Albert Phaneuf, aspiring filmmaker
Career Q & A Interview: Part 5 of 5-Working for Documentary Filmmaker Rick McKay, creator of Broadway: The Golden Age and Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age.
Comm Creatives:
Talk a little bit about working for Rick McKay.
Albert Phaneuf:
How did you hear about this internship?
“Through a professor at NYIT.”
What is your job title?
“Under Rick McKay, I am an intern. I am mostly doing the duties of an assistant editor.”
What are your duties?
“As the assistant editor, I have a few duties. I capture footage (DV and HDV. For the HDV footage I convert them down to SDV so the other computers can edit off of them. I also convert them into iPod files so that the other interns and I can watch them while we commute to study the subject material we are working with. The footage is mostly comprised of interviews. I also do other work, working with printers and word documents and such. As well as making assembly edits of chapters in the next film.”
What is the title of the project you are helping him with?
“The project is Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age, the second film in the trilogy. The first one being Broadway: The Golden Age.”
Your favorite and most challenging parts of working with him?
“Hard to say. I think it would have to be the fact that I screen everything for him on almost a daily basis and receive constructive criticism from him regarding my work, which unfortunately I am not used too. Since I am not used to this, it’s hard for me to adjust but at the same time it’s very good and challenging for me.”
What are the perks?
“This is an internship that is so hands on, it’s great. I’m directly responsible for starting to make chapters happen for Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age and because of this, I get to watch interviews he has done with Broadway legends, some of them have sadly passed away, which makes my work that much more important and inspiring not only for me but for the audience that will be viewing the finished product when it is released.”
What industry knowledge has he shared with you?
“Tips on do’s and don’ts in a professional work environment. Furthering my education on Final Cut Pro and Adobe Photoshop. Using important footage and pictures that will appear in his upcoming film so that makes the work more serious for me and helps me better understand what he’s doing.”
What new skills did you learn?
“I’ve learned new editing techniques and shortcuts to make editing much easier. I’ve also learned more shooting techniques and other skills for converting formats.”
