Sven Pape's

The Go-To Editor 5.0

Premium Training Program

Thrive as a Film & Video Editor

6.5+ HOURS  ●  73 LESSONS  ●  15 CASE STUDIES

Go-To Editors are on the speed-dials of directors, producers, and clients. They get to pick the projects they want to work on and can ask for premium payment rates.

6-Month Money-Back Guarantee

START AND BECOME A MASTER FILM & VIDEO EDITOR

Cutting doesn't stop with mastering software and workflow. It's about storytelling, social skills, and savvy career moves.

Real Film Dailies

Learn film editing by working with dailies from real film projects. You get access to actual scenes from an A-list festival feature with an Oscar-winning actress, a documentary released in theaters by a big studio, and real branded content.

Software Agnostic

You can work with your preferred editing software (e.g., Premiere, Avid, FCP) or follow along as I download, install, and set up the first project on the free professional editing software DaVinci Resolve.

Career Training

Next to storytelling, social skills are just as important to establish yourself as a Go-To Editor. That's why I developed a strategy for getting the right meetings, landing the job, negotiating rates, and leveraging up.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

  • Critical editing techniques
  • Advanced narrative concepts to engage an audience
  • Time-saving systems to cut effectively
  • Deliberate timing, pacing, and trajectory phrasing to shape scenes
  • A Career Strategy Master Plan
  • The five stages of a job interview
  • Leverage to become an irreplaceable Go-To Editor
MEET YOUR TEACHER

Sven Pape

I'm an ACE Award-nominated editor who cut for James Cameron (3D-Imax 'Ghosts Of The Abyss'), Mark Webber (Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee, 'The End of Love'), and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Emmy-Winning 'HitRECord on TV'). 

Films I cut premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Cannes, and played theatrically across the nation. I worked as Supervising Editor on several TV shows on networks like Bravo, E!, and Fox. I was the Go-To Editor for companies like Fremantle Media (American Idol) and cut pilots for them for more than five years. 

My YouTube Channel 'This Guy Edits' has over 490k subscribers and focuses on creative storytelling and editing. I am a regular guest lecturer at the UCLA Film Extension. I designed this course to teach you everything I know about becoming a Go-To Editor.

LEVEL UP TO BECOME THE GO-TO EDITOR

Step-By-Step, Hands-on Film Editing, Storytelling & Career Strategies with Real Footage - Outlearn the vast majority of 'so-so editors' and turn yourself into an indispensable collaborator who doesn't have to compete on price.

$1,397One time payment (USD)
Save $127 USD
$127per Month (USD)

Terms and conditions apply.

CONNECTIONS, EDITING REEL FOOTAGE, JOB OPPORTUNITIES

INCLUDES THESE BONUS LESSONS

Top-Level Guest Experts, Film Footage for Your Reel, Bootcamps with Real Directors Looking to Hire

HBO's "Veep"

Emmy-nominated HBO editor Roger Nygard, ACE, walks us through the five stages of cutting a scene from the hit series Veep, which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Oscar-Nominated "The Square"

Emmy-winning editor Misho El Manasterly demonstrates how he organizes and selects the vast amount of footage in a documentary project.

Mercedes Commercial with Roger Federer

Top brand & music video editor David Gesslbauer shows us his process of cutting commercials and branded content.

Film Dailies for Your Editing Reel

Many of our students' critical pain point is not having a decent editing reel. We offer footage from real feature-length films that you can use to cut and put on your editing reel.

Get Hired on Features & Docs

An optional editing challenge, where real directors with edit-ready features and docs offer up a scene to the students for the opportunity to get hired for the entire project (with pay and genuine "edited by" credit). So far, six directors have hired nine of our Go-To editors for projects with budgets of up to half a million dollars.

Premium Coaching

An optional 90-day coaching program where you have weekly Zoom calls with a professional editor to stay on track with your scene work in the course and your editing career in the outside world.

Don't just take my word for it

See what my students have to say about my courses:

Trusted by over +11,790 students

One of my biggest problems was confidence. Sven was very helpful and invested in my future. Now, I'm working as an apprentice editor for The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne.

