Marybeth Benivegna is senior creative director/senior editor at New York City’s Pilot Content, a content development agency and media consultancy that produces video campaigns and branding solutions for entertainment and consumer brands. “We write, produce, edit and design for network and streaming services, corporate brands, trailers, promos and sizzles,” explains Benivegna, who cuts using both Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere.

Benivegna has been in the business for over 25 years. She started out at a Top 40 radio station and then moved to a TV station in Miami, where she got to witness and take on more roles. While there she would sneak into the station’s edit room after hours and teach herself how to cut by creating content from shows the producers were working on. And so began her journey.

In her current role as senior creative director, she oversees the creative process — scripting, editing and designing. “As senior editor, I have my hands on the footage to create the story for our clients — working closely with our ECD, Courtney Cosentino. I also hire and supervise our freelance editors, and I am always searching for new editing talent.”

Let’s find out more from Benivegna…

What would surprise people the most about what falls under your titles?
I never think of editors as just editors. They need to be great producers, too, and be able to see across the full creative process that includes graphics, sound design, etc.

As SCD, I am the lead with the client, as opposed to when I am just editing. Having that one-to-one interaction with clients undoubtedly brings a different perspective to a project. You want your creative team (editors, graphics artists, sound designers) to stay in the most imaginative mindset possible on a project, so I make sure what we’re working through on the non-storytelling side of a campaign doesn’t inundate their processes.

In both roles, I vet all freelance editors and search for talent with different perspectives.

Are you often asked to do more than edit? If so, what?
Similar to above, editors need to be great producers. An editor’s job is to make the client’s vision a reality – or if there isn’t a vision, create one for them. Through this process we often need to cut a rough music track or create graphics in After Effects. Oftentimes, we’ll need to work with those elements before handing off to the pros in sound and design.

Do you put on a different hat when cutting for a specific genre?
I approach each project fresh: What’s the client looking for? What’s the story? What’s the rhythm? Each spot has a different emotional thread, and that thread determines how fast or slow we’re going to tell the story within a specific genre.

Can you name some recent jobs?
As senior creative director: AMC+ movie spots, including Women Centerframe; Sundance Film Festival promos; and Paramount+’ Summer of Reality promos.

As co-CD and editor:  Paramount+ trailers for New This Month.

As senior editor: Fox’s Animation Domination, FXX Fearless promo for Ad Astra, TruTV’s Tacoma FD, TBS’s Rat in the Kitchen, VH1’s My True Crime Story and Universal Kids’ Trolls.

Why did you choose this profession?
I stumbled into it. My first summer home from college, I got a job at a radio station. In time, the chief engineer kept giving me new roles and eventually offered me a job at an NBC-affiliated TV station he moved to in Miami. While I was there, I’d sneak into the edit room after hours (there was only one) and teach myself how to edit by creating content from shows the producers were working on. They started seeing what I could do and kept giving me real projects. I realized I loved the puzzle of it all and making people feel something. Eventually, I became a staff editor.

From there I went to WNBC in New York City and then to work at post houses throughout the city. I was open to whatever new opportunities came up, and what started out as an “along for the ride” approach has led to a fulfilling career.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
The variety. I enjoy pivoting to CD when I don’t have to edit. I like the challenge of not limiting the editor I work with by imposing a story I have going on in my mind. As CD, you have a little more say in the final story because you’re distilling info and perspectives from both sides – client and editor.

Same for editing – I love the variety. I love stepping into the rhythm of it.

What’s your least favorite?
“Fatal Error” messages.

What is your most productive time of the day?
I’d say the afternoon. In the morning, I’m usually looking through what we have to work with and getting a sense of story or playing with what I did the day before. For some reason it seems I kick into high gear at around 2pm.

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
An FBI agent. I love puzzles.

Do you listen to music while you work?
I like to cut to music while I’m editing, but I keep it separate from my own Spotify playlist.

What do you do to de-stress from it all?
I de-stress by preparing for the stress. I like to start my morning off with a run and a cup of coffee. If I get those in, I’m ready to go.

Name three pieces of technology you can’t live without.

• Apple Watch
• My phone
• My new external hard drive! It’s an OWC ThunderBay (for those who get how much this means).

Would you have done anything different along your path? Any tips for others who are just starting out?
While I feel very fortunate where I am, I had that itch to just pick up and move out to California earlier in my career. I was advised by a colleague not to do it, and in hindsight, I do wish I would have just seen for myself rather than taking their word for it.

With how production is now, you can have incredible creative careers just about anywhere you are, but my tip for those starting out is to be open to new and different opportunities. You never reach a point where you know it all. There are so many new people to meet and things to learn to help you continue to grow.