Balancing any kind of personal life outside your demanding career in post-production is difficult, but when that personal life includes children, it can feel nearly impossible. Having two young kids myself (a 6 year old son and a 4 year old daughter), I know how impossible it can seem to be present as a parent while being equally focused on your job for 12+ hours every day. But there are ways to find balance and be successful with both.
In this episode I have a conversation with award-nominated editor Yvette Amirian about how she became a successful television editor very quickly in her young career, but more importantly how she is balancing a demanding job, teaching several editing courses at USC, as well as raising her 5-year old son.
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Topics of conversation:
- Yvette’s background as an editor and producer
- The role of and editor in unscripted television
- How Yvette made the transition into producing
- The reality TV workflow
- Yvette’s career trajectory and how she moved up the ladder so quickly
- Tips on how to successfully move from assistant editor to editor
- A few things Yvette learned in her first few years as a parent
- Sharing the caretaking duties with family and how to get some quality time in with your child
- How your perspective and priorities change when you have a child
- The difficulties of missing time with your child and how to make up for it
- Balancing work and parenting
- The importance of putting your foot down
- Coping with the guilt of missing out on your child’s milestones
- How being a woman with a child has affected Yvette’s career prospects (and how society judges that)
- How Yvette’s career aspirations changed (or didn’t) since having a child
- When your career is your identity, how do you take on another?
- Struggling to balance career and children is something we all deal with!
Useful Links:
FiP Podcast Ep48: Transitioning From Reality to Scripted
FiP Podcast Ep59: Making the Jump From Assistant Editor to Editor
FiP Podcast Ep56: Advancing Your Career in Post: What They Don't Teach in Film School
FiP Podcast Ep74: When You Should Take Free Work (And When You Should Run)
Guest Bio:
Yvette Amirian is an award-nominated film and television editor, as well as a producer and writer. In addition to her work in the industry, Yvette teaches editing courses at her alma mater, USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Yvette lives in Los Angeles with her husband and 5-year old son.
Show Credits:
This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, the show notes were prepared by Natalie Boschan, and this show is executive produced by Kanen Flowers. We are a member of the THAT STUDIO podcast network.
The music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Dorian Cheah from his brilliant album ARA.