(Image: Shiyi Xie | AFI)

Editing is often called the “invisible art” of filmmaking, a craft so deeply woven into the narrative fabric that its absence is felt more than its presence. At the heart of this quiet yet powerful storytelling stands Shiyi Xie, a film and television editor with over 13 years of experience in China and the United States. 

With a career that spans continents, cultures, and formats, Shiyi has shaped the emotional and narrative rhythms of some of China’s most-watched reality shows, award-winning short films, and critically acclaimed documentaries. 

Her cross-cultural perspective and musical intuition breathe life into stories that transcend borders, making her a distinct voice in the global cinematic landscape.

Early Inspiration and Career Foundations

Shiyi Xie’s path to visual storytelling began in childhood, when her father gave her an old SLR camera. Capturing everyday life became a way of understanding the world, a practice shaped further by over a decade of classical piano training that sharpened her sense of rhythm and emotion.

Though encouraged to pursue a more “practical” career, Shiyi’s interest in editing emerged during her undergraduate studies at Mount St. Mary’s University. 

A conversation with a classmate inspired her to follow her passion, ultimately leading her to choose film production as her undergraduate major. She later earned her MFA in Film Editing from the American Film Institute in 2024, during which her student work garnered multiple festival honors, further confirming her commitment to the craft.

Breakthroughs in the Chinese Entertainment Industry

 Xie began her professional career as an editor at BKW Studio, one of China’s leading post-production houses. Her credits include some of China’s most influential reality programs:

  • Divas Hit the Road (Season 2): Over 680 million broadcast viewers and 61 billion Weibo views, making it one of the most socially discussed programs of its year.

(Image: My Drama List)

  • I Am a Singer (Season 4): Surpassed 100 million streams within 24 hours of its premiere.
  • Who’s the Murderer (Seasons 2 & 3): Generated 3.35 billion cumulative views across seasons.

(Image: My Drama List)

Working under immense time pressure, often cutting hundreds of hours of raw footage into tight 45-minute episodes, Xie refined her ability to preserve narrative rhythm while maintaining emotional authenticity. Her editing helped define the visual and emotional language of China’s modern reality television, striking a balance between entertainment value and human connection.

Transition to Film and International Recognition

Beyond reality television, Shiyi’s passion for narrative storytelling found a home in short films like The Changing Room, Sound of New Year, and The Apple Picker’s Son. These projects brought her international acclaim, with festival accolades ranging from Best Story Twist (Temecula Independent Film Festival) to Best War Short Film (Five Continents International Film Festival). 

(Image: The Changing Room | IMDb)

(Image: The Apple Picker’s Son | IMDb)

(Image: The Apple Picker’s Son | IMDb)

Her ability to shift seamlessly between genres, from fantasy to drama to social realism, reveals a deep narrative intuition.

Shiyi also served as an assistant editor on feature films such as The Last Wish (which topped China’s box office on opening day) and Shi Yan Juan Tian Ya, working alongside renowned directors such as Xu Haofeng, who co-wrote The Grandmaster, a film nominated for two Oscars Awards in 2014 and recognized with over 68 international film festival wins.

Later, she co-edited the TV drama Something Just Like This, executive-produced by Chen Kaige, the acclaimed director behind Farewell My Concubine, who co-wrote The Grandmaster, a film nominated for two Oscars  in 1994 and recognized with over 24 international film festival wins.

Documentary and Storytelling with Purpose

  • In documentary work, Shiyi’s storytelling acumen expands beyond structure to encompass cultural memory and social impact. Her editorial work on Me and My Legacy Season 2 helped the Youku Original Series earn recognition as one of China’s Outstanding Documentaries of 2021. 

The series, which streamed to millions, preserved narratives of generational wisdom and tradition, a theme Shiyi explored again in the 2024 documentary Traditional Knowledge: Weaving the Future, featuring the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

For Shiyi, documentary editing is more than craft. It is a way to safeguard the voices and legacies of underrepresented communities. It blends artistry with responsibility and storytelling with advocacy.

U.S. Career and AFI Training

Shiyi’s transition to the U.S. film industry was rooted in her time at AFI, where she refined her creative philosophy: editing as a blend of empathy, rhythm, and discipline. Her thesis project, The Apple Picker’s Son, drew international festival praise and solidified her distinctive storytelling voice.

Since graduating, she has worked as a freelance editor in the United States, cutting short films, vertical dramas, and social impact documentaries. Her recent credits include Dr. Kiss Me Stat, The Last Spark of Us, and Falling in Love with the Rascal in a Suit and Wild for my BoyToy, projects that blend experimental formats with commercial reach.

For Shiyi, editing is not the assembly of scenes but the composition of emotional journeys that resonate across cultures.

Collaborations with Global Names

Throughout her career, Shiyi has worked alongside cinematic heavyweights across borders. 

She collaborated with Lulu Wang, director of The Farewell, on the short film Touch, which won Best Drama at the Asians on Film Festival. She also collaborated with Chen Kaige on “Something Just Like This” and with Xu Haofeng on “Shi Yan Juan Tian Ya, both acclaimed filmmakers whose work has earned international recognition, including multiple Academy Award nominations. These collaborations have refined her craft and positioned her as a trusted editor for stories that demand emotional clarity and cross-cultural nuance.

Vision for the Future

Shiyi continues to expand her creative footprint in the U.S., bringing her East-meets-West perspective to new narrative and documentary projects currently in development. 

She’s particularly drawn to hybrid storytelling formats that challenge the boundaries of traditional editing and open space for diverse voices.

Her long-term goal? To craft films that spark reflection, stories that help audiences feel more connected to themselves and to one another.

“Editing is empathy,” she reflects, “It’s about listening deeply, and helping others feel seen.”

A Quiet Force Behind Global Cinema

In an industry where the spotlight often shines on directors and actors, Shiyi Xie stands as a quiet force, shaping meaning behind the scenes. Her cross-cultural background, musical sensibility, and narrative depth position her as part of a new generation of editors redefining global cinema. 

Through her work, she proves that editing is not just technical; it’s deeply human. And in that invisible space between shots, she continues to shape how we see the world.

Author: Aria Mendoza

A Los Angeles–based film journalist with over a decade of experience covering global cinema, post-production, and cross-cultural storytelling, focusing on emerging filmmakers and narrative innovation.