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Dester

Netflix
MR PORTER
Chanel
Nike
Ralph Lauren
ESPN
rag & bone
Anthropologie
STAUD
Caffeine Post
Dester
country-flag-MX
Editing and post-production have been an incredible journey through various types of projects: documentaries, commercials, fashion films, movies, trailers, and teasers. To evoke emotion, tell stories, create atmospheres, abstract rhythms, and captivate—that’s always the goal, because each project has its own soul. Cinema fascinates me, and it allows me to identify creative approaches for commercial projects, always tailoring the work to fit perfectly. In trailers and teasers, my two worlds—cinema and advertising—come together. I am versatile thanks to my experience across the different stages of post-production, and after many years of editing, I am now embarking on a new chapter as a videographer, exploring and telling stories from behind the camera.
Q

How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends & technologies in your field and how do you incorporate them into your work?

In my work as a post-producer, specifically in editing and online finishing, I use software like Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve. These tools now incorporate AI in various parts of the process. For now, the AI-powered features are relatively simple, such as generating additional frames for a clip or automatically transcribing footage to create subtitles and similar tools.

I also use ChatGPT to generate scripts for After Effects, allowing me to quickly create video grids or other useful programming tasks. In Photoshop, I can use AI for compositing.

I’m starting to use Runway for generating voiceovers and Artlist for both music and voiceovers.

With Runway, I’m exploring the world of VFX, such as generating fire, liquids, and other types of visual effects.

Q

How do you see the digitalization of art? Apart from convenience, which important feature does technology add to your artwork? Which are your favorite technologies to use for work?

I don’t use AI much in my work, but I think RUNWAY and TOPAZ LABS do an incredible job. They can create super slow-motion videos, apply advanced stabilization, and enhance sharpness. These tools are still evolving, and many of these tasks I used to do manually in software with good results. However, for things like image upscaling, AI is definitely the best option.

A couple singing and dancing in a limo
Q

What’s it like being a Creative in Mexico, in terms of the work, influences, treatment, etc?

Some projects are just about delivering what the client needs, and that’s it—at least as an editor. For example, in advertising, there’s usually a storyboard, and your creativity has to stay within that framework. Sometimes you can make creative suggestions, but the main priority is: do it well and do it as fast as possible.

In my case, I usually work with fashion brands from the United States, and the approach here is very different. It’s more free, because fashion is often more abstract. There isn’t a strict way to edit a fashion film, so the feedback is based on your own creative proposals.

Video creation also depends on the budget. High-budget projects come with huge responsibilities and involve many people, but for regular assets like promos or social media content, there’s usually more creative freedom.

Q

What was your most challenging project to work on?

I think there are two projects I remember as particularly challenging:

1. Netflix Uber TED – This was a video of Ted Sarandos announcing the opening of Netflix’s office in Mexico. It had to be filmed in one day and fully completed by 9 AM the next morning—edited, mixed, scored, with graphics, subtitles, color grading, and final approval—because the event started at that time.

The production took place on the same day Ted arrived in the city. After a few hours of filming in the afternoon, the entire crew gathered at the St. Regis Hotel—assistant editor, sound team, editor/post-producer (myself), producers, creative team, and the client (Netflix). We started at 8 PM and finished at 8:58 AM the next day. It was an intense, one-of-a-kind rush experience.

2. Dos Equis – The first fully remote project I worked on, during the pandemic.

Director Ronald Koetzier was directing from the Netherlands, the creative team was in Mexico, and production was in Thailand. As the post-producer and editor, I was involved from pre-production, editing remotely on set via Zoom to test speed ramps for each shot and review footage in real-time. This allowed the team to make final shot selections and refine them in the following days. Once everything was approved, the entire post-production process—VFX, color grading, and mastering—was done remotely. Despite the challenges of working remotely in such an early stage of the industry’s adaptation, everything was delivered on time.

Tango Butterfly ad
Q

Can you discuss your experience working with a team, and how you collaborate with other disciplines?

As a post-producer, you need to connect well with your team—graphic designers, colorists, the creative team, directors, sound mixers, coordinators, and project managers—to ensure everything aligns and the project flows in the best way possible.

I believe I work well in a team, always aiming to provide feedback in the clearest way for everyone involved, optimizing workflows to be as efficient and practical as possible for all, and keeping an open mind to solve challenges and create whatever the project needs to the best of my ability.

Q

How do you manage critical feedback on your work?

For sure, receiving very negative feedback is a rare event for me. Normally, I get standard feedback, like making tweaks, incorporating new ideas, or refining the existing concept.

In the case of very bad feedback, I analyze what happened and identify if there was any missing communication in the initial feedback. If that’s the case, I adjust accordingly and work on a new version that aligns better with the updated feedback. That’s it—no drama about it.

I have some experience with that kind of feedback, and I just take a deep breath and move on to the next round.

An upset woman
Q

What was it like to work with Nike?

Working with Nike was wonderful—constantly exploring new creative ideas with freedom and receiving feedback based on the initial proposal. I think we were aligned from the very beginning.

This piece was designed for Nike’s website, but it was edited with sound. During the review, we considered how it would work without sound, and all the communication was smooth and effective.

Q

How is your approach towards each of your creative skills different? Is the starting point the same?

For editing, I have a methodology, but my creative process always starts with how I feel or the mood the material gives me. During that process, I mix different skills. For example, if I’m editing a 10-minute musical documentary about regional Mexican music, I might apply techniques I’ve learned from fashion film editing. Similarly, if I’m working on a fashion film, I might incorporate skills from film editing—depending on how much the project allows it.

If there are references, they give me a starting point, and I build from there.

If I’m only handling post-production and managing the workflow, I can contribute creatively alongside the team by understanding their vision.

When I’m shooting, I don’t think about editing, but I can solve things on set that I know can be handled perfectly in post-production. For filming, I always start with references and explore from there.

Films are always a key reference for me—they’re my favorite way to bring cinematic elements into the commercial world. And if the project allows for a more experimental approach, I love mixing different creative worlds.

For example, the reel for my studio’s bio was made with a sarcastic, rhythmic tone. It feels a bit like a commercial spot and at the same time like a teaser—I think it blends many different elements.

Maybe a very experimental, fashion-driven project, but in Tango Butterfly, the brief was basically just the title. It came about because the model’s movements resembled a butterfly at one point in the performance. So it was the perfect opportunity to apply an effect I had previously used in a music video.

A bottle of beer floating in beer
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