Editor Ali Mao, who’s been at Arcade Edit in New York since 2015–first as a permalancer, then on staff–has formally joined the company’s roster. Arcade has been grooming Mao during her tenure, helping to build the editor’s body of work to where it is now roster caliber, placing her reel on the company website.
Last month Mao became a member of Free The Bid, the initiative designed to open up opportunities for female talent, including editors and directors. She has worked with brands including Dick’s Sporting Goods, AT&T, Tide, Microsoft and Aflac. Notable work includes Lance Acord’s YouTube Music Films out of Anomaly, the Nike x Clinique “Life’s a Marathon” campaign directed by Justin Tyler Close of Arts & Sciences, and Tide’s 2018 Super Bowl “It’s a Tide Ad” campaign out of Saatchi & Saatchi, directed by Traktor. Mao’s short film Pepper and Paul was featured as part of Sundance’s Gen Art series.
“It feels so great to be growing with a company and group of people I admire so much,” said Mao. “I appreciate the opportunities Arcade has always provided and am thankful for their support in my joining the Free the Bid movement.”
Originally from Hawaii, Mao moved to New York to attend NYU. A graduate in cinema studies, she became interested in editing as a way to help others stitch together their creative ideas. Following school, she cut her teeth as an assistant editor at MFP, but it is the work she did as part of the all-female creative collective, Indecent Exposure, where she made major strides. She later joined Outside Edit + Design before moving to Arcade’s New York office.
“We’ve been excited about Ali since she first joined Arcade in 2015,” said Sila Soyer, EP/partner, Arcade Edit, New York. “The skill and ease with which she enters a project continues to impress us and those she works with, and I’m excited to see all she will accomplish in this new, well-deserved role.”
Soyer has a history with Mao, having known her during their days together at Outside Edit + Design. Back then Soyer served as EP there while Mao was an assistant editor.
Arcade Edit maintains operations in Santa Monica and New York. Mao joins a talent roster which includes Dave Anderson, Kim Bica, Kyle Brown, Graham Chisholm, Jeff Ferruzzo, Will Hasell, Geoff Hounsell, Sean Lagrange, Paul Martinez, Nick Rondeau, Greg Scruton and Brad Waskewich.
