Are you a college graduate hoping to pursue a career in editing for film and TV? The annual American Cinema Editors (ACE) internship program, which is now accepting applicants, might be just what you need to kickstart your career. Launched in 1992, the program provides aspiring editors with a unique opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals.
Since its inception, over 50 interns have graduated from the internship program. Notable alums include Joi McMillon, ACE, who was nominated for an Academy Award in the film editing category for Best Picture winner Moonlight, as well as Julia Wong, ACE (X-Men: The Last Stand and the upcoming Valley Girl), Brandi Bradburn, ACE (This is Us), Hunter Via, ACE (The Walking Dead), and Mark Hartzell (Lost in Space).
Brett Ratner's 'X-Men: The Last Stand,' edited by Julia Wong.
What is the internship?
The ACE internship program emphasizes assistant picture editing. Interns are assigned editing rooms where they shadow assistant editors, getting the chance to observe different styles and requirements of each room and to see what assistant editors are expected to deliver. The internship will provide opportunities to network with fellow interns, assistant editors, editors, and filmmakers (before and after the program, the internship committee meets with the interns to mentor them).
Interns will be expected to attend ACE events (including the Eddie Awards), write an article for the ACE Cinema Editor Magazine, and give a short speech at the ACE Annual Meeting describing their experience with the Internship program. They are also expected to participate in the orientation of new interns the following year.
To be eligible, you must be a recent college (or trade school) graduate (within the past three years) with strong skills in Avid, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro.
Who can apply?
To be eligible, you must be a recent college (or trade school) graduate (within the past three years) with strong skills in Avid, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro. You must be able to live in Los Angeles from the day of the selection interview until the end of the program and be ready to move permanently to Los Angeles after the program finishes. Applicants must be a U.S. resident with a valid work permit.
Those accepted into the program will be paid a stipend. In August, up to 10 finalists will be informed if they are a finalist for the program. They must be available for an in-person interview at Paramount Pictures Studio in early October, as the internship program starts immediately after the interviews and ends in November before Thanksgiving.
How do you apply?
To apply, you must submit a personal letter stating why you are the right candidate for the internship program (no more than two pages), your resume (one page only) and two letters of recommendation (one page each). The cost to apply is $100 and includes admission to the ACE "Lecture Series."
The application period closes June 30, 2018, so read the full guidelines and apply today.
