Meet Salvador Pérez García: Film Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Salvador Pérez García and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Salvador, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I can trace back the beginnings of my drive to be artistic and creative to when I was around eight years old and my dad purchased a video camera to capture family moments and trips. I must have been very curious about it cause I ended up sort of taking ownership of it and using it to film home movies with friends and family, and the motivation to do it just continued to grow as I learnt more about filmmaking and started diving into the proper editing process more and more. By the time I had to choose a career, it was almost not a choice anymore but rather a natural progression.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is film editing, and I think what sets me apart is that I have the ability to tackle any type of project and really tune into the sensibilities of the director in order to create work that is faithful to their vision, that tells the story in the best and most emotionally engaging way, and that also incorporates my own views, sensibilities, storytelling skills and craft. As a result, I have had the opportunity to work in different genres and styles, which I think showcases the range I have as an editor. Through my work, I am also able to dive into different realities and work with people from various backgrounds, with whom I get to build creative friendships that could only blossom in this particular context. I think that’s very unique and special. It’s been a difficult road that has required a lot of patience, hard work and dedication, but one of the hardest things about it is that it always comes with a degree of uncertainty. I feel lucky to be at a point in which I’m consistently working and know that I will continue to, but even being in that position you never fully know what exactly will come next, how it will develop or what shape it will take. Navigating that can be a challenge, but it’s also part of what keeps it interesting.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love live music so I would take them to the Hotel Café in Hollywood, which has a lovely and intimate atmosphere. Perhaps The Greek Theatre or the Hollywood Bowl as well for a bigger one if it was during the summer. Definitely Largo at the Coronet for a comedy show, ideally Middleditch and Schwartz or The Improvised Shakespeare Company, both of which are consistently hilarious and just all around excellent. I would also probably take them to catch a screening at the Arclight Hollywood, a midnight screening at the Nuart Theatre, and/or a Cinespia screening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. LA is a great place to watch films on the big screen and all three of those offer very unique viewing experiences. A hike at Griffith Park would be nice too, along with the obligatory visit to the Griffith Observatory of course. Abbot Kinney in Venice has a great vibe so I would try to get us to that area too and just land on whichever spot there feels enticing upon arrival for some food and drink. Malibu is always nice for some time at the beach, which could perhaps be paired with another hike at Solstice Canyon. LACMA, The Getty and The Broad Museum also come to mind, and we could eat at the Grand Central Market after The Broad. Speaking of eating, I love Italian food and La Pergoletta on Hillhurst would definitely be one to visit. Jeni’s Ice Cream is nearby so we would need to grab a scoop (probably Gooey Butter Cake) after dinner and walk around the area. Other food places I love: Masa (Echo Park), Joy and Kitchen Mouse (both in Highland Park), Stout Burgers (Hollywood), Gracias Madre (West Hollywood), Tatsu Ramen (Melrose), The Sidewalk Grill (Vermont), Pampas Grill (Farmers Market), Eataly (Century City). Other dessert places I love: Salt and Straw (Larchmont), B Sweet (Sawtelle), Milk (Silverlake), La Tropezienne Bakery (Downtown LA), Porto’s Bakery (Burbank).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The American Film Institute changed my life because it gave me the space and time to completely dive back into the storytelling world after life had sidetracked me into other more technical aspects of filmmaking. It allowed me to grow both technically and creatively, and it gave me the gift of experiencing film editing in its most collaborative form. All the tools I gained while doing my masters degree there, and the mentorship of inspiring editors such as Donn Cambern, Farrel Levy, Howard Smith, Stan Salfas, Martin Nicholson and David Cook, made my transition into the workplace a successful one, and one that was finally focused on my passion to tell stories. AFI also introduced me to a vast network of like-minded filmmakers who have become lifelong collaborators. Outside of AFI, editors Tracey Wadmore-Smith and Lisa Bromwell have been invaluable in navigating the realities of building a career and dealing with all the unexpected situations that have come up along the way, and I will always be extremely thankful to director Karen Moncrieff for giving me one of my first opportunities in the feature film world, as well as for being a constant source of support all along the way.

Website: www.spgediting.com