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.

Notable Members and Leadership

The Motion Picture Editors Guild represents 8,510 members as of 2025 (down from a peak of 9,557 in 2022). The membership includes picture editors, sound editors, music editors, colorists, animation editors, VFX editors, and other post-production professionals working across US film and television.

Notable members and award-winning editors represented by Local 700 include Academy Award-winning and nominated editors. The 96th Oscars Best Film Editing nominee spotlight featured Local 700 members discussing their craft and process. The Guild's quarterly journal, CineMontage, regularly profiles member achievements and craft work.

The Guild operates as a "national local" with offices in Los Angeles and New York, with field representatives available in both cities to assist members and applicants. 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.

How Initiation and Eligibility Actually Works in Practice

Joining the Motion Picture Editors Guild requires placement on the Industry Experience Roster, which is maintained by the Contract Services Administration Trust Fund (CSATF). This is one of the more complex membership pathways among Hollywood guilds because it requires documented non-union work experience before you can join the union.

The process works as follows:

1. Accumulate the required non-union work days: You must work the required number of days in your classification, paid at no less than California minimum wage, within the specified time window. The work must be non-union (union work does not count toward roster placement).

1. Document your work experience: You must provide employer letters and proof of payment (W-2s, 1099s, paystubs, or cancelled checks) for all claimed work days. Self-reported hours without documentation are not accepted.

1. Apply for roster placement through CSATF: Submit your documentation to CSATF, which verifies your work experience and places you on the Industry Experience Roster for your classification.

1. Join the Guild: Once you are on the roster, you can join Local 700. The initiation fee is based on the weekly rate of your classification, rounded up to the nearest $100. The Guild offers a payment plan: half down at joining, the remaining half within 6 months.

1. For classifications without a roster requirement (Foley Artist, Sound Service Person Y16): You can join the Guild directly once you have secured union work. Contact the Membership Department within 30 calendar days of starting.

The 30-day rule for non-members hired on union productions: If a production hires a non-member for a covered classification, the non-member must join the Guild within 30 calendar days of being hired. This is how many editors enter the Guild without prior roster placement, though they still must complete the membership process.

Benefits Breakdown

Local 700 members receive the following benefits:

• Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans (MPIPHP): Members participate in MPIPHP, which provides 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.
• Minimum rate protection: The Guild's collective bargaining agreements establish minimum rates for each classification by budget tier. Members are guaranteed at least the minimum rate for their classification.
• Working conditions protections: The 2024 Local MOA guarantees two consecutive days off after 15 consecutive days of work for sound and music editorial personnel (reduced from 19) and for other editorial personnel (reduced from 21). Turnaround periods, overtime, and other working conditions are governed by the collective bargaining agreement.
• CineMontage magazine: Members receive 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. Covers guild news, technology tips, member interviews, and feature stories about post-production craft work.
• Professional development: Access to Guild-sponsored training, workshops, and educational programs.
• Job referrals: The Guild maintains a hiring hall and job referral services for members seeking work.

Contracts and Tiers

Local 700 negotiates collective bargaining agreements with the 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.

The contract 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.

Initiation fees are based on the weekly rate of the classification in which you are joining, rounded up to the nearest $100. Quarterly dues range from $88 to $420 depending on classification and income level, based on 2025 reporting data. 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.

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.