THE ACE EDITING EXPERIENCE

Drama

“Harmon vs Beltik” is a scene selected exclusively for you by director Scott Frank, producer Bill Horberg, and editor Michelle Tesoro, ACE. 

Editing a scene from a drama like The Queen’s Gambit involves  understanding the importance of pace, rhythm, and performance, all crucial in building tension at key moments and delivering emotionally satisfying beats. 

Set early in the series (episode 2), this scene captures one of  Beth’s initial chess matches. Dive deep into the editing process by experimenting with the match’s pace, infuse it with tension and emotion. Play with close-ups, wide shots, and reaction shots from both the main characters and the crowd. Enjoy editing the nuanced and outstanding performances from Anya Taylor-Joy and Harry Melling. 

Above all, relish the editorial process and embrace the challenges of editing a scene from such a finely crafted series. Enjoy the journey with “Harmon vs Beltik” from The Queen’s Gambit!

I am an instructor interested in downloading footage for my students
ACE Editing Experience - Instructor Fact Sheet & FAQs
How to Proceed
  • Go to the ACE website
  • Find the ACE Editing Experience under the Educational Center menu
  • Select a genre (Note: The Old Guard and Somebody Feed Phil may be best suited for advanced editing classes)
  • Create an account and make a $500 donation
  • After your donation is processed, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a unique code that provides access to 20 student licenses. Once all licenses are used, access to the footage will end. A template email will also be provided to share with your students.
  • Students will:
    • Create their own account
    • Enter their access code
    • Sign a security release agreement
  • Once signed, the footage will be forensically watermarked and linked to the student’s email (processing takes approx. 24 hours).
  • Students will then receive a link to download:
    • The dailies
    • Editorial paperwork
    • The interview from the original editor
  • Students begin editing!
Student Responsibility, Security & Monitoring (Read Carefully)
  • Materials Are Not Provided in Perpetuity
  • Footage is licensed for short-term academic use by enrolled students only and must not be archived or reused after their project and/or course is completed.
  • Each student must sign a legal release before receiving any materials. This agreement is a binding license between the student, ACE, and Netflix.
    • The intent is not just legal compliance, it’s also a valuable opportunity to educate students about the ethics of working with copyrighted content and respecting studio property.
  • All downloads are forensically watermarked to the individual student.
  • ACE, Netflix, and their security partner Irdeto actively monitor the internet for unauthorized use. If materials appear online (e.g., YouTube, social media, TikTok), consequences may include:
    • Legal action against the individual
    • Termination of participation for the class and institution
    • Loss of access to the program for future semesters
  • Instructors are strongly discouraged from repurposing footage outside its approved use — doing so violates the trust between ACE, Netflix, and your classroom, and could place your students at legal risk.
Donation Details
  • A $500 donation to the ACE Educational Center grants 20 student licenses ($25 per student), intentionally priced to keep the program affordable and accessible to students of all economic backgrounds. While it might be tempting to purchase the footage once and reuse it year after year, doing so would violate the license terms and undermine ACE’s ability to sustain this program for future classrooms.
  • The donation is tax-deductible and helps fund this program and the ACE Educational Center.
Licensing Rules & Frequently Asked Questions
  • Materials Are Not Provided in Perpetuity
  • Licenses are provided in packs of 20 and cannot be split across genres.
    • For example: You cannot request 10 scenes from The Old Guard and 10 from The Queen’s Gambit under a single donation.
  • Unused licenses may be carried over if not all 20 are used in one semester.
    • Example: 10 students in fall + 8 in spring = 2 remaining licenses for future use.
  • If you need more than 20 licenses (e.g., a class of 30), we recommend requesting 40 licenses, using 30 now and 10 in a future semester.
  • Instructors may designate one of the 20 licenses for their own use. This license can be carried over and reused in subsequent semesters, provided it remains with the same instructor.
  • Once a student signs the security agreement and downloads the footage, they are legally responsible for it. Whether they work on it for one semester or several, the footage remains theirs and theirs alone for as long as they need it.
  • For introductory classes, consider selecting The Queen’s Gambit or A Series of Unfortunate Events, as their footage is generally more straightforward and manageable. Due to the larger volume of material, The Old Guard and Somebody Feed Phil may be better suited for advanced editing courses.
  • Final Reminder: This program continues to exist because of the trust Netflix has placed in ACE and the participating institutions. Adhering to these guidelines protects your students, your program, and ensures the ACE Editing Experience continues for future classrooms.