Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700)

Overview

The Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG), operating as IATSE Local 700, is the labor union representing post-production professionals in US film and television. Founded on May 20, 1937 as the Society of Motion Picture Film Editors (SMPFE), the organization joined IATSE in 1944 and was renamed the Motion Picture Editors Guild. As of 2025, Local 700 represents 8,510 members, down from a peak of 9,557 in 2022. The Guild operates as a "national local" with offices in Los Angeles and New York, and its jurisdiction covers post-production work across the entire United States.

Local 700 is part of IATSE, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which comprises 366 affiliated local unions and over 160,000 total members. MPEG negotiates collective bargaining agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and enforces those contracts with signatory employers. The most recent Local Memorandum of Agreement took effect August 1, 2024, updating wage rates, turnaround rules, and working conditions for all covered classifications.

Classifications and Work Experience Requirements

Local 700 covers a wide range of post-production roles, each with its own classification and rate scale. To join the Guild, most classifications require placement on the Industry Experience Roster, which is maintained by Contract Services Administration Trust Fund (CSATF). Roster placement requires documented non-union work experience paid at no less than California minimum wage, verified through employer letters and proof of payment (W-2s, 1099s, paystubs, or cancelled checks).

The work experience requirements differ by classification:

For classifications without a roster requirement (Foley Artist, Sound Service Person), you can join the Guild directly once you have secured union work. Contact the Membership Department within 30 calendar days of starting.

Initiation Fees and Dues

Initiation fees are based on the weekly rate of the classification in which you are joining, rounded up to the nearest $100. The Guild offers a payment plan: half down at joining, the remaining half within 6 months. Fees are accepted via check, money order, or credit card. Because fees are tied to classification weekly rates, they increase as contract rates increase under new collective bargaining agreements.

Quarterly dues range from $88 to $420 depending on classification and income level, based on 2025 reporting data. Dues cover the operational costs of the local, including staff salaries, facility operations, communication, and education programs. Per capita fees are paid to IATSE on behalf of each active member and distributed across the General Fund, Defense Fund (IATSE PAC), Convention Transportation Fund, the Walsh/Di Tolla/Spivak Foundation, and the Building Fund.

2024 Contract Updates

The 2024 Local Memorandum of Agreement between Local 700 and the AMPTP introduced several changes to working conditions. Sound and music editorial personnel are now guaranteed two consecutive days off after 15 consecutive days of work (reduced from 19). Other editorial personnel receive the same guarantee after 15 consecutive days (reduced from 21). The Y-16 Sound Service Person rate was set at $28.50 per hour ($256.50 per day) as of August 2024, subject to general wage increases in the second and third years of the agreement.

The contract also includes a diversity internship program where the Producer assigns interns to learn bargaining unit work within an otherwise staffed department. Interns are additional crew members who do not displace existing staff. Once an individual completes the working internship, they can be assigned to an entry-level job within their trained craft and begin accumulating days toward roster placement.

Benefits and Pension

Local 700 members participate in the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans (MPIPHP), which provide health insurance and retirement benefits across multiple employers. This is a significant advantage in a freelance industry where corporate health and pension plans are increasingly rare. The MPIPHP plans are funded by employer contributions negotiated through collective bargaining, not by employee contributions.

Members also receive access to CineMontage magazine, the Guild's quarterly journal with nearly 40 years of publishing history. CineMontage is mailed to over 10,000 active and retired members, film schools, and post-production facilities, covering guild news, technology tips, member interviews, and feature stories about post-production craft work.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For producers budgeting a union production, every post-production role covered by Local 700 must be filled by a Guild member or a non-member who joins within 30 days of being hired. The classification determines the minimum rate, and the initiation fee is tied to that rate. A production using non-union editors during production but transitioning to union post work for color, sound, or digital intermediate stages should budget for initiation fees and classification upgrade fees if an editor moves between classifications.

For editors and post-production professionals, the path to membership begins with accumulating the required non-union work days, applying for roster placement through CSATF, and then joining the Guild. The Guild's website (editorsguild.com/Join) provides detailed instructions for both West Coast and East Coast applicants, with field representatives available in Los Angeles and New York to answer questions.

Notable Award Winners and Members

Local 700 represents 8,510 members as of 2025 (down from a peak of 9,557 in 2022), including picture editors, sound editors, music editors, colorists, animation editors, VFX editors, and other post-production professionals. Members participate in the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans (MPIPHP), which provide health insurance and retirement benefits across multiple employers. Members also receive access to CineMontage magazine, the Guild's quarterly journal with nearly 40 years of publishing history, mailed to over 10,000 active and retired members, film schools, and post-production facilities. The 96th Oscars Best Film Editing nominee spotlight featured Local 700 members discussing their craft and process. The most recent Local Memorandum of Agreement took effect August 1, 2024, updating wage rates, turnaround rules, and working conditions for all covered classifications.

What Makes a Member Competitive

To join the Guild, most classifications require placement on the Industry Experience Roster, maintained by Contract Services Administration Trust Fund (CSATF). Roster placement requires documented non-union work experience paid at no less than California minimum wage, verified through employer letters and proof of payment (W-2s, 1099s, paystubs, or cancelled checks). Editors, Sound Editors, Music Editors, Animation Editors, and VFX Editors require 175 days within the last 3 years. Assistant Editors require 100 days within the last 2 years. The Guild's website (editorsguild.com/Join) provides detailed instructions for both West Coast and East Coast applicants, with field representatives available in Los Angeles and New York. For producers budgeting a union production, every post-production role covered by Local 700 must be filled by a Guild member or a non-member who joins within 30 days of being hired. The classification determines the minimum rate, and the initiation fee is tied to that rate.

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See Also

For the honorary editing society that operates alongside Local 700, see American Cinema Editors (ACE) in this directory. For the sound editing honorary society, see Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) in this directory. For how post-production costs are structured in film budgets, see Above the Line vs Below the Line. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate post-production labor costs for union and non-union productions.