Avid Powers Editorial Excellence
Tokyo University of the Arts (TUA) and Netflix co-hosted their first joint training program, the Avid Assistant Editor Training Workshop, with Avid as a key platform and technical partner for high-end post-production.
The core of this initiative is a hands-on Masterclass Editing Workshop, co-hosted by Tokyo University of the Arts and Netflix, with Avid Media Composer as the primary training tool. The goal is to connect aspiring editors with the exact professional tools and creative workflows used to cut global Netflix hits, thereby moving students "From Classroom to Cutting Room."
The Crucial Need for Avid Expertise
Avid Media Composer is widely recognized as the industry's most trusted editing platform and is the editing system behind the world’s most acclaimed films and series, including many of Netflix’s global originals. For students hoping to enter this industry, proficiency in Avid is non-negotiable.
Professor Shogo Yokoyama, who was appointed Professor of Editing at TUA in April 2025, emphasizes that editorial work is what transforms images into a film, shaping space and time to tell stories and guide the audience’s emotions. While students need to balance software skills with deeper editorial thinking—understanding the 'why' behind every cut—software knowledge remains the entry point.
Professor Yokoyama states that to work as a film editor or an assistant editor, either in Japan or abroad, students need to know how to use Avid Media Composer and become comfortable with it. This knowledge is both crucial and essential. Furthermore, TUA already understands this necessity, requiring students to use Avid Media Composer for their graduation films. Since Avid has a distinct workflow and system design, it is vital for educational programs to provide the opportunity to acquire solid Avid skills as part of their professional training.
Masterclass in the Craft of Storytelling
The workshop, co-hosted by Tokyo University of the Arts and Netflix, centered on hands-on learning with Avid Media Composer and was enriched by creative sessions from both university instructors and Netflix post-production experts.
Students learned directly from instructor and editor, Tomomi Kikuchi, and notably, Ryuji Miyajima, the acclaimed editor of Godzilla Minus One. The sessions went beyond technical training, including discussions around real-world projects that simulated editorial challenges often encountered in feature and series work, as well as giving the attending students hands-on experience with the features and functions in the latest version of Avid Media Composer.
Investing in Japan’s Creative Future
Tokyo University of the Arts and Netflix are actively investing in the growth of Japan’s editorial talent pipeline, fostering new voices ready to deliver stories for audiences everywhere. And Avid Japan is supporting this program every step of the way.
