Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/990701
40 CINEMONTAGE / Q2 2018 by Debra Kaufman portraits by Gregory Schwartz N BC's American Ninja Warrior (2009-present), now celebrating its 10th season with its May 30 premiere, is a monster success. The series features thousands of athletes/contestants from dozens of US cities, who compete for the title of American Ninja champion — if they can survive the final trial at the formidable Mount Midoriyama, a four-stage obstacle course in Las Vegas. Even viewers who don't watch sports or reality TV are glued to the show, which is a singular blend of both genres. Any way you look at it, ANW has soared far from its origins at now-defunct cable channel G4, on which it debuted in December 2009 as the qualifying tournament for Americans who wanted to participate in the Japanese competition Sasuke, a sports/entertainment TV special in that country. Just as the show's athletes face daunting deterrents in their quest for glory, so a top team of picture editors and assistants faces the taxing task of sifting through, keeping track of and organizing a crazy amount of footage to build a weekly The 'American Ninjas' of Post The Show's Editorial Team Has Its Own Obstacles to Overcome The picture editorial crew for American Ninja Warrior, from left, David Greene, Martin Singer, Kenley Kidd, Don Williams (back), Steven Ty, Michelle Messina, Tom Erwin (back), Nick Gagnon, Mary DeChambres, Michael Kalbron (back), Jonathan Provost, Matt Parcone (back), Alejandro Hurtado, Kyle Barr, Curtis Pierce, Jeff Bartsch (back), Paul McDade, Jamieson McGonigle (back), Scott Simmons, Corey Ziemniak (back), Marcella Serrano and Craig Eustis.