Alyssa Donovan-Browning
California

I just wanted to thank you so much for helping me get my first-ever job offer. I got the opportunity to work from home as a remote video editor. I wouldn't have gotten this without you.

Eldrick Greenaway
New York

The value you get for the money is unmatched. Every dollar I've made from editing in the past years I can directly trace back to the skills learned in the Go-To-Editor.

Kris Hernandez

I was laid off from my Video Director job due to restructuring. The course's emphasis on how to work with clients and how to present myself to them helped me immensely.

Diana Panfil

I stumbled upon "The Go To Editor Course" as a newbie, it was a game-changer. What I loved most was how it seamlessly catered to beginners and seasoned editors – no one felt left out.

Abhishek Makwana

I have a second chance! I had to choose a career in tech that I hated, but thanks to the course, I know I can make a career out of my passion! I already recommended this course to a friend:)

Roberta Fischetti
Italy

Go to Editor is fantastic. I'm just super grateful that they made this. If you do want to do something with editing, this is definitely a program that you should invest in because it is an investment.

Luka Dragoyevich

I love the course. Theory and practice go hand-in-hand... It also dispels the myth that a high level of technical know-how and fancy special effects are required to be able to edit videos or film.

C. V. del Rosario Aquino

I discovered This Guy Edits on YouTube and I started watching as much as I could. I find Sven Pape to be engaging intellectually, consistently interesting and a natural born teacher.

S Philip Harris

It has made me more confident. I would recommend the GoToEditor to someone who needs more experience working on professional footage or footage from a movie.

Dylan Hansen
Germany

In addition to the course are weekly office hours where you can get your questions answered. And a discord server where you can also get questions answered. These have been invaluable.

Larry De La Briandais
California

I paid a private cinema school around $6,000 a year, and I don't think I learned nearly as much in three years there as I did with the Go-To Editor course. It's crazy to say, but it's true.

Erwann Kerroc'h
France

Not only is the course a source of learning but also that of real-world opportunities. The Bootcamp challenges Sven organizes are a fantastic bonus to vie for a chance at real editing jobs.

Nick Sweetser
New Jersey

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

    Enrollment Questions

  • If you want to join the Go-To Editor Course now, there are two options:

    1. You invest in the course with a single payment of $1,397.

    2. You invest in the course through a monthly payment plan with 12 payments of $127 (total: $1,524).

  • Yes, you can follow along at your own pace.

    I recommend you watch a few videos at the beginning to be sure you like the method of teaching; then, you are free to put the course aside for as long as you want.

    When you pick it back up, you’ll see that there are always other students working in the same module you are. They will help you by giving notes before you submit your scene work to us for evaluation. 

    We also encourage you to meet certain course goals to qualify for extra editing opportunities (e.g., Editing Bootcamp with a real director and project).

    You don’t ever have to go it alone.

    I would like you to think about it like this:

    If someone were to try to become a film editor without this course, they would spend hours upon hours watching free YouTube tutorials that cover some of the components.

    But they would have no access to quality footage and probably NO CLEAR-CUT goal. Most importantly, they would have zero incentive to act on all the information they hoarded.

    Frankly, they'd be wasting a lot of time.

    Time that should be spent better.

    By following The Go-To Editor's step-by-step process AND doing the scene exercises, you won't waste time.

    You'll experience the process of telling a story right away.

    That's why, initially, you only need to spend 5-6 hours per week. Then, once you've found your footing and built up your editing muscle, your passion will make you invest time to do more advanced scene editing.

    So, don’t worry about not being able to be all-in at the beginning. Take advantage of the pricing now, get a lay of the land, and take small steps. 

  • We have a 6-month money-back guarantee, with the only condition being that you watch the lessons and do the exercises and show us (just like I would make you in class). 

    If, after completing the course, doing the coursework, and implementing the lessons, you still don't find our course valuable, let us know within the first 182 days from your enrollment date, and we will immediately provide a full refund.

  • There is another solution if you cannot afford to invest $1,397 in yourself right now.

    Consider joining the program on a payment plan instead. How does this work?

