Assistant Editors’ Bootcamp, a post-production training and education program for industry novices, was born as a way to combat the incredible Catch 22 that green candidates face in getting their first job. For the two founders Noah Chamow and Conor Burke, the struggle was all too real.
In this second in a three-part series on careers in post-production for CineCast, powered by Cinedeck, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Chamow and Burke to discuss their how they arrived at the idea for Assistant Editors’ Bootcamp
To land a gig, newbies need something on their resume that proves they’re smart and talented enough to perform editing duties. But no studio wants to take the time to train unproven talent, or take the chance on being someone’s first post-production job.
“Nobody wants to take a chance on anybody,” Chamow said. “So for my first job, basically I had to stretch the truth to say I was qualified.”
Chamow was lucky in finding a senior editor who taught him along the way, and he reciprocated the favor when he met Burke years later as a newbie.
“Noah taught me everything I know,” Burke said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Noah.”
Assistant Editors’ Bootcamp, which is taught by working industry professionals in small workshop environments, trains students on the talent skills they’ll need for their first post-production job and the soft skills they need to work with a team effectively.
“We’re training them for what we’re looking to hire in an assistant editor,” Chamow said.