Dakota Giglio Promoted to Editor at Church
Award-winning, globally recognised post house Church Edit has promoted Dakota Giglio from Next Gen editor to its main roster - a move that underscores the company’s longstanding commitment to cultivating talent and artistry from within. With a distinctive editorial rhythm and a fresh creative voice, Dakota’s work reflects both a deep understanding of craft and a sharp curiosity for what’s next.
Born and raised along the West Coast, Dakota first picked up a camera in school - teaching himself to shoot and cut his own videos before gravitating toward the editing room, where his natural affinity for rhythm, feeling, and story began to take shape. Over the past three years, he has sharpened those instincts under the close mentorship of Church Edit co-founder Mah Ferraz, whose creative guidance has played a formative role in his development.
When Church launched in 2024, Dakota was among the first to be brought into the fold. His promotion not only signals the next chapter in his career, but also reflects the company's broader vision: to champion bold new voices and foster meaningful growth from within.
Dakota’s promotion also marks a milestone for Next Gen, Church Edit’s internal talent incubator. Designed to nurture emerging editorial talent and create space in the industry for fresh perspectives, the Next Gen talent have become a foundational part of the company’s creative culture and community. This long-term vision is grounded in the belief that new, emerging voices fuel artistry, and Dakota’s achievements are a testament to what’s possible when you support rising talent. Reflecting on his journey, Dakota shared, “There’s no clear roadmap in this industry, but surrounding yourself with quality, genuine people (and putting in thousands of hours in Premiere) definitely helps. That, and constant curiosity. In my free time, I’m always looking for what’s next: emerging tech, new tools, and finding fresh ways to tell a story through post.”
He added, "I’m thrilled to continue my editing work and bring my unique perspective and skills to the team. I’ve been fortunate to have Mah as a mentor and am so thankful for the trust, knowledge, and support she’s given me, along with the rest of the amazing team (family) at Church. It’s an honor to cut alongside all the legends on the roster and be a part of the shared vision.”
With an editing sensibility that’s fluid, emotionally attuned, and grounded in rhythm, Dakota has been making waves across both commercial and cultural spaces. His work on “Paradise” - a dreamy, fragmented love letter to Los Angeles directed by one of his closest collaborators, Child - earned a Vimeo Staff Pick, the 2024 Dream Town Film Innovator Award, and a feature on NOWNESS. More recently, Dakota has carved out a space in the global music scene - particularly in the world of K-pop. He’s worked extensively with chart-topping girl group KATSEYE, including cutting the music videos for 'Touch,' the second single released on their debut EP, their follow-up single 'Gnarly,' and the newly released “Gabriela,” helping shape the highly stylized visual identity of their breakout era.
On the commercial side, Dakota has lent his touch to campaigns for Nike, Puma, Meta, Bose, the NBA, and Google. Standouts include Nike’s 'Never Taking This Off,' which reimagines Olympic gold medalist Cole Hocker in a nine-to-five desk job, and the launch film for the NBA’s In-Season Tournament Anthem, pairing legendary hip-hop acts LL Cool J and The Roots in a genre-blending mashup that kicked off the 2023 basketball season.
Speaking to Dakota’s creative journey, Mah remarked, “I’m beyond proud and excited to share this announcement. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside Dakota for many years on some of my favorite projects, and I’m so proud to see him thriving at Church since day one. He’s not only an incredibly talented Editor but also a genuinely kind person and a key part of what makes Church’s culture so special."