    With our payment plan, you pay $127 monthly for 12 months.

    This costs a little more in the end ($1,524), but you can split up your investment over multiple months, which reduces the upfront burden.

    Upon making your first payment of $127, you will gain immediate access to my valuable learning resources. This means you can start benefiting from the program immediately, regardless of your chosen payment plan.

  • Course Questions

  • I get it; you have a lot going on. We all do. The key is to find ways to not just be busy but to get important things done. 

    But maybe you don't want to spend all your free time editing.

    The Go-To Editor is self-paced. You schedule your own time, and we help you stay accountable. We recommend that you spend 5-6 hours PER WEEK to get started. 

    You'll be amazed at what you can achieve with just a commitment of that time. Becoming the Go-To Editor is within your reach.

  • If you are passionate or curious about the craft of editing, the Go-To Editor should be the pathway to your career.

    The course lets you experience hands-on editing with quality material. The exercises are designed to get you thinking about storytelling AND require you to take action.

    But the Go-To Editor course doesn't stop at technical skills. It also guides you in setting your brand values and effectively communicating with your clients, ensuring you're not just a skilled editor but a professional one.

    Now, the reality is everyone learns differently. Some do well with self-paced learning, but most need more support. 

    This is where the Go-To Editor program shines. Over the course of the past five years, we have developed all kinds of systems to increase student engagement and achieve the learning outcome goals:

    1. Email reminders to let you know where you are and where you should be.
    2. A peer review system that incentivizes you to receive and give feedback.
    3. Scene work evaluations from our instructors (working editors).
    4. Editing Bootcamps with real directors with edit-ready films.
    5. Regular office hour livestreams you can opt to join to discuss your pain points and get instant feedback on your work.
    6. COMING SOON: weekly small group-coaching cohorts led by pro-editors to help you get to finish the bulk of the course within 90 days. Our cohort pilot program is currently tracking an 87%+ completion rate. 
  • Yes, cut with whatever NLE (non-linear editing software) you prefer. I demo the lessons in DaVinci Resolve, but the course is not a software tutorial.

    I want to offer those who don't know where to start a pro editing software alternative so that they start and get instant results.

    We've chosen Resolve for its versatility. It is the only free pro-editing NLE that works on both PCs and Macs, ensuring that you can confidently use this software for your editing, no matter your device.

    Just know that part of being a Go-To editor is being NLE-agnostic. So, you might want to give Resolve a try here. 

    Note: We have a Premiere Pro case study in the course to guide you through emulating some Resolve-specific concepts. 

  • Let me count the ways:

    This is NOT a faceless tutorial with a generic approach to film editing. I'm Sven, from the YouTube channel THIS GUY EDITS, which has 490,000 subscribers (and counting). 

    I'm also an ACE Award-nominated editor with numerous credits from films and documentaries that premiered at Sundance, Cannes, SXSW, and Tribeca and played in theaters worldwide. You can Google me.  

    And it's not just me. Marvin, Erwann, and I share duties when it comes to "Office Hours," our weekly group video call via Zoom (an optional bonus to the course). Plus, Eike, Piotr, and Jose help you with software, branding, and creative support. 

    I don't waste your time with endless video lessons on editing concepts. Frankly, other courses have hours more content, but that puts them in the category of "started but never finished."

    We are 100% result-driven. We are not shying away from bridging the gap in the film industry. We bring pro editors (Emmy-nominated) into the course and offer premium coaching and mentorship options. We set you on a path where you can build a client base to secure your future in the marketplace.

    We put tools in place to keep you accountable, like individual scene work evaluations, a peer review system, office hours, and a tight Discord support group. Editing Bootcamp incentivizes you to accomplish a minimum goal of cutting at least two scenes from the course to become eligible to compete for feature films and documentary editing jobs for real projects in production, exclusive to Go-To Editor students. These give you the best odds of quickly becoming a feature film editor. 

    You can go it alone, but you don't have to. Going it alone takes twice as long. 

    We do touch on the most critical editing concepts, but then we let you experience them through on-the-job training.

