Sofia Kerpan - Editor
Editor - Modern Post
Experience 7+ years
“Before even opening Premiere, I have to have three different beverages on my desk and do some chatting via text and email before I disappear.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I’m an editor for Modern Post, a creative post-production studio with renowned expertise. I work across commercials, music videos, fashion, and short films with brands such as Nike, Google, Fender and Calvin Klein and with artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Gunna, Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe Bailey, Kali Uchis and Lil Yachty.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
Before even opening Premiere, I have to have three different beverages on my desk and do some chatting via text and email before I disappear. Depending on where I’m at in the process of what I’m working on, I am either doing calls with the director/agency, starting a new cut, going over the feedback I’ve received, or in a session with the director.
If I’m starting a new project, I’ll start by pulling selects, doing a preliminary call with the director and reviewing the treatment or storyboards. Music is a big part of the edits I do, so if I’m not working on a music video, I do my music pulls after that. I’ll scroll Spotify playlists if I am cutting to a temp track of my choosing before the composer does an official score. We have amazing assistants who usually help with an initial sound effects pull based on what the project calls for, and then I’ll go grab more sounds myself once I start cutting and know more intimately what I want. By that point, I’m cutting and probably disappear.
How did your career in post production begin?
While I was studying film at Columbia College Chicago, I founded a company with two of my friends (Eva Dubovoy and Danielle Alston). We primarily made music videos for friends of ours who made music, and that’s when I really taught myself how to edit. When I moved to LA in 2016, my co-founder Eva helped me get a job as an assistant editor at Deutsch LA, where we got to work on broadcast commercials. This was the period where I learned so much about the professional side of post-production, how to conduct yourself in sessions, etc., but after a few years, I decided to go solo as a freelance lead editor. I had friends who worked in music still (special mention to Kevin Kloecker who introduced me to so many people!) who had work to pass my way, and I freelanced at other agencies here and there. It took many years of a lot of hard work to earn recommendations and build my portfolio until I signed with Modern Post about a year ago. Over that time, I was able to nurture relationships with frequent collaborators that helped me get to where I am today.
What has been your career highlight?
Last year I was surprised to learn that I won the VMA for Best Editing for my work on Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” music video. It was surreal since I grew up watching the VMAs and TRL, obsessed with music videos.
Who are your role models in post?
It’s very flattering to be working alongside many editors whom I am a big fan of. Will Town is a bonafide legend. Graham Patterson and Aitor Bigas are also beyond talented. Thelma Schoonmaker--I remember learning about her when I was younger and admiring her career and longstanding collaborations.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
Nurture your reputation and don’t forget we’re making pretty things at the end of the day. Even though editing is a very technical endeavor, beyond being proficient at what you do in Premiere, you have to remember to be a good collaborator and try to make light out of the craziness of post-production…because it gets crazy. It’s easy to lose your people skills when you’re cutting in a dark room all day. But I think the ability to vibe with people is what makes them want to work with you again; if you’re talented on top of that, even better.
Connect with Sofia on Instagram.