Dean Gaddi: Assistant Editor

What is your name?

Dean Gaddi

What is your classification or job? 

Assistant Editor

What was your first union job?

Snow Piercer Season 3 as an Apprentice Editor—thanks to Handy Foundation! 

List the credits you’re most proud of.

• Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, 2026 – Assistant Editor
• The Long Walk, 2025 – Apprentice Editor
• Prey, 2022 – VFX Assistant Editor

Who are your influences or mentors?

• My biggest influences in my life are my grandparents because they were the ones that brought my family here to the states and without them we wouldn’t be here.
• Mark Yoshikawa, ACE is a genuine, caring person who loves to see the people around him succeed. He is also incredible at his craft, and consistently shows kindness and exudes calm. 
• Josie Azzam has been a consistent light that has guided me in determining next steps as a professional. She has grown to be someone I consider a good friend and respect as a voice of reason.
• Ben Howdeshell was one of the first people to take me under his wing. He showed me that excellence is not only honing the craft, but also investing in oneself beyond what’s required and having fun while you’re at it. 

What is your personal or professional mantra?

“How you do one thing, is how you do everything.” I believe the little things we do reveal the most about us and it’s always pushed me to never settle for the bare minimum.

How has your cultural identity shaped your career choices?

Being the grandchild of Filipino immigrants taught me how to prevail in the harshest of conditions. Escaping the regime of a dictator in the Philippines, my grandparents took a leap of faith by moving here because they believed in what better opportunities may come. 

During the hard times, I think of how much of a dream come true it already is to be here. The fact that I get to be here, to pursue the opportunities they sacrificed so much for, already feels like a dream realized. Their courage reminds me that if they could do what they did, I too can push forward. 

What’s your favorite AAPI month memories and any cultural or historical impacts on your life?

I’ve really appreciated how in more recent years, the conversations during AAPI month (and beyond) have become more prevalent. There’s a growing sense of shared pride and identity among us as descendants of immigrants, a collective awareness that our stories, though different, are deeply connected.

What was your favorite childhood food dish?

Sinigang extra sour. Shout out to my lola’s (grandma’s) cooking! 

What would be your dream project to work on? 

It’s always been a goal of mine to go back to the motherland and shoot a documentary highlighting an aspect of the culture and the complex layers of being Filipino-American vs. being a Filipino in the Philippines.