Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1488780
Joe Woo in Hawaii. P H OT O C O U R T E S Y J O E W O O J R . 72 C I N E M O N T A G E U N I O N M A D E By Joe Woo Jr. A long, long time ago, in 1976, I was a grad student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and learned the craft of film editing. I edited an award-win- ning short, "F.N.G.", which led to a teaching assistant position working with an Os- car-winning professor. FIGHT ON A TWO-DECADE JOURNEY TOWARD GUILD MEMBERSHIP PASSED THROUGH USC – AND ITS 'MAFIA' OF FILM VETERANS While at USC, I became aware of some of the school's 1960s alumni, who were nicknamed "The USC Mafia" because of their success in the industry. I decided to forgo further studies, hoping to join this illustrious group of filmmakers as I began my film career. My path would not be easy. I'm Asian, and throughout my academic life and be- yond, I had few Asian icons that could help pave my way in a white-dominated indus- try. James Wong Howe, the Oscar-winning director of photography, was one of the few Asians who had success in American fea-