Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE)

Overview

The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) is an honorary professional society founded in 1953, dedicated to the art and craft of sound editing for motion pictures, television, and interactive media. Unlike IATSE Local 700 (the Motion Picture Editors Guild), which is a labor union negotiating wages and working conditions, MPSE is a professional society focused on craft education, peer recognition, and advancement of the sound editing art form. Many working sound professionals hold both Local 700 membership for labor protections and MPSE affiliation for professional community and recognition.

MPSE members can use the initials "MPSE" after their names in film credits, signaling professional standing within the sound editorial community. The organization's membership spans the US, UK, Australia, and other countries with active sound post-production industries.

Membership Levels, Fees, and Qualifications

MPSE offers five membership levels, each with specific qualification requirements. All applications require a $75 non-refundable application fee, which transfers toward the first year's membership if approved. If not approved, the fee is not refunded or transferred. Applications are reviewed by the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors under the procedures outlined in Article III of the MPSE By-laws.

Active Membership Requirements

Active membership requires a minimum of three years as a sound editor or sound designer editing dialogue, ADR, sound effects, foley, or music in film, television, and gaming. The applicant must have made what the Board of Directors judges to be an outstanding contribution to their field. The following do NOT qualify for Active membership: assistant editor work, short films, trailers, commercials, and all mixing, engineering, and technician positions.

Active members can use "MPSE" in their credits, volunteer for Blue Ribbon Panels, vote in general ballot and board elections, attend MPSE-sponsored events, and receive screeners and screening invitations from marketing agencies.

Associate Membership

Associate membership is for those whose achievements in sound or music editing are deemed insufficient for Active membership. This non-voting category includes sound librarians, sound assistants, all mixers, picture editors and assistant editors, music composers, and other classifications directly involved with sound editing. Associate members can volunteer for Blue Ribbon Panels and attend MPSE events, and receive screeners.

Affiliate Membership

Affiliate membership is for those indirectly affiliated with sound editing: trade and script writers, academics teaching sound editing, supervisors and management, and others whose positions are indirectly involved with sound editing. This is a non-voting membership. Affiliate members cannot use "MPSE" in credits but can attend events and receive screeners.

Student Membership

Student membership costs $35 per year and is available to those enrolled in relevant educational programs. A Student ID or official admission document from an educational institution is required.

Golden Reel Awards

The MPSE presents the Golden Reel Awards annually, recognizing outstanding achievement in sound editing across theatrical features, animated features, episodic television, documentaries, short films, and interactive media. The awards are voted on by MPSE members and are the most significant peer-recognized honors specific to sound editing, complementing the broader Academy Award for Sound which covers both mixing and editing.

73rd Golden Reel Awards (2026)

Eligibility requires initial US domestic release between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025. Submissions cannot have been previously entered in the 72nd Golden Reel Awards. The nomination process uses a membership voting round with a 90th percentile threshold: submissions in the top 10% of votes automatically advance to nomination slots, with a maximum of 5 nominees per category plus one optional chair recommendation slot.

Award categories are granular, recognizing specific editorial contributions including dialogue editing, effects editing, foley editing, and music editing within each production category. This specificity reflects the distinct craft contributions within the sound editorial department.

Education and Advocacy

MPSE provides educational programming, symposia, and resources focused on sound craft development. The organization advocates for greater recognition of sound's contribution to storytelling, addressing the long-standing industry issue of sound departments being undervalued relative to their creative contribution. The organization's international membership reflects the global nature of high-end sound post-production.

For awards submissions, MPSE partners with Perception PR LLC and IngleDodd Media for For Your Consideration (FYC) campaigns and member profile services.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For directors and producers, hiring an MPSE member signals that a sound editor has at least three years of professional experience and has been peer-reviewed by the Board of Directors. The "MPSE" credit in a sound editor's name is a recognizable professional credential in the industry.

For sound professionals, MPSE membership provides professional community access, Golden Reel Award eligibility, screener access, and networking opportunities. The $175 annual domestic membership fee is modest compared to union dues, and the society complements rather than replaces IATSE Local 700 membership. Applications can be submitted through the MPSE website at mpse.org/join-us.

