Active Membership
Active Member Qualifications
ACE Active Membership is by invitation only. ACE represents the highest standards of character and achievement in the art and craft of film editing. We also encourage a collegial spirit of participation and diversity in the ACE community, including a commitment to our shared goal of elevating the prestige, dignity and working conditions of all film editors.
The ACE Membership Committee and the ACE Board of Directors.
Active Member Requirements
- Applicant must be working editor (domestic or international) who has been sponsored by an initiated ACE member.
- The editor must have been employed a minimum of 72 months as an editor of either feature-length motion pictures or television (1/2 hr or more in length) for which they received screen credit in main or main end titles.
- Shared credits in the MAIN TITLE and MAIN END TITLE count as full credits.
- Associate Editor and Additional Editor credits do not count.
- Non-Scripted and Animation credits may be calculated differently.
- All credits are subject to peer review.
- ACE does not accept credits on trailers, commercials, infomercials, news or live TV shows with an “editorial pass” to meet length or language requirements only.
- We do not accept credits on films, TV or webisodes that air in a format shorter than 30 minutes, “the making of” videos, or “TV Specials” such as award shows.
- Editors are encouraged to review their IMDB information and keep it up-to-date.
Application Fees & Dues
There is a non-refundable application fee of $50, upon which you will be redirected to a web page with the application form.
Once the application is submitted, a three-step process follows:
- The applicant is interviewed in person by the ACE Membership Committee.
- Approved applicant is then recommended to the ACE Board of Directors.
- Applicants recommended by the Board of Directors are submitted to the membership-at-large.
Members may submit a well founded objection for an admission to the Board within 30 days of the application.
Upon approval, the initiation fee of $1500 is due. After that, member dues are charged at $450/year.
The induction process usually takes about 4 months.
Start Active Member Application
After payment of $50 application fee, you will be immediately redirected to the application form. Note: You will need to upload a Cover Letter, Headshot, and 2 Letters of Recommendation from current ACTIVE or LIFE ACE Members with first-hand knowledge of you (if one is related, upload 3 letters)
We strongly suggest collecting all the required documents prior to starting your application
Sponsoring a Candidate for Membership
One must be an ACTIVE or LIFE ACE Member in good standing for three years before writing a sponsorship letter for a member candidate. Members may sponsor one candidate per year. Sponsorship letters must be dated within one year of the interview date. If over one year, the Membership Committee shall ask the sponsor to renew and re-validate the endorsement.
Sponsor Guidelines
Each member candidate shall present two sponsorship letters (each a minimum of 100 words in length) from ACTIVE or LIFE Members who know the applicant. We strongly recommend that, when possible, one letter be from an ACE member with whom the applicant has worked. If one of the two sponsors is related to the applicant, a third letter is required.
Life and Honorary Members
These members are retired ACE members or non-editors who have distinguished themselves in the industry, as voted by the Board of Directors. The ACE Board of Directors also reserves the right to directly invite a film editor of distinction to become an ACE member.
"The Essence of Cinema is EDITING"
