NYWIFT Blog

By Nicolette Page

Welcome to NYWIFT, Alyssa Lomuscio!

Alyssa Lomuscio is a TV editor, story producer, and assistant director based in NYC. Her work as a story producer has earned her two Daytime Emmy award nominations in the Outstanding Lifestyle Program category.

She is also a science fiction writer of short stories, novels and screenplays under the pen name A.M. Lomuscio. A 2019 Clarion writer’s workshop alum, her short fiction can be found in Apex magazine and Uncharted.

In our interview, Alyssa discussed her time balancing being an AD and a writer and shared stories of working in TV. 

NYWIFT Member Alyssa Lomuscio

Welcome to NYWIFT! Could you give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?

I’m an editor and story producer with a particular focus on HGTV/Lifestyle television. I’ve been in this space over a decade and still have a fun time challenging myself to make watching paint dry interesting!

I am also a science fiction writer that does short stories, novels, and screenplays under the pen name A.M. Lomuscio.

In addition to all of that, I am also an assistant director for short films and am currently trying to branch out in that direction a bit more as of late. I do all the things!

What brings you to NYWIFT? 

Since the pandemic I’ve been working on shows from home exclusively and I’ve missed the camaraderie of the post house. The writing world is incredibly community focused which is such a wonderful thing to be a part of but, it’s made me realize that since I started to work from home, my TV and film community has begun to wane. When I learned about NYWIFT, I realized that this organization has been exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’m so excited to get involved!

NYWIFT Member Alyssa Lomuscio

What were some key moments or projects that helped build your voice as both an editor and story producer?

The first show I edited (after several years of editing casting and sizzles) was Man Caves for DIY. I came on in the later seasons and the team (who were amazing) already had the bones of the show down to a science, which meant they encouraged me to go in and have fun. I was very young for the position at age 24, and I was terrified that I would fail. So the creative freedom to just have fun helped take the anxiety away. I dove in, and I loved it.

There was something so addictive about finding that little inside joke moment in the raw and making it blossom into an entire scene. It really set the stage for the rest of my editing career to just dive in and find the emotion. Find the fun. Find the heart. And that’s what I do to this day.

What first drew you to editing and producing, and how did your early experiences shape your approach?

In high school I was a kid that could not sit still. I would proudly proclaim to all who would listen that you would NEVER find me at a desk job in the future. Cut to… sigh… 20 years later and here I am typing this from my work desk.

The thing that changed was a video editing class I took my sophomore year. I sat down in front of a computer with Final Cut open and found myself suddenly able to sit still for eight hours straight. It was a first. I was so engaged with what was happening on the screen and it all made so much sense to me, that I would get lost for hours at a time. So much so, in fact, that my teacher would have to gently remind me to go to my other classes. So then I went to film school at Temple University and everything sort of evolved from there!

NYWIFT Member Alyssa Lomuscio

How do you approach balancing narrative clarity with emotional resonance when editing?

I think, since I’m also a writer, I see these two things as going hand in hand, personally. You don’t have an emotional impact without context and you could have all the explanations for something in the world but it’s not going to resonate unless you feel it.

There is also an interesting layer here in the reality television context in that, oftentimes in post we’re finding the story, rather than working from a script. And in the act of finding that story you’re also going to find that emotion.

 So, the aggravated sigh from the builder as he discovers the blueprints are wrong (something you’ve likely found in an almost off-camera moment) will be just as important of a story beat as the preceding planned conversation that gives you extensive details about what went wrong. I think I balance them by giving them both equal respect. The audience is smart. I don’t need to hold their hand with the explanation, I just need to give them enough context so that they find themselves sighing alongside the builder at the end.

How does story producing influence the edit room dynamic?

I think the story producer is the editor’s lifeline. Oh lord, I’m going to use a home build metaphor… but they are laying the foundation and giving the episode structure. I’m coming in and giving each room a purpose, layout, and design, but I wouldn’t be able to do that without all the wiring and plumbing in place first. So, we utilize each other’s strengths and work together to make it a home. Ah. Corny. I know.

NYWIFT Member Alyssa Lomuscio

How do you think your multifaceted background strengthens the projects you work on?

Because of my background, I’m inherently a story-focused editor. I think that can be invaluable in the chaotic world of unscripted because when last-minute notes come in and we’ve got to change a whole storyline, I can switch on my ‘writer brain’ and guide my edits alongside the new narrative structure. It helps me to stay mentally flexible and always have a story solution in my back pocket.

 In the reverse, my editing helps my writing because I have an instinctive sense for plotting, pacing, and how the reveal of information can influence an audience’s expectations.

 All of these things come together and help me when I 1st AD because having such a deep knowledge of storytelling and the mental flexibility of changing that story on the fly, guides my logistical planning to make that story a reality on set.

What stories are you most excited to help bring to life in the coming years?

Oh! So many! I’m currently on a tennis docu-series for YouTube called Off Season, which has been such a fun project to work on and episodes will start coming out later in January.

An HGTV show that I have been on for all six seasons now called 100 Day Dream Home will be airing new episodes in March.

I’m currently shopping a space noir/science fiction novel to agents and I recently finished writing a pilot adaptation of a short story I published in Uncharted Magazine in the fall called Good Real History. It’s about a reality television crew that goes back in time to film historic events and create their own narratives.

NYWIFT Member Alyssa Lomuscio

Connect with Alyssa Lomuscio here.

(All photos courtesy of Alyssa Lomuscio)