    But most importantly, we have high-end dailies in three different genres (narrative, documentary, and branded). "The Ever After" is a 2014 feature directed by Sundance filmmaker Mark Webber. It stars Teresa Palmer and Oscar Winner Melissa Leo; "Dumbstruck" is a Magnolia Films theatrically released documentary. It is directed by Mark Goffman ("The Umbrella Academy") and executive produced by Elon Musk; the branded spot was provided by Lumaforge, a top brand in the high-end shared storage business.

  • Career Questions

  • There has NOT been a better time than now to start editing "outside the Hollywood system." We are at the cusp of a major disruption of the film industry to the point that Los Angeles, the Entertainment Capital of the World, must worry. 

    COVID, the strikes, and the fallout among the top streamers have already changed the landscape and will continue to do so. 

    As they say, the world's biggest problems become the biggest opportunities: Global online collaboration is here to stay. Start locally, but there is no reason you can't be cutting exciting projects entirely through online collaboration platforms.

    Lucid Link, Frame.io, and Blackmagic Cloud are allowing productions to hire talent from around the world.

    Post-production spread out over four countries on a recent feature I cut, and everyone was connected online. 

    The stronger an editor you become, the easier it is for you to find work globally. If you live in the Philippines, for instance, you can charge an extremely competitive rate to your clients in Europe and still bring in a fee that is significantly above your standard of living. This is just one of the many financial benefits of remote editing.

    To be very blunt, the average day rate of an editor based in L.A. is $650-$750. And to live in L.A. and raise a family, they cannot afford to work for anything less. This rate gets you an average editor with so-so talent and commitment to their craft. Would I hire that guy or someone from the Philippines that is 10x more committed and talented at half the price? 

    We are currently cutting an entire documentary mini-series for an Apple TV+ release with 10 editors from all parts of the world (as part of our premium coaching program). We utilize Lucid Link servers to enable media and project sharing among the team and it is the way of the future. 

    In our first Bootcamp, director Harper Robinson from Austin, Texas, had the opportunity to interview and ultimately hire a Go-To Editor student from Amsterdam, Netherlands. This success story is just one example of the potential career advancements that can come from participating in our Bootcamps.

    In the second Bootcamp, three editors from three countries (the US, Denmark, and France) teamed up and edited a feature film remotely.

    Our third Bootcamp, a documentary produced in the US, will also be edited entirely remotely by a French editor. Our fourth Bootcamp will launch shortly, and our international students will apply alongside our U.S. ones. So, remote long-form editing is possible. You don’t have to live in Hollywood to succeed!

    And last but not least:

    Recently, I had a mini Bootcamp running because a YouTuber called “74 Gear” (935k subscribers!) searched for an editor. So yes, with the course comes opportunity!

    Of course, all the Bootcamp winners get paid for the projects they edit. We require our directors to agree to payment and “edited by” credit. 

    Do you want to be able to participate in an upcoming Bootcamp? Then, sign up for the Go-To Editor program and complete the first two modules to become eligible. 

  • "There's never been a better time to be moving up!"

    This is what Kelley Dixon, ACE, the editor of 27 episodes of Breaking Bad, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the latest Black Panther 2, told us during our last EditRave (yearly editing summit hosted by me).

    It's not too late to become a Go-To Editor. In fact, in every genre and every market in the world, there is a need for better storytellers, and there is a real deficiency of skilled editors and assistant editors. 

    We will always lack editors who perform at a level that makes them irreplaceable.

    To become a successful editor, you must train your storytelling muscle and develop a strategy to market your skillset. Talent is less important than you might think. It's desire and the discipline to take consistent small steps to improve. 

    While it doesn't feel like it right now, we are still in the midst of a media gold rush. 

    Everyone is trying to beat Netflix. But Netflix is not worried about Max, Hulu, Prime, Apple TV+, or any other me-too services pouring more money into the fire. 

    Netflix is worried about YouTube. Creators hire an increasing number of adept editors and pay higher rates. While "Content" has gotten a bad name, it is important to remember that Film, Radio, and TV went through a very similar evolution. You may not remember this, or you are too young to know, but there was a time when TV actors and directors were considered second-class. 

