Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1513564
38 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E Meyer's referral led to two years of work with Bill Macomber at Fancy Film Post-Pro- duction in Silverlake where he helped her land her first big break in 2008: editing a documentary about legendary comedians Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, called "Exca- vating the 2000 Year Old Man" (2012). "I think at that point I had been assistant edit- ing for long enough, and Bill had guided me so much that he said, 'I think you're ready.'" Her natural talent for editing documen- tary, drama, and comedy alike has served her well over the years — and has also helped her land supportive mentors in other genres, such as Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, ACE, who cut acclaimed action features "John Wick" (2014) and "Deadpool 2" (2018). "I've looked up to her so much for so many years, and I met her several years ago just via social media," Filo said. "I saw her name pop up on Twitter and messaged her, and she immediately just kind of took me under her wing. She's been such a support- ive force for me over the years. She's just such a warm person who's generous with her time, and I love seeing diverse voices telling these stories." In Thede, she discovered a new mentor who gave her a chance to expand her editing chops in sketch comedy. "Robin said to me, 'I think you have a voice, you should really try to test it out. See if you like it.' And here I am," Filo said. She also credits the vision of several other gifted showrunners and directors she's been privileged to work with in creating space for conversations and ideas about what might be possible when shaping the story. "Something I love the most about edit- ing is that no matter what stage we're in, every day you learn something new," Filo added. "I feel like I have had so many men- tors over time and still keep meeting people who I've learned so much from." Filo's desire to continue to learn has also translated into powerful projects as an activist. The daughter of a human rights and environmental attorney, she's felt com- pelled to use her editing skills in her o time to help bring more awareness to important causes she cares about. She has produced and edited a number of notable social action campaigns and documentaries, primarily focused on the rights of women and girls worldwide, including her work with the United Nations International Labour Orga- nization and the White House. S h e w o n a P e a b o d y Aw a rd i n 2 0 1 9 for her work on "Surviving R. Kelly", and earned her first news/documentary Emmy Award in 2020 for an episode of the "Mental State" news documentary series alongside Nzinga Blake, Chris Reece, and Janelle Bass, making Filo and Blake the first Sierra Leoneans to win an Emmy. Filo currently serves on the board for Girls Empowerment Sierra Leone (GESL), a social impact and feminist-based orga- nization for Sierra Leonean girls ages 11 to 16. She's also a co-founder of End Ebola Now, an organization created in 2014 that uses artistic community activism to spread Robin Thede in "A Black Lady Sketch Show." P H OT O : H B O 'With editing, every day you learn something new.'