Cutting Across Genres and Formats: The Range and Rhythm of Shiyi Xie’s Editing Career

(Image courtesy of Shiyi Xie)

Behind every compelling story is a series of creative decisions made in the editing room. The way a scene lingers, or a story unfolds, isn’t just a matter of footage, but of the editor’s ability to create momentum, tension, and clarity.

Few editors bring as much range to this responsibility as Shiyi Xie. Over the past thirteen years, she has worked on reality and variety shows, documentaries, dramas, feature films, shorts, and even vertical series designed for mobile viewing. Now working in the United States as a freelance editor, she draws on her experience in both Chinese and American industries and across a wide range of formats in each project.

Career Foundation in China’s Reality and Variety Scene

Image: Divas Heat the Road, Season 2 (2015) | IMDb

Shiyi began her editing career in China’s dynamic television industry. At BKW Studio, she contributed to shows that reached national visibility. Her notable credits during this period include Divas Hit the Road (Season 2), Idol Up (Season 1), I Am a Singer (Season 4), Run for Time (Seasons 1 and 2), Who’s the Murderer (Seasons 2 and 3), and Trump Card (Season 1).

Working on these large-scale reality and variety shows required speed and precision. Managing large volumes of footage and meeting strict deadlines taught Shiyi to trust her judgment, spot meaningful moments, and create scenes that keep the audience’s attention.

This chapter of her career also reinforced her discipline. Quick turnarounds leave little time for hesitation, which taught her to trust her timing instincts and maintain a continuous focus on holding a scene together, even when the footage comes from unpredictable situations. These habits continue to guide her work across other genres.

Finding Depth and Structure in Documentary Work

Beyond unscripted television, Shiyi developed a distinct approach to documentary editing, where protecting character and context takes priority over quick pacing. Her work includes editing My Legacy and I (Season 2), which was recognized as one of China’s Outstanding Documentaries of 2021 and honored at the Weibo Vision Conference.

Shiyi has described this area of work as the place where she learned to explore stories in greater depth, to organize long-form arcs, and to maintain a close attention to detail. These instincts complement what she learned in reality television.

Reality taught her how to capture the moment, while documentary work taught her how to build meaning around it. Shiyi’s nonfiction projects highlight her attention to human experience, careful story construction, and respect for the people on screen.

Developing Narrative Projects Across Films and Drama Series

Image: The Apple Picker’s Son | AFI FEST

Whether working on dramas, shorts, or features, Shiyi’s editing centers on emotional clarity, purposeful tension, and support for the performances on screen. She first gained recognition for editing the short film The Changing Room, which received the Best Story Twist Award at the 2015 Temecula Film Festival of Hollywood.

She later edited the award-winning short, Sound of New Year, and assisted on feature films such as The Last Wish and Shi Yan Juan Tian Ya. Her long-form experience includes serving as the co-editor of the television drama series Something Just Like This, executive-produced by filmmaker Chen Kaige. Working on a production of that scale broadened Shiyi’s understanding of collaboration under high expectations and reinforced her focus on performance-driven editing.

In 2024, the AFI thesis film she edited, The Apple Picker’s Son, screened across multiple festivals worldwide. It earned her recognition from the Reale Film Festival and the Absurd Film Festival, as well as a nomination for Best Editing at the London Lift-Off Film Festival.

New Collaborations and Audiences in the United States

(Image courtesy of Shiyi Xie)

Since receiving her MFA in Editing from the American Film Institute Conservatory in 2024, Shiyi continued her career in the United States as a freelance editor. She considers the degree as a key turning point that moved her career from China into the U.S. industry.

In her current role, she turns raw footage into complete stories by organizing scenes, setting the pace, and collaborating closely with directors, cinematographers, sound teams, and VFX artists. With each project, she refines her ability to establish precise narrative flow, build impact, and sustain viewer attention while meeting demanding deadlines.

Her presence on the U.S. festival circuit further demonstrates how her editorial approach functions across cultural contexts. Her projects place her among filmmakers who value precision and emotional attention in editing, reinforcing her reputation in both commercial and independent spaces.

Adapting Craft for Short-Form and Mobile-First Storytelling

Shiyi’s recent work includes a growing number of vertical drama series. These projects are designed for mobile viewing, with brief episodes framed for the phone screen. In 2024, she edited Wild for My Boytoy and Falling in Love with the Rascal in a Suit. In 2025, she continued with Dr. Kiss Me Stat and The Last Spark of Us.

These mobile projects keep her tuned to new viewing trends and let her bring long-form sensibility to short-form content. Vertical dramas require tight pacing, direct story beats, and clear emotional cues, since viewers expect a complete moment within a short runtime. Shiyi’s timing and focus give each interaction a sense of purpose, even within condensed formats.

Perspective on Industry Change and the Future of Editing

As technology and viewing habits change, Shiyi keeps up with new tools while relying on the judgment that gives stories meaning. She often emphasizes that sound and music guide timing, and a strong edit depends on a careful ear as much as a sharp eye. She takes time to understand what a director or team aims to convey, then builds the cut around that intention.

She plans to continue developing long-form film and television projects while remaining open to emerging formats. Her career so far illustrates consistent preparation for this path. Each project, whether traditional or experimental, gives her another opportunity to refine her instincts and test ideas.

Shiyi’s career shows how wide-ranging experience can reinforce focused storytelling. From high-energy variety shows to award-recognized films, her editing remains centered on clarity, emotional readability, and attention to detail. These priorities continue to guide her path, regardless of how audiences watch stories in the years ahead.

Discover more of Shiyi Xie’s editing work and full credits at her IMDb page.

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About the Author:

Marin Cole is a writer and editor covering film, television, and contemporary culture. Her work includes profiles, issue-driven features, and industry coverage that highlights the work of creators in art and entertainment.