The Post Production Diversity Initiative (PPDI) is a one-year program that offers 22 students/participants from diverse backgrounds career preparation for entry-level careers in the fields of video editing and audio mixing in the highly competitive music, video, and media industries of today.
The PPDI is a collaboration between Buffalo State University, the Motion Picture Editors Guild – New York, the media company Avid, and Buffalo FilmWorks. Furthermore, PPDI is funded by a New York State Entertainment Workforce Diversity Grant.
Program manager Robin Lazzara described PPDI as “A program that accepted 22 members with the main purpose of is to help diversify the post production workforce, so we’re providing people with resources that normally would cost thousands of dollars to help them receive jobs in the future.”
Of the 22 aforementioned group members, 11 are Buffalo State students, and 11 are community group members.
These students all come from diverse backgrounds that range from differences of ethnicity and race, all the way to different culture and career paths as well.
When asked about the members, Lazzara was excited stating “We had our orientation on November first, and everybody got to meet each other. It was really awesome to see everybody who’s passionate about the post production process, and kind of just talking about it and how they got into it, as well as how they got into the industry. Everyone seems very excited for this opportunity and I’m excited to see everybody grow from our program”, said Lazzara.
PPDI builds industry-focused knowledge of all different kinds of post-production methods, standards, and practices through virtual workshops with professionals in the form of editors and sound mixers from the Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG).
PPDI also creates a professional profile through career development workshops that also feature portfolio development.
By doing this, PPDI increases the technical competency in Avid courses in video editing and sound mixing for all participants and increases their opportunity to earn an Avid Media Composer or Pro Tools certification.
This in turn expands professional skills through networking opportunities and provides one-on-one mentorship with trained media professionals in their field of interest.
The program is run by Robin Lazzara who is also helped by Buffalo State professors Meg Knowles, Ruth Goldman and Dorothea Braemer, who are all a part of the University’s Communication Department, as well as Tomás Henriques, who is a part of the Digital Music Production department on our campus.
Media Production, Television and Film Arts, and Digital Music Production Buffalo State students with the status of Sophomore or higher who also have a special interest in the post production and/or the audio can always look to apply next year if the program returns.
Community members (including students who don’t attend Buffalo State) with a background in sound mixing or video editing who would like to increase their professional opportunities in the field can also hope to apply next year.
As for students that are enrolled in the program, they can earn up to six credits towards their degree as an added bonus for being involved in the program.
Community members will receive a certificate upon completion of the program. All Participants receive over 270 hours of instruction and mentorship in the PPDI program creating connections as well as an understanding for the field you wish to work in beyond school.
The PPDI is hosting events over the course of the semester for both Fall 2024, and Spring 2025, the soonest of which is Saturday, Nov. 16 from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. This will be the first MPE class which features assistant editing and will be held in Buckham Hall in room B142 (Media Stripes Lab) here on the Buffalo State campus.
