How to Mentor Assistant Editors: Building the Next Generation of Storytellers

This is me as an assistant editor in the 1980s, at the PBS series Smithsonian World, transferring 1/4 tape to mag stock. I wish I had pictures of the editors I worked with at that time, because they taught me so much.

Assistant editors use to work side by side with editors, watching the entire process unfold. Editors shared their decisions, their challenges, and the thought process behind every cut. It was like a masterclass in storytelling every single day.

It's tough for AEs now. Here's some ways editors can mentor assistant editors, and help them out on their path to having what is, in my opinion, the best job in media production.

Challenges Facing Assistant Editors Today

Today, assistant editors often work remotely, spending most of their time managing media files rather than engaging with the creative edit. They miss out on seeing the bigger picture—the story decisions, the feedback cycles, and the art of turning raw footage into a compelling narrative.

Sure they can learn on their own, making their own art, taking classes and workshops, while still doing a full-time, stressful job with probably long hours.

How can we help the next generation of editors grow?

Simple Ways to Mentor Remote Assistant Editors

Here are a few simple ways we editors can make a difference and pass on our knowledge (these can all be done over email with your remote AE, and for that matter, the AP):

Share with them the reasons for how you want the footage organized. This is an important first step in the storytelling process and directly influences the evolution of the edit down the line. Let them in on it.

• Direct them to look at a subset of the footage and challenge them to put to paper what the story arc of the scene could be. What is the meaning of this scene and how will that influence how it's treated? Raise the curtain on how you think about footage before you even start cutting.

• Share rough cut scenes as you create them. What's working and what isn't and why? No one else will be as interested in the minutia of every edit decision like an AE

• Share notes from EPs and discuss solutions. Let them in to your thought process of interpreting notes, the problems they sometimes create, the cost/benefit analysis. Responding to comments has a wealth of lessons about the process of editing: you can see directly how small changes shift meaning and emotions.

• Talk structure! Share your wall cards or however you visualize story arc.

• Give assistants opportunities to cut small scenes, then walk through your notes on how it can be better and give them another crack at it.

Sharing the Art of Storytelling

Personally, I find it really fun to do deep dives into the edit process with assistants, and usually they are eager to hear it. It's like letting them in on a secret handshake.

But more than that—it’s about strengthening our industry and investing in the next generation of storytellers.

What are you doing to support the assistants on your team? I’d love to hear your thoughts—let’s start the conversation.