Notable Members

MPSE members include some of the most accomplished sound editors and sound designers in the industry. Notable current and former MPSE members include:

Feature film sound editors:

• Ben Burtt MPSE - Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, WALL-E, multiple Oscar winner for sound editing and sound design
• Walter Murch MPSE - Apocalypse Now, The English Patient, Cold Mountain, 3-time Oscar winner
• Gary Rydstrom MPSE - Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Toy Story, 7-time Oscar winner
• Erik Aadahl MPSE - Argo, Godzilla, A Quiet Place
• Ai-Ling Lee MPSE - La La Land, First Man, Top Gun: Maverick, multiple Oscar nominee
• Mark Stoeckinger MPSE - Unstoppable, The Last Samurai, Jack Reacher

Television and gaming:

• Members working across episodic television, streaming series, and interactive media (video games)

Leadership:

• The MPSE Board of Directors governs the organization, with elected officers from the membership. The president and board set policy for Golden Reel Awards, membership, and educational programs.

How Initiation and Eligibility Actually Works in Practice

MPSE membership is application-based, not invitation-only like ACE. The process works as follows:

1. Determine your membership level: MPSE offers five membership levels (Active, Active International, Associate, Affiliate, Student). Your career stage and role determine which level you qualify for.

1. Active Membership requirements: You need a minimum of three years as a sound editor or sound designer editing dialogue, ADR, sound effects, foley, or music in film, television, and gaming. The applicant must have made what the Board of Directors judges to be an outstanding contribution to their field. The following do NOT qualify for Active membership: assistant editor work, short films, trailers, commercials, and all mixing, engineering, and technician positions.

1. Submit application and fee: All applications require a $75 non-refundable application fee, which transfers toward the first year's membership if approved. If not approved, the fee is not refunded or transferred.

1. Board review: Applications are reviewed by the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors under the procedures outlined in Article III of the MPSE By-laws. The Board evaluates whether the applicant's work meets the "outstanding contribution" standard.

1. Associate Membership: If your achievements in sound or music editing are deemed insufficient for Active membership, you may qualify as an Associate member. This category includes sound librarians, sound assistants, all mixers, picture editors and assistant editors, music composers, and other classifications directly involved with sound editing.

1. Affiliate Membership: For those indirectly affiliated with sound editing (trade and script writers, academics teaching sound editing, supervisors and management).

1. Student Membership: Available to those enrolled in relevant educational programs. A Student ID or official admission document is required. No application fee.

Applications can be submitted through the MPSE website at mpse.org/join-us.

Benefits Breakdown

MPSE membership provides the following benefits:

• "MPSE" credit designation: Active members can use "MPSE" after their names in film credits, signaling professional standing within the sound editorial community. This is a recognizable professional credential in the industry.
• Golden Reel Award eligibility: Members' work is eligible for submission to the Golden Reel Awards, the most significant peer-recognized honors specific to sound editing.
• Voting rights: Active members can vote in general ballot and board elections, and volunteer for Blue Ribbon Panels that judge Golden Reel Award submissions.
• Screener access: Members receive screeners and screening invitations from marketing agencies, providing early access to films being campaigned for sound awards.
• MPSE-sponsored events: Invitations to MPSE-sponsored events, symposia, and educational programming.
• Professional community: Membership in a community of accomplished sound editors spanning the US, UK, Australia, and other countries with active sound post-production industries.
• Educational programming: Access to MPSE's educational programming, symposia, and resources focused on sound craft development.

MPSE does not provide health insurance, pension, wage protection, or any labor benefits. Those benefits are provided through IATSE Local 700 membership. MPSE is a professional society, not a labor union. The $175 annual domestic membership fee is modest compared to union dues, and the society complements rather than replaces Local 700 membership.

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See Also

For the labor union covering sound editorial employment, see Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) in this directory. For the Cinema Audio Society covering re-recording mixers, see Cinema Audio Society in this directory. For the Golden Reel Awards listing in the awards directory, see Golden Reel Awards. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate sound post-production costs for your production.