David Choi

In just one short week, The Edit Center's Documentary Master Class helped me gain the necessary confidence to delve into documentary filmmaking. I've always had a deep penchant for documentaries and cultural narratives as a way to tell real, raw, and unscripted stories. Coming from a background of acting in theatre and narrative drama and being more in front of the camera, I never quite had the courage to handle a camera and wrap my head around lighting, composition, and framing of shots, particularly for interviews. Thanks to the master class, I was finally able to try shooting my own interviews, b-roll, and vérité. And best of all, I was able to get almost instant feedback from some of the most experienced documentary filmmakers in the business. The methodology I gained from this class continues to streamline my process. Sometimes you just need the right tools from the right mentors, the right learning environment, and the right community to give you wings; that's what this class was for me. Since then, I carry my camera gear with me on my travels, am not afraid to set up interviews, and continue to go even further with my independent filmmaking endeavors. I would recommend this class to any serious and proactive student just starting out in filmmaking and editing!