For Post-Production Archives by the Visual Research Society of Canada). The Taskbook has been endorsed by the Directors’ Guild of Canada, IATSE 891 (BC), AQTIS 514 IATSE (Quebec), and TEMPO, the international film editors’ organization with over 9000 members.
“This project is the result of extensive collaboration and consultation with editors across Canada,” said Lesley Mackay Hunter, President of CCE. “In addition to being a guidebook for editors, it is also an advocacy tool that helps educate producers on the crucial role editors and their assistants play in the filmmaking process.”
Editor Annie Jean of the Comité des treize added, “When we set about creating this guide, our motivation was quite simple: it was a desire to share, to ensure that all our colleagues could enjoy the best possible working conditions. By recognizing the complexity of our profession and the scope of our responsibilities, we wanted to provide everyone with the best possible arguments for negotiating their contracts, while respecting the integrity of our profession.”
Key Highlights of The Editor’s Taskbook
- Getting Started: A thorough overview of foundational considerations, including guild membership, contract negotiations, and setting up an ideal workplace—whether on-site or remote.
- Editorial Workflow: Detailed guidance for editors and assistant editors, covering preparation, assembly, cutting, and finishing. These sections emphasize teamwork and effective communication between roles.
- Ergonomic Best Practices: Generously supplied by Montréal-based Monteurs en mouvement, a dedicated section on creating a healthy editing environment, featuring insights on workspace setup, equipment, and techniques to maintain physical well-being during long hours of work.
- Management of Archival Material: In cooperation with the Quebec branch of the Visual Research Society of Canada, guidelines for archive handling, including research and tracking, for documentary and unscripted projects.
A Tool for the Industry’s Future
Designed as both a practical handbook and a resource for ongoing education, The Editor’s Taskbook offers invaluable tools to streamline workflows and help set realistic schedules. Its modular structure allows users to tailor the guide to suit the specific needs of their projects and teams.
“We envision this guide as a living document,” said the authoring committee. “As the industry evolves, so too can the Taskbook. We encourage editors and teams to adapt it to their unique circumstances and share their insights to keep our community strong.”
Availability
The Editor’s Taskbook: Responsibilities and Best Practices is available for download as of today on the website of the Canadian Cinema Editors.
About the Canadian Cinema Editors (CCE)
The Canadian Cinema Editors is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the craft of editing in Canada. Through advocacy, mentorship, and events, the CCE supports a thriving community of editors and assistant editors.
About the Comité des treize
Based in Montreal, the Comité des treize is an organization of editors that works to champion the art and profession of editing within the francophone film and television industry. The group fosters collaboration and innovation among its members.
For media inquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:
Alison Dowler
CCE Operations Manager
alison@cceditors.ca
EN 
FR