Fresh Cut: Cylie Lagao

Our newest Assistant Editor, Cylie Lagao, might spend her days organizing footage, wrangling timelines, and making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes–but don’t mistake that for a quiet role.

We caught up with Cylie to talk about assistant editing, why books are always better than the movie, and how The Hunger Games led her to become a state champion archer (yes, really).

Ice Breakers

Let’s start easy–what’s your astrological sign, and do you think it fits you?

My big three are Cancer sun, Scorpio moon, Capricorn rising. And I would say, yes, it hits some things on the nose. When I look at my full chart there are some descriptions where I’m like, Okay, you did not have to be that brutally honest.

But it makes sense. I’m caring and emotional, but I’m also very ambitious and a little intense about the things I care about–especially my family.

What’s one song that makes you feel understood?

Cylie: That’s hard because I connect with everything I listen to... I have over a thousand songs saved on Spotify because I’m such a mood listener. But lately, I’d say “The Fall” by Cody Johnson. The storytelling and emotion in it really reflect how I experience life’s ups and downs. The first time I heard it, I got goosebumps. And when I saw it live last year, I actually started crying. It’s just a beautiful piece of storytelling.

Dasha: That's so sweet. I saw Ken Pomeroy back in January and I was on the verge of tears the entire time, haha, cuz it was like this album means so much to me and it just felt so surreal seeing it performed live. So I get it.

What’s your hot take?

The books are always better than the movies. I’ve yet to see an adaptation that’s actually better than the book. It’s a hot take I will fight on.

I was outraged watching The Hunger Games when Buttercup wasn’t orange. I was like, “Guys. This is in the source text. Come on.”

Speaking of The Hunger Games–what was the first fandom you really lost yourself in?

Cylie: The Hunger Games. I grew up in that era when everyone was reading those books. I got a little… obsessive. Katniss Everdeen got me into archery, which eventually led to me competing and winning a state title. 

Kyle and Dasha [in unison]: Whoa. That’s SO sick.

Cylie: I’m the 2013 Oregon Triple Crown winner. Recurve bow. These days I mostly shoot with a compound bow, but yeah–Katniss Everdeen definitely influenced me, and then I read all the books and was like, “Mom, I need to do archery!”

So, what does an assistant editor actually do?

"I’d say we’re basically the behind-the-scenes support system for the edit," Cylie says. "So, we organize and prep footage, sync audio, manage project files, troubleshoot technical issues, and handle exports and delivery. Our ultimate goal is to create a workflow where the editor can focus on storytelling without getting slowed down by technical or organizational hurdles."

A lot of people don’t realize how much time goes into finding and organizing footage, and oftentimes, that work is done by the AE. In Cylie's words, "We’ll search for footage that fits the brief, organize it, and pull selects so the editor can jump right into the creative direction without spending hours digging through the footage themselves.

And since we’re often the ones pulling the majority of the found footage, some of the visuals in the edit are very much influenced by what the AE thinks might work best.

Sometimes editors will also ask us to proof an edit before export to make sure it fits the boards or scripts. Occasionally we even get to do a first pass based on the brief–and sometimes those ideas end up making it into the final edit."

It's all in the details...

When asked what makes a good collaboration between an AE and editor, Cylie says it's all about communication and understanding each other's workflow.

"Every editor approaches projects a little differently," she acknowledges. "Once you learn how someone likes things structured or organized, the collaboration becomes smoother and then you can communicate more clearly and anticipate what the editor might need before they even have to ask."

What’s something editors or producers can do to make your job easier?

Cylie: Honestly, we have such a good team that everything really flows smoothly. But if I had to nitpick: starting edits at the one-hour mark and keeping timelines as clean as possible helps a lot when we get to finishing. And if pull their own footage, sending us the source links saves us from having to backtrack later.

Kyle: As an editor, I'm both guilty as charged and also like, “Yeah, totally.”

How do you stay organized across multiple projects?

I rely heavily on prioritized to-do lists for each project. If I’m jumping into a project mid-stream, I’ll usually do like a quick download with another AE to get up to speed. And for larger projects with multiple editors–like [Google’s] Year in Search or the Olympics–having a consistent folder structure and naming conventions is really key. It makes it much easier to jump between streams without losing track of things.

Something you had to learn the hard way?

Triple-check exports and deliverables, even when everything looks correct. Taking that extra time saves a lot of stress down the road–especially now that, for example, different streaming platforms have really specific delivery requirements. Something as small as the wrong audio mix can get a whole deliverable kicked back.

Getting Curious

Before working in post, Cylie was busy getting her Business Administration degree at Willamette University, "My organizational and project management skills have really been helpful through the transition into post-production."

Dasha: So, how did you get into post-production?

Cylie: My mom encouraged me to go to an art camp called Caldera from 6th grade through high school. That’s where I fell in love with editing and the storytelling that comes along with it.

One of my teachers, Nick Davis, told me I had a knack for it. I also worked with Peter Weidensmith. When I was in college, I reached out to Nick to see if there were any editing internships. That’s when he told me about Lucky Day.

And I've kind of just been working my way up with LD ever since. I started as an intern, moved to a part-time contract worker, and now I'm full-time.

Dasha: That's awesome. And we're SO happy to have you.

If you could give advice to someone starting out as an assistant editor, what would it be?

Be curious and don’t underestimate the little things.

