Post-production house, Uppercut, has added the Sr. Flame artist Mitch Gardiner to their continuously expanding VFX department. Hiring the lifelong creator of visual magic speaks to Uppercut’s commitment to excellence in all things post-production and Gardiner’s dedication to the craft of FX.
Gardiner got his start creating composites with 35mm film and razorblades in childhood as a ruse, which quickly evolved into a career as an assistant editor. This is where his innate passion for elevating motion graphics shone through and led to his career as a stand-out talent in the world of VFX. The Bay Area native has been working in the Los Angeles area in post-production since 1997. He has worked with other post-production studios, including The Finish Line, Swietlik Editorial, Cut + Run, STITCH Editing, and Bacon Visual Effects.
As a Sr. Flame artist, Gardiner’s masterful 2D solves and his eye for animation have been showcased in spots for Dr. Pepper’s campaign in partnership with the film Ironman, State Farm’s “Birds,” which he completed without CGI, and Round Table Pizza’s “Round Table Delivery Guy” where Gardiner developed the look and design of the spot’s game-play element. Additionally, he has worked on projects for Apple, Honda, Hershey’s, Facebook, and Infiniti, among others. Throughout his career, his ability to vision a world and add the requisite finishing touches with expert precision has made him a well-respected innovator in the industry.
Mitch Gardiner says of working with Uppercut: “Uppercut approaches finishing with a focus that I find inspiring. 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.”
Uppercut’s founder Micah Scarpelli says of Gardiner: “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. 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.”
Uppercut is a creative boutique elevating post-production in New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Focused on telling stories that blur the lines between advertising and entertainment, this collective of passionate editors, visual effects artists, and producers are driven by dynamic, visual storytelling. Partnering with directors, agencies, and brands, the company creates work that elicits emotion and impacts audiences. Uppercut launched in New York City in 2015 and has continued to grow its boutique post-production offerings, building out a roster of diverse creative talent as well as expanding its offerings into VFX and launching its partner music company, Racket Club.