Industry Standard Announces 2024•25 Experience Residencies Cohort

New futures unfold as Industry Standard introduces its 2024/25 Experience Residencies cohort. This year’s selected residents—Carmen Bartolome, Honesty Taszhé, Wesley Harris, Ihunmehai “Ihums” Isaac, and Dave Kalema—will be gaining invaluable experience with some of the most influential film, television, and advertising production companies in the field. Supported by the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, Experience Residencies emphasize mentorship, career development, and navigation of the creative landscape.

‍Unlocking New Paths for Growth

The nine-month residency places these emerging talents within renowned production companies, including Campfire Studios, Library Films, RadicalMedia, Story Syndicate, and Union Editorial. Selected from a competitive pool of hundreds of applicants, residents will take on roles across archival producing, editorial, and post-producing. Experience Residencies are designed to accelerate career trajectories while creating more access and visibility to these vital roles within the creative industry.

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Wesley Harris – Archival Resident at Campfire Studios
Wesley Harris joins Campfire Studios on the archival producing track, bringing his passion for the use of digital media in archives and media restoration. With previous experience working on projects for The New York Times, Al Jazeera English, and the documentary Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, Harris is poised to make a significant impact. Campfire Studios, known for hit shows like “American Murder: Laci Peterson” and “The Money Game: LSU”, offers Harris the perfect platform to hone his craft.

Dave Kalema – Editorial Resident at Library Films
Documentary filmmaker and editor Dave Kalema is stepping into Library Films on the editorial track. Kalema, whose work explores themes of belonging, identity, and transformation, is a two-time StorySLAM Champion at The Moth and has been featured on NPR’s The Pulse. Having recently completed the Handy Foundation's Assistant Editor Training Program, Kalema sees this residency as a career milestone, especially as a first-generation Ugandan American. He’ll contribute to projects led by filmmaker Chris Smith, who is behind the Emmy-nominated documentaries “Jim & Andy”, “FYRE”, and the recently released “Mr. McMahon”.

Ihunmehai “Ihums” Isaac – Editorial Resident at RadicalMedia
Ihums Isaac, originally from Edo State, Nigeria, joins RadicalMedia on the editorial track. A graduate of The New School with a Master’s in Media Management, Isaac brings a dynamic portfolio, including collaborations with MTV, BBC, and MOMA. Isaac contributed to the Sundance documentary “TikTok Boom” as an assistant editor. For Isaac, this residency is the start of a transformative journey where she’ll continue her focus on impactful storytelling.  Ihums is thrilled to work alongside the award-winning teams at RadicalMedia, whose notable projects include “Summer of Soul”, “What Happened, Miss Simone?”, the upcoming Earth, Wind & Fire documentary feature from Questlove and a film of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Merrily We Roll Along.” 

Honesty Taszhé – Post Production Resident at Story Syndicate
Kansas City native Honesty Taszhé will be joining Story Syndicate on the post-production track. A writer, producer, and director, Taszhé’s work shines a light on the experiences of Black women and girls, often exploring themes of identity, love, and loss. Her short film “JEN” won Best Heartland Short at the Kansas City FilmFest International in 2024. As a Black disabled woman, she is committed to amplifying marginalized voices. Positioned at award-winning production company Story Syndicate, the residency offers Taszhé a chance to learn from some of documentary filmmaking’s most esteemed creators. Upcoming Story Syndicate releases include a Billie Jean King documentary feature for ESPN and the double feature “Number One on the Call Sheet” chronicling the stories of Black actors and actresses in Hollywood with producers Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart, Angela Bassett, and Halle Berry for Apple TV+.

Carmen Bartolome – Editorial Resident at Union Editorial
Hailing from Guatemala, Carmen Bartolome takes on an editorial role at Union Editorial, where her passion for storytelling will be further developed under the editorial mentorship from a roster of top editors, including Jim Haygood, Rodrigo Brazão, and Sloane Klevin. A graduate of LA Film School, Bartolome discovered her love for editing as she aligned her creative vision with her intuitive sense of rhythm. Union Editorial, known for its work in both commercial and original content, like the recently released “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution” and the highly acclaimed “Selena Gomez:  My Mind & Me,” provides the ideal environment for Bartolome to grow and contribute to projects and upcoming collaborations with Netflix and Vox Media.

‍Photography by Travis Emery Hackett

Shaping the Future of Post-Production

The Experience Residencies offer these five talented individuals a platform to refine their skills and gain invaluable mentorship from some of the best in the business. As they contribute to premium content across various media landscapes, they are not only honing their craft but also helping shape the future of post-production.