There’s always something new to learn in post-production, and things like good organization, clean timelines, and intentional detail will make a huge difference in keeping things running smoothly. And if you’re wondering how something was done–ask the editors. They’re more than willing to explain it to you.

When asked where she sees her career evolving...

"Long term, I’d love to move into editing. I just love the storytelling, and you have a little bit more control with editing. Being able to work closely with different editors and see how they work differently has been a great learning experience. It’ll be great to put my own spin on it.”

Dasha: When you do become an editor, is there anything about assisting that you think you’ll miss?

Cylie: I'll probably miss the more technical side of it because I love a good spreadsheet. I love tracking.

What's your dream project to work on?

I'd love to work on a movie one day. The editing techniques for a movie are so different from what we [Lucky Day] currently do. I find the process really interesting, so, I'd love to learn more about how those edits come together. Even TV shows’ editing each has their own style. 

I'd love to work on something like House of the Dragon or A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or Lord of the Rings. Like seeing the BTS of that is just so fascinating, it just blows my mind what they're able to do and how certain decisions are made to bring it all together… I’d want to be on set for that, so I can see the magic happen before editing. 

If you weren’t in post-production, what weirdly specific job would you have?

Cylie: Hmm, probably something in accounting–like a financial analyst. Probably for a livestock company, like my sister. I’m from Eastern Oregon (Baker City, OR), so I probably would’ve moved back there when I was done with college.

Kyle: I bikepacked the Elkhorn Crest Trail there a couple times. So pretty! It's really neat out there.

Rest & Recharge

When asked how she likes to recharge outside of work, Cylie says, "I like spending time outdoors, reading, and hanging out with family and friends."

Dasha: Nice. What kind of stuff do you like to read?

Cylie: I like fantasy and sci-fi. I enjoy non-fiction sometimes, but when I want to read, I usually want it to be like an escape or to get my brain into a different kind of mindset.

Dasha: It’s wild how many people think fiction isn’t a good or impactful way to read. It’s BS. Fiction is such a good way to build empathy and explore different perspectives. That would be my hot take. 

Cylie: Yeah, it's BS. You’re still reading a book. I think fantasy actually does a better job at tackling some of the world's problems and just things that people usually don't really like to talk about.

Dasha: I agree wholeheartedly. 

Kyle: SAME. 

Outside of work, what’s something you like to "nerd out" about?

Lately, I’ve been annotating and rereading my whole book collection, which sounds really nerdy, but it’s fun to see what I notice the second or third time around. I found that annotating really makes me slow down and notice themes I missed the first time around.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Dasha: You recently officially joined the Lucky Day staff. Round of applause. 

Everyone: [claps]

Dasha: What excites you most?

Cylie: I'm really excited just to keep learning from a talented and creative team while contributing to projects that not only push storytelling in a fun and unique way, but are just interesting to work on. I'm just excited to keep collaborating.

What do you think makes Lucky Day & Mirror Mirror a good partner? 

Since I was previously a contract employee, I’ll speak on the freelancer experience. You feel included, supported, and respected throughout the entire process. It makes collaborating on projects smooth and enjoyable. And it makes you want to keep working with LD because the work is always unique and different, but you also get an amazing staff that makes sure you're supported throughout the entire thing, making sure that you can advocate to take breaks and manage your schedule so no one gets burnt out.

If Lucky Day were a reality show, who would get the hero edit?

Cylie: Probably Molly. She's really reliable whenever I have questions and is great at problem solving like the weird things that pop up on a project. Also, I would love to watch what she says in her confessionals.

Dasha: Same. She's so sweet, but I know she's got some tea!

Who is the most likely to pull off a miracle five minutes before delivery?

Spencer. He somehow finds a solution for everything either during delivery or finishing.

Who do you think has the most tabs open right now?

Probably Molly. I mean, she juggles a lot and somehow keeps everything running smoothly. It’d be organized chaos.

Three people to have dinner with. They can be dead or alive.

Cylie: Dolly Parton, Charlotte Brontë, and Anne Boleyn. Like, Dolly Parton's amazing. And then Charlotte Brontë is interesting because she had to write under a pseudonym, I’d love to hear all about that. And Anne Boleyn because… I don't believe what history is trying to tell us about her story and I just want to hear it straight from the source.

Dasha: Yeah, something is fishy!

Kyle: Hey, as a white guy, I'm going to tell you that history is absolutely correct. That is exactly how it went down. Don’t question it.

Dasha Snow: You're so right. Sorry to doubt your people, Kyle.  

Lightning round!

What's your favorite [...]?

Food: Sushi

Restaurant: Happy Bibimbop in Salem, OR

TV shows: NCIS, Gilmore Girls, The 100

Sci-fi books: Dune, The Three Body Problem, Gardens of the Moon

Color: Sage or forest green

Music: Country, pop, classical

Place on earth: Eastern Oregon 💚

Movies: Wall-E and The Princess Bride

What's next?

The role of an Assistant Editor is nothing to underestimate–behind every edit is a dedicated AE making the magic possible. Cylie brings curiosity, precision, and new ideas to a large portion of our projects. You can spot some of her recent work in Nike ACG's Verified by Nature, Lululemon's Ice Age feat. Sidney Crosby, and Hatch's Doomscroll series.

We're grateful to be part of Cylie's story–and excited to see where it takes her next.

See more of Cylie's work here. 🏹