Assistant Editor Stephanie Silva (BFA Film & Television ’19) is collecting some high-profile film credits to her name. As well as her assistant editing work on this summer’s F1, starring Brad Pitt, Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem, Stephanie contributed her skills to Holland, which will make its world premiere on March 9 at SXSW before being released on Amazon Prime Video later in the month.
With an all-star cast including Nicole Kidman, Gael García Bernal, and Matthew Macfadyen, Holland tracks the crumbling of a woman’s picture-perfect life in quaint Holland, Michigan, when she and a friend uncover a twisted secret in their midst.
TFTV recently caught up with Stephanie.
How did you come to work on Holland?
I came to work on Holland through the editor, Martin Pensa. I worked with him at Legendary Pictures on the movie Brothers as the Post Production Assistant. There I learned from the assistant editors on how he does his dailies process, his workflow, and the entire post-production process. After Brothers, he hired me on a short project as his assistant editor. I called that project the “test” as it was the first time I worked with him as his assistant editor. Martin edited Fresh, also directed by Mimi Cave, so she got the crew back together for Holland and I got to join in as the 2nd Assistant Editor.
What was the experience like, working on a high-profile studio film? Were you mentored?
We didn’t work at the studio, but in an office in Burbank so it felt like we were working in a bubble away from everything. Every day was a new day with a puzzle to solve from making a VFX comp, finding sound effects, or finding the perfect laugh for a scene. We were a group of friends making a movie and helping Mimi’s vision come to life. I learned so much from everyone and we had fun in the process.
I’ve been very lucky to have mentors that are filmmakers, editors and assistant editors. It’s surreal to work with the people that have made work I love. They have given me the best advice and are very encouraging.
The main differences between working at a studio versus independent projects are workflows and having tech support. I very much appreciate having the ability to call tech support when a speaker blows out or my monitor needs to be calibrated.
The trailer for Holland is intriguing, in that it hints at Kidman’s character falling apart without giving the whole plot away. Without spoilers, what do you think will surprise audiences about this film?
I really like the film! The cast is amazing and I still can’t believe they’re all in one movie. I really enjoyed Mimi’s first film Fresh so I knew right away I was going to like Holland. I don’t want to give away too much about the film, but something that will surprise the audience is that Nicole Kidman has great comedic timing. You’ll have to wait and see!
Are you planning to be at the film’s premiere at SXSW?
I am currently working in LA, so I sadly will not be going to SXSW. I will however have a movie night with my friends when it comes out on March 27th!
And finally, a question we love to ask our alumni: who at TFTV inspired you and why, and what did you learn at TFTV that you value to this day?
Jacob Bricca, Dan Brock and Beverly Seckinger very much inspired me during my time at the UofA. While in Professor Bricca’s editing class I had no idea at the time that I wanted to do post-production. One of the biggest takeaways was how to explain a cut and give notes. When making a suggestion, I should be able to have a good reason behind it. Dan Brock was my boss at MARPL, and I was very intimidated by filming with the camera kits. He was very encouraging, answered all my questions and made me more confident with the equipment that prepared me for my first job in LA. Professor Seckinger was my documentary professor, and she really pushed for me to put myself and my voice in my documentary which terrified me. I was a bit shy, but it ended up being ok!
My biggest takeaway from everyone was to do the thing that scares you. Filmmaking is an art that you can try new things and learn from mistakes. Learning and repetition can build confidence, and never be afraid to put yourself out there.