Caralyn Moore has been promoted to editor at Optimus, the production and post house with offices in Chicago and New York. Moore started at Optimus in 2019 as a seasoned assistant editor, next earning the title of senior assistant and now making the jump to editor.
Moore has cut spots for such brands as CDW, Chicago Humanities Festival, Famous Footwear, Hillshire Farm, Walgreens and WW. In addition, she edited the independent feature film All Happy Families, which premiered at the 60th Chicago International Film Festival last fall and is releasing in select AMC Theatres nationwide on September 20.
“Editing is like a big open-ended puzzle, where you only use a fraction of the pieces and there are no right answers (though there are definitely wrong ones),” said Moore. “I love the challenge of finding the right balance of visuals, pacing, music, sound, and information–it’s precarious, it’s challenging, it’s endlessly creative and fun.”
“Caralyn has proven time and again how skilled she is in her craft,” said Angelo Valencia, Optimus managing editor/partner. “Her calming presence always makes you feel you are going to be well taken care of and her attention to detail is second to none. I am so excited for her to showcase her talent for everyone to see.”
Born and raised in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington, DC, Moore was passionate about theater classes at school and making short films with her friends and family. Her love of writing, acting and especially editing, landed her at Northwestern University for film school. Following graduation, Moore spent time in the documentary production world in Washington, DC, and then several years freelance assistant editing back in Chicago.
”Caralyn’s initial focus on documentary work has branched into a command of visually driven work, as well as narrative dialogue edits,” said Optimus editor/owner Randy Palmer. “Her personality is the perfect fit for both her clientele and the culture of Optimus.”
Moore had the opportunity to assist four different editors in her time at Optimus, broadly rounding out her editorial viewpoint, strengthening her skillset, exposing her to many client collaborators and imparting the importance of putting in the work.
“Working at Optimus has taught me so much about editing and high-end commercial workflows and I’m excited to bring the leadership experience and confidence that I’ve gained here into the next stage of my career,” said Moore.
Outside of work, Moore delves into other creative pursuits, namely reading and movie-going. “I love good writing and thoughtful characters,” said Moore. “It’s probably related to my love of psychology–I’m fascinated by the way people think, why they make the decisions they do, how different people see the world differently.”
She also loves music, growing up playing piano and then double bass in orchestra and jazz band. Her husband Matt is a professional trumpet player. Although they have two cats (Florence and Ziggy), Moore admits she has always been more of a “dog person.” Her organization is top notch, living and dying by her label maker, and she is especially proud of the sleekness of her travel itineraries.
“Caralyn is intuitive, adaptable, and gracious, and I love getting to work with her everyday” said Optimus EP Joanna Woods. “We are so excited to support her next steps at Optimus.”
