Sergio Sandoval

Broadcast students enrolled in television editing will learn from experience. Eric Gardner graduated from USC School of Cinema-Television, and his work experience includes the television series “Survivor,” “America’s Most Wanted” and MTV’s “The Real World.”

Rick Montañez
Staff Writer

The senior editor of CBS’s “Survivor” has a new challenge: Teaching the art of television editing to seven University of La Verne students.

Eric Gardner, 46, is one of the newest adjunct faculty members at the University. After spending 16 years working in television, Gardner decided it was time to join the classroom again.

“Working in T. doesn’t give you much time to teach a class,” Gardner said. “But the hours at ‘Survivor’ are regular enough that I can make it one night a week to teach.”

Gardner now spends his Wednesday nights sharing his techniques with his students in the television studio.

“I have never had to deal with L.A. traffic in the 22 years I have lived here, until now,” he said.

Gardner was not always interested in television. He started his college work at Columbia University where he studied philosophy. It was during this time that he began to take an interest in filmmaking.

“I used to run around with a bunch of renegade filmmakers,” Gardner said.

He worked on the activities board at Columbia and used it as an outlet to create shows.

Gardner said he once spent the entire years’ budget on one Ramones concert. When they convinced the Ramones to come out for $10,000 they furiously began to sell tickets.

Gardner said despite spending the entire budget to pay the band, they made nearly $15,000 in ticket sales. This began to spark an interest with Gardner.

He then began work with his friends in film. Gardner decided to go to USC film school.

He completed the graduate course work, and while there met ULV Professor of Communications Don Pollock. He stayed in contact with Pollock, which later steered him to the University.

His work in television has taken him to shows like MTV’s “The Real World,” “America’s Most Wanted,” “Alien Autopsy” and a stint at the Discovery Channel. He was also nominated for an Emmy for “Survivor..”

Gardner said he approached directing, editing and producing in the same way. It is all about creating the best show.

Students said he brings a new style of energy to class.

“Every lecture is engaging. He just makes editing so interesting,” said Loren Gomez, a senior broadcast major. “The best part of class is when he laughs, it is contagious.”

“I’ve learned a lot from Eric. He is just fun to have in class,” said Veronica Andrews, a junior broadcast major at ULV.

Gardner is now working on his fourth season of “Survivor.”

He said they never specifically ask him to come back for the next season; it’s just assumed, which he likes.

“It feels like home there, I’ve never had that on other shows,” Gardner added.

He is just one out of 12 editors on the show.

Rick Montañez can be reached at phidelt139@hotmail.com.