LOS ANGELES — Uppercut (uppercutedit.com), with locations in New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles, has added senior Flame artist Mitch Gardiner to its continuously expanding VFX department. He got his start creating composites with 35mm film and razorblades during his childhood, which first led to a career as an assistant editor. His passion for elevating motion graphics then led to a career in VFX.
The Bay Area native has worked in the Los Angeles post production business since 1997, spending time at The Finish Line, Swietlik Editorial, Cut + Run, Stitch Editing and Bacon Visual Effects. Gardiner’s 2D work and eye for animation can be seen in spots for Dr. Pepper, State Farm and Round Table Pizza. He has also contributed to projects for Apple, Honda, Hershey’s, Facebook and Infiniti, among others.
“Uppercut approaches finishing with a focus that I find inspiring,” says Gardiner. “They’re really committed to growing their VFX division, and everyone I’ve worked with here so far has been enthusiastic and highly collaborative, which makes the work fun. You can tackle the high demands of post production if the company and team you work with are all aligned, and I’m thankful to be working with Uppercut.”
“What I like most about Mitch is that his career has been led by his genuine fascination and curiosity for VFX, and that started before he was working within that specialty,” notes Uppercut founder Micah Scarpelli. “He’s an absolute genius with Flame, but you can’t teach or learn his level of applied diligence and artistry. We’re very excited to have him on board at Uppercut.”