BURLINGTON, Mass.—As the steady growth of video viewing intensifies the already acute demand for media production talent, Avid has announced plans to make its full-powered Media Composer editing software free to all college/post-secondary students aspiring to learn the editing craft and launch careers working in Hollywood, TV, streaming services and other media sectors.
“Our Media Composer for Students program synthesizes the input of educators, creatives and media executives alike to make access as easy as possible for everyone,” Jeff Rosica, CEO and president of Avid said. “Together, we’re unlocking more ways to solve media and entertainment’s urgent need for a deep pool of high caliber talent, while enabling more young people to differentiate themselves with the qualifications that film and journalism schools, employers and others will instantly recognize.”
The move is part of Avid’s new Media Composer for Students program. Learning institutions can sign up as entry-level Avid Learning Affiliates at www.avid.com/media-composer/for-students to ensure their students will gain hands-on experience with the media & entertainment industry’s requisite editing tool.
Upon joining, a school makes every one of its enrolled students eligible for software licenses. This completely free initiative also includes teacher training and lesson materials for schools intending to establish a video editing curriculum, or re-orient existing programs toward delivering highly sought-after proficiency with Media Composer.
Following their graduation from school, career-track storytellers will also receive up to two years of deeply discounted Media Composer | Ultimate subscriptions (retailing today for $499/year)—allowing them to stay current on Avid’s continuous feature releases.
In announcing the program, Avid noted that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that employment of film and video editors will grow 12% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Media Composer for Students is one of several initiatives shaped by Avid in partnership with its customers to enable more people to enter media production professions. Among these are the global Avid Community Association, where over 40,000 people at all levels of experience, including students, collaborate on shaping the future of media; and Avid’s new Badges & Digital Credentials program to help certified Avid users prominently display their valuable skills to employers.
“What’s most exciting about this program is that it gives both immediate value and a long-lasting boost with the crucial tools to students who are getting ready to start out on their careers,” said American Film Institute Conservatory’s Editing Discipline Head Robert Ivison, ACE. “Media Composer is the language of professional production. When you’re fluent, you get recognized and you get work.”
