Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1262492
44 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E with heads of all the Women's Steering Committees for District 2 Locals and the Alliance of Women Editors. Q Beyond work, how have you been trying to make a difference during this difficult time? "I have participated in three food banks, including one for IATSE, and sewed 40 masks for the Costume De- signers Guild PPE Drive. It's important to realize the impact that COVID-19 has had on the LA community and the already food-insecure population." Jillinda Palmer M U S I C E D I T O R Q What was your professional situa- tion when you realized a shutdown was coming? I wa s wo r k i n g o n a T V s e r i e s fo r Disney+, for which we were already having meetings remotely via FaceTime, and I was uploading files remotely. For a feature project for Paramount Pictures, we were scrambling to get our second cut out for a screening when everything started to shut down. Then, that week, everyone on the post crew moved home to work remotely, and they shut down the Paramount lot. Q What's your personal quarantine situation been like? I live at home with my husband and rescued pets—two cats, a newly adopted kitten, and a tortoise, who are all enter- taining and good therapy. Q The toughest part has been: Seeing friends and their loved ones die alone. I feel helpless, and I can't even give anyone a hug or go to a funeral for friends who have died. Q What advice to you have for coping with stress during this period? I f e e l t h a t p ro p e r m e n t a l h e a l t h maintenance is crucial, especially in these times. Mental-health maintenance should not be considered a luxury—it's a necessity [and] should be easily accessi- ble to us. Sean Linal Peterkin A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R Q What was your professional situa- tion when you realized a shutdown was coming? I ended my job on the Fox/Showtime d r a m a , " T h e C h i ," i n l a t e J a n u a r y. About a week or so before the stay-at- home order went into effect, I landed a new assistant editor union gig, which would have started late March. Instead, it's been pushed back until further notice. Q How has the quarantine affected you personally? I am a very social person. I do not have any family or friends here in Los Angeles who I grew up with. So going for weeks without close human contact could have put me in a major state of depression. Luckily, my girlfriend moved in with me a couple of months before the pandemic hit. So I'm truly blessed and thankful to have her, especially during these trying times. Q Have you utilized any financial assistance programs? I've was already receiving unem- p l o y m e n t i n s u ra n c e s i n c e Ja n u a r y. Unemployment insurance maxes out at $450 a week, so I had to pull from my savings to help cover rent, utilities, f o o d , g a s , c a r n o t e , c a r i n s u r a n c e , student loans, and credit cards, even before the pandemic. Now, additional aid is starting to come through because I reached out to Cal Fresh, MPI, and The Actors Fund. The application process wasn't difficult, although it did take me some time to scan and send them person- al information. I recently received grants from those three oranizations, which has been a tremendous blessing. I encourage all who need the help to apply. I found all the information on MPEG's website. Sean McGah A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R Q How have you managed workflow for editing unscripted television remotely? We were halfway through filming, and just ramping up to start post-production on Season 11 of Fox's "MasterChef" when the quarantine started shutting down the town. [Distribution company] Endemol was able to pivot and find a way to have all editors pick up a Macbook Pro and Avid system. They even managed to get some of the returning editors the same system they had worked on last season so all their settings were still there. They