Meet Antonia Maher | Film Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Antonia Maher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Antonia, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I’ve had this quote by Mary Oliver in my Instagram bio since 2017, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

I added that quote to my bio when I first committed to pursuing a career in the arts, just before starting my undergraduate studies that year. It was, and still is, a reminder to myself that I do only have this one life and I want to spend it learning everything I can about my craft and pursuing my goals of working in the film industry. While the quote is a professional reminder for me, it is also there to remind me to learn more about my hobbies, spend time with loved ones and friends, plan future travels, and to try and experience as much as I can in this life. All in all, it’s a reminder to do and pursue what I love, both professionally and in my free time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I wasn’t always completely sure what I wanted to do in the film industry. I bounced from discipline to discipline while I was in undergrad, but nothing ever really stuck. However, when I found editing during my time in grad school, it was like something clicked in my brain- this is what I’m meant to do. It’s the perfect balance between technical and creative. I love project setup and organization, as well as learning the softwares the come along with the craft. I was ecstatic when I passed the tests to become Avid Media Composer certified!

On the more creative front, I love analyzing scenes and characters to find the right sequence of shots to get the best emotional response from the audience. Working creatively with directors is also very rewarding. I love seeing them light up when their film is coming together, as well as engaging in conversations about ways to improve it. These creative challenges and decisions push both of us to grow in our craft, ultimately making me a better editor in the process. I’ve had audiences laugh and gasp during films I’ve edited, and it feels incredible to know that I was a part of the process that was able to pull those emotions from them- it feels like I’ve done something significant, and I want to do it again and again.

Now, since I just graduated with my Film & Television MFA in June, I want to go out into the film industry and pursue my dream of becoming an editor!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For food, I would say Nagomiya and Toscano Ristorante Italiano are my top two favorites! Nagomiya has incredible sushi options (one even has strawberries on it!), and Toscano Ristorante Italiano has some really fantastic pasta dishes. Squeez Smoothie Bar is also amazing, I highly recommend! For hanging out, I would say Piedmont Park would be a must see, it’s a great place to walk around and explore, watch the ducks, and picnic with friends. A fun movie theater experience would be at Atlantic Station, they have a 4D theater there and it’s like being on a ride for two hours, which I find very, very fun. Atlantic Station in general is also a great place to hang out, shop, and eat at! I would also love to attend Music Midtown again, it’s a fantastic music festival right in Midtown Atlanta and a great weekend long activity to do with friends.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to shoutout my parents- thank you for everything! I would also like to thank my grandparents, as well as all of my amazing friends and professors from SCAD and The University of Arizona.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antoniammaher/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonia-maher-099a90177

Image Credits
Headshot – Brode Voigt
Splash! Poster – Madison Lambert
A Fairytale Romance Poster – Gavin Bacher