Sophia Lou - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 10+ years
“I love and am constantly inspired by Scandinavian sensibilities. We acknowledge the distinction when it applies to design but I believe it translates to editing as well. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my favorite editors are all Scandinavian.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I'm a film & commercial editor based in New York, represented by Cartel (also repped by Outsider Editorial in Canada and S EC Studio in Germany). I mainly edit commercials, music videos, and short form content– both narrative and doc. I completed my first feature film last winter, which just premiered at the Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival this November and took home the Gold Ring for Best Feature Film!
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
An average day goes like this: edit, split the diff, sleep on it. And apply a sound pass. Always do a sound pass.
How did your career in post production begin?
I got into editing accidentally, when I had to make a video for a project in high school. I remember being enthralled by the puzzle-piecing aspect. I was immediately hooked, so as a way to practice, I would pirate movies via Limewire and cut them to music in Windows Movie Maker and I haven’t looked back since.
As for my journey, I was essentially winging it and figuring it out along the way because I didn't know anyone else who was on this career path. I didn’t even know commercial editing was a possible career, let alone a whole industry! But in a right place/right time situation, I entered the workforce as branded content was emerging (~12 years ago). Because brands were just starting to dabble in longer form content, they felt comfortable outsourcing this type of “low stakes” work to smaller production companies and freelancers. So I cut my teeth working on branded content, especially because back then, the luxuries of storyboards didn’t exist. It was mostly shooting a bunch of footage with a general storyline and “go make something out of this” type of mentality, which in turn really sharpened my story-finding and telling skills.
At a certain point, I decided I was ready to pivot into the higher-end commercial editing space. This transition was harder to navigate, as I discovered (as many of you have probably now discovered) that the industry runs on a catch-22: you can only get work you’ve already done. So in an attempt to escape the paradox, I started reaching out to my network, offering to do director’s cuts, DP cuts, specs, whatever necessary to reshape my portfolio. Gradually, I was able to build a new body of work to reflect the type of work I wanted to do. You can only beat the game if you play the game, right? I am forever grateful to the friends and colleagues who helped me during this process and gave me a chance, because a chance was all I needed.
Nowadays, I still make sure to take on non-commercial work such as short films and music videos, which I believe makes me a more nuanced editor and keeps my problem-solving skills sharp. At the end of the day, editing is really just creative problem-solving.
What has been your career highlight?
A highlight thus far has been editing a commercial for The Farmer’s Dog (TFD), which aired during the Super Bowl earlier this year. This was such a special project from start to finish. In fact, it was never meant to be in the Super Bowl. In a classic tale of “the little engine that could,” it had humble beginnings, originating with the small but mighty TFD in-house team’s desire to tell a universal story of being a pet-owner. I think everyone realized we had something extraordinary really early on, no thanks to director Goh Iromoto’s heartfelt vision and leadership. After the first cut, the reaction from the larger TFD team was so strong that it then led to conversations about media placement, making it the brand’s first official TV spot. Not only did it end up airing during the Super Bowl, it also won for best ad (and apparently made the whole nation cry?!). The outpouring of love was overwhelming and definitely opened a lot of doors for me. Then in July, it got nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Commercial category, which as a commercial editor, is truly the highest honor. I’m still a bit in disbelief at this wonderfully unexpected journey.
Who are your role models in post?
I love and am constantly inspired by Scandinavian sensibilities. We acknowledge the distinction when it applies to design but I believe it translates to editing as well. I don't think it's a coincidence that my favorite editors are all Scandinavian: Andreas Arvidsson, Carla Luffe, Emma Backman. Their style strikes the perfect balance of clean and functional with the emotional. There’s also an airiness to their work, even if the topic is heavy.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
My advice is to do you. There is no one path, no correct path, and even those who have “made it” won't know what's best for you. There will always be gatekeepers but be most weary of the ones who preach they have your best interest in mind. Don't be tempted by the shiny things! Cool never sticks; people remember how you make them feel, not what flashy cuts you make them see. So do you. And do a sound pass.