PrePro, the mentorship program designed to expose culturally diverse students to careers in postproduction and music and sound for brands and ad agencies, is now accepting applications for its Fall 2017 session. Co-sponsored by AICE and AMP, the program is expanding to the Chicago market with this new session and is actively recruiting post production and music companies to participate. Full details on PrePro can be found here.
PrePro is open to students between the ages of 18 and 23. The program matches eligible students with working professionals, who provide hands-on learning opportunities in editing, audio mixing, visual effects, music scoring and related disciplines. In addition, mentors share up-close looks at the day-to-day operations of their companies and provide guidance that can help them obtain the skills needed to land an entry level position. “The kinds of professional relationships developed through PrePro will be invaluable when these mentees are ready to launch their careers,” said PrePro co-organizer Gloria Pitagorsky, president of AICE’s New York Chapter and EP and managing director of audio post studio Heard City.
PrePro’s inaugural session, which kicked off in New York this past January, saw approximately 20 students from high schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx paired with mentors from such companies as BANG Music, Big Sky Edit, Blast, Bodega Studios, Butter Music & Sound, COPILOT Music + Sound, Cutters, Exile Editorial, Freefolk, Groove Guild, Heard City, Human Music and Sound Design, KYLE, Northern Lights, PS 260, The Mill and Uppercut.
Jon Desir, executive producer at Optimus in Chicago and co-organizer of the program, is heading up the expansion of PrePro to Chicago for the upcoming session, working with Optimus producer Terra Zenteno. He noted that the PrePro committee is in discussion with Free Spirit Media, a non-profit group that provides arts education, access, and opportunity in media production to over 700 underserved youth in Chicago every year. Simultaneously, Desir is working to build a roster of potential mentors from Chicago-area post and music studios. (For more on the benefits of being a mentor, click here.)
“After our successful first run in New York, Chicago is ready to follow suit,” said Desir. “Growing a more diverse talent base for the postproduction and advertising music and sound industries is needed now more than ever. We’re confident there’s going to be tremendous support in our community and in various communities outside of post that are related to production overall.”
Commenting on the program’s value to mentors and companies, Marlene Bartos, managing director of Yessian Music in New York, past national president of AMP and a PrePro mentor herself, noted that “this is such a positive program for our community. We can give a young person a chance to discover all the wonderful opportunities in our industry and have a positive impact, while also bringing in new and diverse talent. It’s a win/win for all parties.”
Amy Madigan to receive the 2026 MUAHS Distinguished Artisan Award
Oscar®-nominated actress Amy Madigan will receive the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) Distinguished Artisan Award, the union’s top honor, at the 13th Annual MUAHS Awards. Hosted by Rachael Harris, the MUAHS Awards will take place on Saturday, February 14, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.
Madigan is known for her versatile and award-winning performances across film, television, and theater. An Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner, she currently stars as “Aunt Gladys” in Zach Cregger’s hit film Weapons, which has grossed over $269 million worldwide and earned her a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
“Amy Madigan is a wonderfully talented actress with a storied career portraying a wide range of characters. She is celebrated for collaborating with her makeup and hairstyling team to create an iconic look in Weapons--one that will be remembered and replicated for years to come,” said Julie Socash, president of MUAHS, IATSE Local 706. “Her performances continue to elevate the art of character transformation.”
The Distinguished Artisan Award is presented to an artist whose consistent collaboration with Local 706 Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists has richly enhanced and created memorable characters throughout their career. Madigan’s transformation into iconic characters has enthralled audiences and inspired countless artists in the industry. She joins the ranks of previous recipients of the MUAHS Distinguished Artisan Award, including Allison Janney, Annette Bening, Johnny Depp, Guillermo Del Toro, Ryan Murphy, Melissa McCarthy, Sir Patrick Stewart, Eddie Murphy, and Gary Oldman.
Madigan received her first Oscar nomination for her... Read More