Editorial, finishing, and VFX studio Uppercut has added David Checel and Gabriel Britz to its roster of editors. They will be based at Uppercut’s Los Angeles office, which launched last year.
Prior to joining Uppercut, Checel and Britz were at editorial house Stitch.
A lifelong native of Culver City, Calif., Checel discovered his passion for editing while making home movies in high school. Working with VHS decks and a sound mixer, he was amazed by the power of film to evoke emotions by combining specific images and sounds. After graduating from USC’s film school, Checel cut his teeth as an A/V coordinator in an advertising agency. After becoming in-house editor there, he made the transition to FilmCore Editorial, where he assisted Charlie Chubak who encouraged him to edit projects they were working on, and through these opportunities, Checel gained his first set of clients and quickly established himself as a skilled and innovative editor.
Checel values working with repeat clients as it offers him an opportunity to build long-lasting relationships based on trust and openness, which foster better collaboration. The ultimate goal is to create a workspace that does not feel like work, but rather a place that sparks creativity and ideas, where “happy accidents” thrive.
Checel said of Uppercut, “Micah [Scarpelli, editor/owner], Lisa [Sadek, NY EP], and the team have perfectly created this incredible space that blends innovation, creativity, and collaboration. I’m honored to be joining the team.”
Growing up in Napa, Calif., Britz wanted to be a filmmaker for as long as he can remember. After developing an interest in editing while making skateboarding videos with his friends, Britz’s initiative was nurtured by his high school teachers, who allowed him to submit video projects instead of writing papers. He then went on to the University Of California San Diego, graduating Magna Cum Laude in film and editing.
One of Britz’s favorite projects this year was a collaboration between Hyundai and Annie Leibovitz. He got an inside look into the legendary photographer’s process while telling compelling stories about real people making a difference in their communities. Britz’s work on the title sequence of Masters of Sex was nominated for an Emmy Award.
On joining Uppercut, Britz said, “I wanted to be part of something that could reach a broad spectrum of clients in multiple markets. The way that Uppercut runs their business is next-level, and I was inspired from the jump.”
