We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephanie Neroes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Stephanie, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you’ve thought about whether to sign with an agent or manager?
Coming off the success of Surviving R. Kelly and wanting to transition into scripted storytelling, I wanted to use the momentum to sign with an agent. My hope was that they would be able to facilitate that transition. So, I send out cold queries to many BTL agents with the subject of “Editor ISO her Jerry Maguire” and only one agent bit. I’ve been with him ever since.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Originally from Dallas, Texas, I always knew I wanted to be in the industry, but it wasn’t until college that I discovered my passion for editing. A couple of years after graduation, I moved to Los Angeles to work on a feature film as a set production assistant. I continued working as a PA for 2-3 years before landing a job at a reality TV production company, where I quickly climbed the ranks to become an editor.
Since then, I have dedicated myself to the craft of editing. Recently, I have expanded my skill set and become a multi-hyphenate. I have written five TV pilots, one short, and one feature script. My background as an editor has honed my storytelling abilities, and I take great pride and enjoyment in this creative journey.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
As an editor, my ultimate goal is to be proud of the work I’ve left behind. As a writer, my mission is to tell stories where intersectionality is at the core. Our world is incredibly diverse, and it’s crucial that this diversity is reflected on the screen.
Given the current state of our industry, with the focus on Wall Street and shareholders, producing original content is often seen as too high of a risk for many companies. The emphasis now is on intellectual property (IP). To navigate this landscape and find producers or production companies interested in my work, I am exploring services like Largo.AI. This tool removes much of the risk by analyzing scripts and generating detailed reports on story insights, casting propositions, and market forecasts. It provides creators and independent producers with a significant edge.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is utilizing your imagination and getting paid for it. That’s nearly as fun as being paid to play with toys for a living. Yes, that is actually a job.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stephanieneroes.com
Image Credits
Photo by Nancy MacLeod