Fresh Cut: Gabriela Tessitore
We're thrilled to welcome Gabriela "Gabby" Tessitore to Lucky Day.
Our newest rostered editor has a ton of talent, a gift for language (she's fluent in Portuguese and Spanish), and an ear for music - we're sitting next to our stereos waiting for the Scout Harris LP to drop. Want to learn more about Gabby? Of course, you do. Pour yourself some coffee, put on some Juana Molina, and get to know Gabby.
Vitals
Name? Gabriela Tessitore
Nickname? Gabby
Astrological Sign? Taurus ♉️
Favorites
Colors: Teal, Dark Green, Earthy Tones
Bands: Juana Molina, Hiatus Kaiyote, Madison Cunningham, Y La Bamba, St. Vincent
Song? What's your history with it? At the moment... Cara de Espejo by Juana Molina. The last time I saw her play, she introduced this song by saying "Have you ever been walking around thinking you look really cool and then caught a glimpse of yourself in a mirror and thought, 'Oh god, I don't look like that at all' - that's what this song is about."
Favorite movies? Or what movies inspire you?
I really love every single Pedro Almodovar film I've ever seen, even though I haven't watched one in awhile... I probably should. Stylistically weird but humanistic stories like Everything Everywhere, or Poor Things are also right up my alley. Anything directed by Heidi Ewing/Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, One of Us) captures the delicious humanity that exists around us. I find any well-done verité documentary pretty great. In the same vein - I recently saw A New Kind Of Wilderness at Sundance last year and that has been a standout favorite for me. Also, Daughters which recently came out on Netflix, was incredible. You should watch it. For what it's worth both of these are very feel-good/ugly cry movies - not sure what that says about me.
Favorite foods: Once, when my new-ish Portland friends asked me this question, the best I could come up with was 'sauce', and it's kind of stuck. I'm a sauce gal! Why pick one food when sauce goes with everything? Food without sauce is just, well... tragic.
Places to eat: One of my favorite places to eat is at home. I love cooking, and even more so for others! Any time I can cook for friends or eat dinner at a friend's house is something I cherish and find super special! Also, Robo Taco makes the best vegetarian faux pork burritos.
Favorite places on Earth: When I went to the Redwoods for the first time, it made me feel like fairies and forest creatures really do exist. The woods continuously make me feel like all the curiosities of being a kid are still out there, so I try and spend as much time in them as possible.
Three people to have dinner with? They can be dead or alive.
Anne Clark: Guitarist for St. Vincent, seems weird and very cool and smart and is an insanely talented musician/guitarist. Fan girl.
Lynn Hill: First person to free climb The Nose on El Cap (Yosemite Nat'l Park) in a DAY - in 1994! Unheard of. She was definitely the cool gal in a group of dudes and showed them all what was up. Only one other person has been able to it to this day. She'd have some stories.
Michelle Obama: Just listened to her memoir on audiobook (read by her) and god damn. If I could choose one person to mentor me through life it would be Michelle Obama.
Who would you like to meet? Why?
Oh god, I have no idea. I think every human has a pretty interesting story to tell if you ask them the right questions.
On Editing
Why do you edit? I think the only reason I can stand hours of solitude in front of a computer (which feels like the complete anthesis of my personality) is because I LOVE a good puzzle. It feels really satisfying to be handed a pile of footage and figure out how to create something watchable (and hopefully enjoyable) from it. I'm also a really curious person (read: nerd) and every time I dig into a new edit I get to learn so much about different subject matters. It's like school, but without the papers and homework and tests - just the fun projects!
What is something you want to work on? I would love to work on a multi-part documentary series and also try my hand at working on some fiction/scripted pieces. Editing a broadcast commercial spot would also be a pretty incredible thing to work towards as well.
What are you most proud of?
Really proud of working as an additional editor on a film that went to Sundance last year - As We Speak. After working on a few features that didn't make it across the finish line, to have this one not only be released but premiered at Sundance felt like such a huge win and accomplishment. I learned sooo much working with director J.M. Harper and editor Emma Backman. It's on Paramount+ if you want to watch it!
What is something you dream of doing? Going snowboarding in Japan next year for my husband's birthday! And on a slightly more mundane note, finishing turning my shed into the home office of my dreams <3
Anything you want to share? Promote? Highlight? I am in a band! Called Scout Harris! We are in the process of recording our first full-length album and I'm really excited and awkward about talking about it - so here it is in writing, in hopes that I can't back out from inviting y'all to any shows we may or may not play in the future.
See a selection of Gabby's work here
