Meet Aiden Choi of Mid-Wilshire

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aiden Choi.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi, I’m Aiden Choi! I live in LA but am originally from Reno, Nevada, where you can find slot machines in the CVS! I’m currently an editing fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory.

While I initially planned to pursue a career in medicine (my undergraduate major at Stanford was in human biology), I always had a fondness for movies, cultivated over a childhood of family movie nights.

Film editing first entered my world through an archival documentary course, where I discovered a passion for post-production. I was fascinated by how editing could construct powerful stories from the most seemingly unrelated images. Similarly, I grew to love the meticulous, iterative process of editing, treating every frame and cut like an experiment.

Out of this early exploration came my first short film, “Young Oak Tree,” which follows the first Korean Olympic medalist in 1936 Berlin. With a little reordering and sound design, footage intended as nefarious propaganda for Nazi Germany was repurposed into a single runner’s painful struggle against imperialism. The short was deeply personal and went on to win “Best Student Short” at the Dam Short Film Festival, as well as “1st Place” at the Los Angeles Short Film & Script Festival.

After graduating college, I moved to LA intending to explore a variety of roles and learn as much as I could about the world of entertainment. Since arriving, I’ve worked as a development intern, a reality-TV production assistant, a grip, and a personal assistant. Each of these roles gave me insight into unique facets of filmmaking, while solidifying for me how essential qualities like adaptability and resilience are in this field.

I’ve taken these lessons with me into my first year as an editing fellow at AFI, Here, I’m excited to push my skills as a collaborative editor and join forces with like-minded people.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Budgeting time for a balanced life will always be challenging. This is true for any artist, and especially true for editors; I’m not sure it’s possible to edit a project serviceably without dedicating long stretches of time watching and rewatching dailies, experimenting with different versions of scenes, or staring at the ceiling as you grapple with a cut (whatever helps!). Post-production technology is also exciting in large part because it is advancing so quickly. As a result, I know I’ll never stop learning new workflows or picking up new tools.

Earlier this year, after a late night assistant editing, I was in a scary car accident. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but the experience was a reminder to take a breath and reflect: how can I pursue my career goals, while also meaningfully safeguarding other priorities, such as my health and personal relationships?

Artmaking is such a privilege and, as a relative newcomer to the entertainment world, it can be difficult to make room for life beyond it. However, I’m grateful to have mentors, peers, friends, and family that I can lean on as I grow and continue searching for balance.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Artistically, I’m drawn to the clash of opposing tones in film (like slapstick and tragedy). I think this comes from my early experiences volunteering in hospitals or shadowing surgeons, where I might see a doctor pluck out a knee bone while listening to ballroom Roomba (even in life-or-death, high-stakes environments, there’s often still room for glimpse of humor!). You can’t always achieve such extreme contradictions editorially (it’s not always appropriate to add silly music to an emotional scene), but I often consider tonal clashes when searching for ways to add depth to a cut.

In terms of my editorial process, I feel my best work comes from being open to discovery. There are countless editorial choices to make, not only in the timing and selection of shots, but in color, sound, structure, visual effects, graphics, and more. As opposed to behaving like a robotic button-pusher, I like to take advantage of nondestructive editing software to freely explore ideas with my fellow filmmakers.

These ideas often fall short, but an unconventional approach sometimes yields a surprising emotional impact or achieves a more engaging scene. I strongly feel that every project is unique and deserves some experimentation and time to unlock its potential.

This approach isn’t possible without partnerships. I always aim to show my collaborators they can trust me, which I do in two ways. Firstly, it’s important to me to understand and appreciate the efforts of the folks around me. Working as a grip and electric, for instance, taught me how much effort goes into lighting a scene. I don’t know that I’d be as strong an editor without that perspective.

Secondly, fostering a sense of “best idea wins” keeps people aligned and motivated in the same direction. This has been crucial for me. After all, in this increasingly turbulent industry, the only way forward for filmmakers in any department is to stick together.

Any big plans?
For now, I intend to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly can. At AFI, I’m opening my eyes to an arsenal of useful technical tools- I can’t overstate how empowered I feel to practice working with script sync, multicam editing, advanced sound design, and other methodologies I can better support my teams with. It means the world to be learning these from such attentive faculty alongside a cohort of supportive, talented students. Perhaps most importantly, I’m learning what it means to be an artist and collaborator.

After graduating, I’m excited to bring these skills into the professional world as an assistant editor, while continuing to learn and explore creative possibilities. I’m ready to embrace the community of editors at large, contribute to meaningful projects, and build a fulfilling career in post!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aidenjchoi.com/
• Instagram: aiden.j.c
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/aiden-choi-2a4021259