Machliss was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and is a graduate of Brighton Secondary College. He got his start working as a gofer on Fast Forward, an Australian sketch comedy series. He went to work in a post-production facility, serving as a videotape librarian and operator. While at this job, Machliss taught himself how to use the company's editing suite, allowing him to get a job editing advertisements and corporate videos. He then worked freelance on a trade show in Amsterdam, after which he relocated to the UK and worked as an online editor for several post-production facilities.[1] From there, he was hired as a freelance editor to work on British television series, including Spaced and Black Books.[2] His work on these series got him a job editing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, directed by Edgar Wright, in 2010.[1] In 2013, he served as the editor for The World's End, also directed by Wright.[3] In July 2023 Machliss was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by Solent University.[4]
