Applications open on May 1 for recent college graduates to apply for the American Cinema Editors (ACE) Fall internship program for aspiring film editors. The program is designed to offer motivated individuals interested in editing a unique opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals. Applications close on June 30. No late applications will be accepted. All applicants are reviewed by the selection committee and ten finalists are invited to interview with the committee. Two applicants will ultimately be chosen to participate in the Fall Internship program which helps recent graduates with a passion to work in post production get a foot in the door, observing accomplished assistant editors and editors working in film and television as well as participating in ACE events. The Fall program kicks off with a lecture series in October that all applicants are invited to attend to hear editors and assistant editors speak on a number of topics relative to breaking into the field and real world knowledge of the art and business of film editing. For additional information on the program, click here.
The ACE Internship program was launched in 1992 by ACE member Bill Gordean, ACE. Once it was up and running, he enlisted the help of Lori Coleman, ACE and Diana Friedberg, ACE who, as co-directors, guided and nurtured the program to becoming one of the most successful internship programs in the entertainment industry. Coleman and Friedberg recently handed the role of co-directors over to two former ACE interns: Tyler Nelson (“Mindhunter”), who graduated the program in 2006, and Carsten Kurpanek (“Benji”), who graduated in 2008, both of whom have gone on to successful careers in the field and are excited to take the program into the future. In a joint statement, Nelson and Kurpanek shared, “As former ACE interns ourselves, we know first hand the value that this opportunity can bring to someone who dreams of becoming a film editor. We’re grateful for the dedication of Bill, Lori and Diana to fostering new talent and we are honored to continue their legacy of education, opportunity and mentorship.”
Since its inception, over 50 interns have graduated from the program, many of whom have gone on to make their mark in the editing field including Joi McMillon, ACE who earned the distinction of becoming the first African-American woman to be Oscar® nominated in the film editing category in 2017 for her work co-editing Oscar® best picture winner “Moonlight.” The highly effective program boasts numerous success stories from early graduates currently working as film editors including 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”) and many working as assistant editors such as Alfonso Carrion (“House of Cards”), Susana Benaim (“The Chi”), Ben Murphy (“The LEGO Batman Movie”), Gretchen Schroeder (“Avatar 2”), Laura Zempel (“Room 104”) and Amelia Allwarden (“Westworld”).
