Natural Selection Wins Best Dark Sci-Fi at Austin Micro Film Festival (Winter 2026)

I’m excited to share some great news from a recent collaboration!

Natural Selection, directed by Melody Cooper, has been awarded Best Dark Science Fiction Film at the Austin

 Micro Film Festival (Winter 2026).

I had the opportunity to serve as the editor on this project, and while it’s a micro short, the scope of work was anything but small.

Because there was no assistant editor on the film, I took on the full range of editorial and post-production responsibilities. That included not only cutting the film itself, but also managing the entire post pipeline from start to finish. I handled media organization and syncing, coordinated visual effects turnovers and reintegration, worked with the composer by sending references and implementing score revisions, prepped and conformed audio for the mixer, and integrated final mixes back into the cut.

From there, I oversaw color delivery, incorporated final grades, and completed finishing tasks including graphics, subtitles, and closed captions. I also created all final deliverables, including the DCP, and worked through the inevitable technical troubleshooting that comes with shepherding a project across the finish line.

It was a deeply involved process, and one that required wearing multiple hats throughout post-production. That’s often the reality on smaller projects, but it also makes the final result feel that much more earned.

Recognition like this is always meaningful. Festivals provide a space where a film (and the work behind it) can be seen and appreciated, and I’m grateful to have been part of a project that’s connecting with audiences and programmers.

Congratulations to Melody Cooper and the entire team behind Natural Selection. I’m looking forward to seeing how the film continues its festival run, and I’ll share updates as more news comes in!