LOS ANGELES — A coalition of leading trade and professional groups have formed a non-profit organization designed to provide mentoring services to young people seeking behind-the-scenes careers in the media and entertainment industry. The Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance (EIPMA) plans to nurture the industry’s next generation of talent by offering expert guidance to high school and college students, military veterans and others seeking to launch their careers. The organization’s efforts will include hosting job fairs, panel discussions and other public events.
EIPMA’s focus is to help young people get started on career paths in an array of craft and technology roles involved in entertainment media production. Its member organizations include groups associated with sound and picture editing, visual effects, recording, engineering and technology development. Among them are American Cinema Editors (ACE), Audio Engineering Society Los Angeles (AES), Avid, Cinema Audio Society (CAS), Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE), the Recording Academy and SoundGirls.
“The future of the entertainment industry depends on the continuous influx of bright, young talent,” explains Bernard Weiser, an award-winning supervising sound editor who is EIPMA’s elected president. “Our members have accumulated a lifetime of knowledge, experience and insights across a diversity of specialized crafts and vocations, and they are eager to share their expertise with young people who want to follow in their footsteps.”
EIPMA plans to partner with high schools and universities to increase student awareness for career opportunities in the entertainment industry. The organization will host job fairs, provide speakers and sponsor panel discussions. It will also connect schools with mentors with specialized expertise to help improve media-related educational programs and attune them with current industry practices and employment needs. Mentors will also serve as guest lecturers and advisers for student projects. Additionally, EIPMA will provide individual mentoring to students at or near college graduation, military veterans and others ready to embark on industry careers.
“Our mentors will help young people navigate the often-daunting transition from the classroom to the professional work environment,” Weiser notes. “We also plan to offer company tours and shadowing opportunities so that students can experience firsthand how work is carried out in professional environments.”
EIPMA will host an open house for educators this fall at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, CA. Details will be posted to the group’s Website (eipma.org).