EditFest Global Schedule
Virtual / Online / October 4, 2025
7:00 – 7:30 AM: Reception Opens
(Time for networking before the show starts)
7:30 President Welcome & Opening Remarks
ACE President: Sabrina Plisco, ACE
Host: Jon Luke Thomas
7:30 – 9:00 AM: Global Editing Perspectives: A Collaboration with TEMPO and ACE
Editors from around the world discuss their career paths and workflow differences across countries
Moderator: Eoin McDonagh, ACE (Ireland)
Panelists:
Luisa María Martínez Arcaraz (Mexico);
Nitin Baid (India);
Sylvie Landra (France);
Simon Njoo (Australia);
Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, ACE (Iceland)
9:00 – 9:15 AM: Break (Networking & Sponsor Expo.)
9:15 – 10:45 AM: In Sync: The Art of Combining Picture and Sound
Presented in collaboration between American Cinema Editors (ACE) and the Cinema Audio Society (CAS).
A discussion about the key creative partnership in filmmaking. This special collaboration between ACE and CAS brings together leading picture and sound teams to explore how their work shapes rhythm, emotion, and storytelling on screen.
Moderator: Joshua Handler (Picturehouse 441)
Panelists:
Only Murders in the Building — Shelly Westerman, ACE; Danika Wikke
Wicked: For Good — Myron Kerstein, ACE; Nancy Nugent Title; John Marquis; Jack Dolman; Andy Nelson, CAS
10:45 – 11:00 AM: Break (Networking & Sponsor Expo)
11:00 – 11:35 AM: Inside the Cutting Room with Bobbie O’Steen & Marcia Lucas
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chat with Legendary Editor Marcia Lucas.
EditFest re-broadcasts ACE Presents: a rare conversation with Oscar-winning editor Marcia Lucas about her work on Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Moderator: Bobbie O’Steen (Author & Film Historian)
Panelist: Marcia Lucas
11:35 AM – 12:20 PM: Editing Essays for the Internet
An introduction to editing compelling video essays for YouTube and beyond.
Led by Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos, the creators of the acclaimed YouTube channel Every Frame a Painting, this beginner-friendly session explores how to shape content for online audiences
12:30 – 1:15 PM: Closing Comments & Time for a Break
(Networking & Sponsor Expo)
1:15 – 2:00 PM: Live Break-Out Sessions
Shaping Stories for the Web: Q&A with Tony Zhou & Taylor Ramos
Moderator: John Venzon, ACE
Speakers: Tony Zhou & Taylor Ramos
The creators of Every Frame a Painting return to answer audience questions and expand on their insights into editing for online platforms.
K-Pop Demon Hunters: Behind the Edit
Moderator: Annabelle Toé
Speakers: Nathan Schauf, Michael Babcock, CAS & MPSE
The sound and editing team from the worldwide Netflix phenomenon share how they blended K-pop, fantasy, and action into a global hit.
Early Careers of ACE Interns: The Road to Assisting
Speakers: Alfonso Carrion, Grant Ward, Kakhi Maxwell Jr.
Three past ACE interns discuss their journeys into Hollywood — what first drew them to editing, how they’ve grown, and what happens in the cutting room through the eyes of Apprentice and Assistant editors. A session designed to inspire emerging talent.
2:30 PM Live Show Ends / EditFest Extras
EditFest Extra panels will be available ON DEMAND
Applying AI in Our Everyday Work as Film Editors
• Practical uses of AI tools in current editing workflows
• Conversations around automation, creativity, and ethics
• Panelists share firsthand experiences and case studies
Moderator: Carolyn Giardina
Panelists: Peter Busch, Asher Pink, Morgan Prygrocki
Editing Across Genres
• Panel discusses challenges and techniques that change (or don’t) by genre
Moderator: Maura Corey, ACE
Panelists: Josh Earl, ACE; Stephanie Filo, ACE; Art O’Leary, ACE; Peggy Tachdjian, ACE; John M. Valerio, ACE
Practical Applications for Editors Using Blackmagic/DaVinci Resolve
Demonstrations and insights into DaVinci Resolve tools, with real-world applications in professional workflows.
Presenter: Justin Yates
Lillian E. Benson, ACE, BPM Trailblazer Award Presentation and Q&A
Editing pioneer Lillian E. Benson, ACE, was honored with the Black Public Media Trailblazer Award in May 2025 at the Pitch BLACK Forum and Awards in Harlem. Benson, perhaps best known for her Emmy-nominated work on the PBS series, Eyes On the Prize II, was interviewed onstage by NPR broadcaster Brittany Luse.
The Editing of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Moderator: Joshua Handler
Panelist: Carol Littleton, ACE
The Editing of Moulin Rouge!
Moderator: Joshua Handler
Panelist: Jill Bilcock, ACE
Andor Season 2
Moderator: Joshua Handler
Panelist: Yan Miles, ACE
