Kira started working as a production assistant for a company that
produced local and national commercials at the age of 16. Even though
she looked young for her age, her first 'on camera' role was as a
cocktail waitress in an Ernie Cash music video. (cousin to Johnny)
She went off to college and got a degree in film and video production
at the University of the Arts in 1991. Because the heads of the
department were only familiar with film, she had to edit her projects
on the fly in her living room by hooking a video camera and her stereo
up to a VCR. Her favorite project was a chase film she produced
starring her roommate Heather and a Parmesan cheese can. By her senior
year, she had convinced the department heads to get a video edit bay,
but since they weren't familiar with the equipment, Kira wrote a quick
'how-to" book for operating it.
After spending a decade in Las Vegas following her graduation from film
school and spending her 20's doing jobs varying from designing slot
machine glass, to being a concierge at Mandalay Bay and DeeJaying, she
missed the technical side of being involved with film, so she moved to
Los Angeles and got a job at a motion picture advertising or 'trailer'
house. She started off as a runner, driving packages around to the
various studios and eventually developed an assistant editing
department at her first trailer house.
While still assisting the editors, she cut her own editing teeth in her
free time, basically teaching herself the AVID system. Luckily the
company was very supportive of people moving up and with the help of
other seasoned editors to learn the ropes, she finally was given her
own edit bay.
Her first year she worked on campaigns for Kill Bill I and II, Cold
Mountain and Nip/Tuck's premiere season on FX among others. She would
also lend her voice talent to dub in various female voices including
the female flight attendant voice in the Anger Management trailer.
Kira continues to live and work in Los Angeles as a film editor in
motion picture and on-air advertising.