    Top talent will eventually cross over, and they already are, so it is your opportunity to be ready for them to hire you. 

    Go-To Editors rise to the top in all those corners of the industry,.

  • While the film industry is facing significant disruption, it's important to remember that with disruption comes change and opportunity. Those who are most successful in navigating these changes are the ones who embrace them and adapt their skills and strategies accordingly.

    Content is only going to go up.

    AI is going to replace or help certain editors who know how to use it to their advantage. 

    Online learning is going to continue to replace traditional education.

    Working from home is only going to expand.

    The demand for skilled assistant editors and editors has cooled mostly due to the slow comeback of productions after the strikes and consolidation trends among the major streamers. 

    But don't let this slowdown fool you into thinking that leveling up your skills now is a waste of time. It has become a necessity. 

    Those who set themselves in the right direction now have tremendous opportunities. 

    One recession-proof strategy is this:

    • Have multiple sources of income (some through different clients, some through your own entrepreneurial activities (side hustles.)
    • Focus on skills that make you valuable and irreplaceable (storytelling, ability to deliver the product, & people skills)
    • Communicate those values in a way that it resonates with directors, producers, and clients (branding strategies)

    As one student recently shared with me, an editor's job is not just about technical proficiency. In fact, knowing how to edit is only 50% of the job. The other 50% is about how you find and connect with clients. This underscores the importance of interpersonal skills in the film industry.

  • If you are interested in doing some actual editing to get a better insight into the process, then yes, 100%, I recommend this course. 

    You don't have to do it full-time, but you have to edit to understand the "invisible" power of editing and what it feels like to shape a story hands-on. It will make you a better writer, director, producer, and even actor. 

    As our guest expert and Emmy-nominated editor Roger Nygard, ACE, said: 

    "Don't be an editor. Be a filmmaker who edits."

OTHER GOODIES ACROSS THE GO-TO EDITOR-VERSE

The Movie Editing Starter

An editing tutorial that doesn't waste your time. Cut a scene from an award-winning movie (and put it on your reel). The film dailies are edit-ready and I'll show you every step. No software purchase or prior knowledge is required.

The Film Editing Formula

A 4-hour session with ACE Award-nominated editor Sven Pape: The 5 components every successful film & video editor should master.

The Ultima Bundle

The Go-To Editor Bundle is the ultimate package that includes everything you need to thrive as a film & video editor: critical skills, inside knowledge, & network strategies.

The Editor's Survival Guide to Networking

A 3 1/2-hour session with ACE Award-nominated editor Sven Pape: Harnessing your passion, building confidence, and developing networking strategies that work in the film industry.

EditRave VIP Forever Pass

The VIP Forever Pass grants you priority access to all future EditRave events plus past recordings. EditRave is a multi-week event every fall hosted by "This Guy Edits" with workshops, talks, and AMA's with top-level editors.

Editing Fundamentals in Adobe Premiere Pro

Learn editing in Adobe Premiere & how to make money as a freelance editor. A pro brand editor (with over 100 commercials under his belt) teaches you editing, workflow, audio design, and motion graphics in After Effects.

Start & Grow on YouTube

Grow on YouTube and earn an extra income consistently. ACE-award nominated editor Sven Pape from the YT Channel This Guy Edits (490,000 subscribers) teaches you how to start and grow your channel through storytelling, editing, & audience engagement.

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP. FREE UPDATES.

The Go-To Editor 5.0 - Currently Open For Enrollement

ENROLL NOW Monthly Payments

The Go-To Editor was in the Top 1% of all Creator Educators (ca. 7.7K) on Thinkific's TCommerce in terms of sales - making it one of the most successful education products on the platform.

The video footage, audio files, and script pages provided in this course are for educational purposes only. 
Footage & edited scenes MAY NOT be publicized, sold, put on your reel, or used as a work sample (unless specifically noted in the course). See Terms of Service
The course features real success stories from me and other participants, but you should not expect the same results. Building an editing career (and/or becoming a go-to editor) takes hard work, dedication, and significant time. There is no guarantee that you will be successful or make any amount of money.