NEW YORK CITY — Editing, finishing, and VFX studio Uppercut (uppercutedit.com) has promoted Devin Stevens to editor. He had been a part of the studio’s “featherweight” roster since 2020.
Stevens grew up in South Haven, MI, where he cut skateboard videos at an early age. He went on to study film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and gained his first experience as a post production intern with Framerunner Inc. It wasn’t until he landed an internship at Whitehouse Post several years later that he became fully immersed in the editing world. In January of 2020, Stevens joined Uppercut as a cutting assistant editor, just in time to bond with the team before remote work started.
“Micah Scarapelli gave me the opportunity to cut here at Uppercut and has been vital to the growth of my career,” he explains. “I’ve since spent a lot of time working with Garrett Tezanos and Paul La Calandra, who both have had a huge influence on my editing style and approach to the job.”
Stevens’ favorite part of the process is when the story structure starts to take shape and then he gets to add the next layer of polish. His brand work includes films for Nike, Bandier, Facebook, ESPN, Nordstrom and Dockers, amongst others. In 2019, Stevens won AICP’s Camp Kuleshov East for reconceptualizing The Tooth Fairy, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, as an alien invasion movie.
“I’m incredibly honored and really excited to have been promoted to editor,” says Stevens. “My true favorite part of the job has to be the friends and connections I continue to make at every turn, and I look forward to being part of the Uppercut family for a long time to come.”
“Devin has made his bones the old-fashioned way and been an asset to Uppercut since he first joined us in early 2020,” says managing director Lisa Houck. “We’re steadfast believers in the power of mentorship, so it is always gratifying to see an editor thrive and blossom into their full potential. We’re beyond proud to promote him to editor, knowing that his work ethic and dedication to the editing craft results in truly outstanding work.”