"There are surface stories and there are deep stories; Manuel is a master of the deep story. You can put an acre of footage in front of him and he'll come back to you with the path through it all. Manny was absolutely essential in helping us create a film that was able to change an entire industry and life for millions of people. You can never go wrong with Manny Tsingaris."
- Michael Rossato-Bennett, "Alive Inside"
- Michael Rossato-Bennett, "Alive Inside"
"Manuel is a shrewd and intelligent editor, with a talent for story structure and an excellent sense of character development, but what truly sets him apart is that he edits with his whole heart and soul. That kind of passion and commitment is infectious. Manuel's editorial choices are thoughtful, intentional, and guided by a strong code of ethics. I'll also add on a personal note that Manuel is great fun to work with - filling the edit suite with his warmth, sense of humor and tendency toward optimism each and every day."
- Nicole Opper, "Visitor's Day"
"For directors, the true test of a relationship with an editor is: 'Would you work together with this person again?' With Manuel, the answer is absolutely… and hopefully! He understood what we were looking for and added great ideas and new directions to our work. His technical ability was nothing short of prowess, but tech was always in service to our aims and his own suggestions."
- Alan Snitow, "Company Town"
"I have worked with Manuel in a number of capacities; editor, story consultant and lead editor. He is always able to adapt to the conditions of the production with ease. He has keen senses about story construction, documentary evidence and a director's vision. I am always amazed at his expanded knowledge on so many topics and issues, and truly appreciate his woke sensibilities and commitment to equity and justice as well as artistic endeavors. Manuel is a total joy to work with and to have on any team serious about bringing their story to life."
- Soumyaa Behrens, Director, The Documentary Film Institute, SFSU
"It was my first film, ever! It took seven years to make. 300 plus hours of footage. I had to sell my apartment to finish the film. And made every other mistake you can ever make. Still, 'Dogtown Redemption' got picked up by 'Independent Lens' and we got nominated for an Emmy. Why? Manuel."
- Amir Soltani, "Dogtown Redemption"
"Manuel is a master of the long form documentary. He is a storyteller who really understands and trusts the power of the image. His talent and experience as an editor and writer made our collaboration a truly extraordinary experience."
- Ray Telles, The Storm That Swept Mexico
"Manoli was the editor of China Blue, my biggest best-seller. He is a great creative partner, bringing his ideas, curiosity and open-mindedness to the editing process. He knows that the first idea is rarely the best, and he’s a great friend to the indie filmmaker."
- Micha X Peled, "China Blue"
"He is not only a highly skilled editor, Manuel is a passionate storyteller of great imagination with a firm belief in the power of film to change our lives."
- Frances Negron-Muntaner, "War for Guam"
"We eagerly look forward to working with Manuel again - he’s creative, technically first-rate, a calm presence, and a lot of fun! He understands the importance of staying on time and on budget, and he is both collaborative and supportive - a great person to add to the filmmaking team."
- Deborah Kaufman, "Company Town"
"I remember having a lot of challenges with the narrative flow of 'Purgatorio. I could not figure out how to integrate all the pieces into an overall poetic rhythm. Manuel tackled this problem delicately, using his deep emotional intuition to make key changes to the structure and pacing of the film that actually strengthened my vision as a director."
- Rodrigo Reyes, "Purgatorio"
"I needed an editor who would understand this story and honor the experiences of these characters. Manuel brought such a tremendous feeling of empathy to these characters and their story. He not only saw my vision for the film, he made it better. He's an incredible listener and communicator through his work. His work with still photos and archival footage is masterful and his ear for music is incredible."
- Pam Uzzell, "Unearthing the Dream"
"I had the pleasure of first working with Manuel on a feature documentary I directed. Time was tight on the edit and we immediately hit it off and got into a very productive groove. That effort resulted in a multi-award winning film and we literally could not have done it without him. He is a highly skilled storyteller with the experience, temperament and sensitivity you want and need in the edit suite. A great collaborator, partner and all around awesome human being, Manuel is one of the best editors I have ever worked with."
- Scott Gracheff, "The Rugby Player"
"He is a truly talented and gifted editor. The combo of his intuition, storytelling abilities, creativity and musicality make Manuel a magician in the edit room. Sprinkle in his open and collaborative nature, and you meet your best ally in film-making."
-Tami Yeager, "A Dream in Doubt"
"Manuel is a true storyteller. He's an editor with a finely-tuned knack for the craft. We needed help and he proved integral to the success of our film. He helped us reshape our structure, fix our ending, and cut 30 minutes off our film. I cannot stress how grateful we are to have found and worked with Manuel!"
- Josh Freund, "Do You Want It?"