By Susan Bryant

sbryant@tnonline.com

Ishai Setton, a 1997 graduate of Parkland High School, recently won his first Emmy after being nominated for Disney’s 2022 movie “Sneakerella.”

Setton, who graduated from New York University in 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree in film and television production, commented on his Emmy win and the movies.

“The Emmy I won is for Outstanding Editing for a Single Camera Program,” Setton said, via email. “It was surreal and shocking.

“I was sitting next to my wife and when they called out my name, I did not move. I just sat there in shock.”

His wife nudged him.

“Go! They called your name!” she told him.

Setton then managed to pull it together.

“It was a very exciting and rewarding feeling,” he explained. “We did put a lot of work into the movie, so it felt really good to be recognized for that.”

Setton said “Sneakerella” is a modern spin on the Cinderella story.

“It tells the story of a boy named “El” who works as a stock boy in his late mother’s shoe store in Queens,” he explained.

“He hides his dreams and creative talents from his mean stepfather and evil stepbrothers.

“It’s a really fun family film with great performances, music and choreography. And, it’s streaming on Disney Plus.”

Setton, who edited “Sneakerella,” signed onto the project because he knew the director, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum.

“She’s very talented and a great collaborator, so I knew the film would be something special,” he said. “Also, I’m always looking for a challenge, or something new.

“While, I have a lot of experience editing musicals, I knew ‘Sneakerella’ would be the biggest and most ambitious film I had the chance to work on.”

Setton edited the TV shows “Glee” and “Empire” and worked with the band, 30 Seconds to Mars.

Having been directing and editing for almost 20 years, Setton balances his time as a filmmaker between directing and editing both TV and movies.

Setton was asked how he decided to become a film director.

“My passion for film making started while I was at Parkland High School,” he explained.

“I started making movies for school classes, for Spanish and English class, and then started making movies with my friends.

“Basically, we were just trying to get each other to laugh - making funny exercise videos or spelling bees or infomercials.”

Setton directed three films and one episode of the TV show “Empire.”

“I directed ‘The Big Bad Swim,’ which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and played theatrically at the 19th Street Theater,” he explained. “In addition, I directed a film called ‘The Kitchen.’

“I also directed an episode of the Fox TV show ‘Empire’ starring Taraji P. Henson and Terrance Howard.”

Setton worked with Director Rosenbaum on another film titled “Purple Hearts.”

“I edited ‘Purple Hearts’ and was the second unit director on that Netflix movie starring Sofia Carson,” Setton said.

“It surprised us all by becoming the seventh most watched movie on Netflix of all time.”

He is currently working on a new TV show for showrunner (executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority) Taylor Sheridan, who created and starred in the TV program “Yellowstone.”

“The show I’m editing right now is called ‘Lioness,’ and is an intense, exciting CIA thriller,” Setton said. “It stars Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman and Zoe Saldana.

“I’m actually really excited for everyone to see it and that’s been a lot of fun to work on.

Setton is working on a film adaptation of a novel his mom, Ruth, wrote called “Darktown Blues.”

“It’s the story of an immigrant community overcoming adversity,” he explained. “It’s so full of life and food and music and I’m really passionate about finding a way to get that movie made.”

Setton lives in a suburb of Los Angeles, Calif., with his wife, Elizabeth, and their three children Margot, 14, Leo, 11, and George, 8. He is the son of South Whitehall residents Ruth, a writer, and former professor at Lehigh University, and Joe Setton, a real estate broker, and former South Whitehall commissioner.