Editor’s Note: “The Reel Black List” is our annual spotlight of brothers and sisters in the worlds of advertising, film, TV, music, radio and media who are making a difference through their contributions and creativity daily. For the next 29 days, you will be able to celebrate wonderful human beings, like acclaimed editor, Jacques Gravett.
Jacques is a highly respected figure in the film and television industry, renowned for his exceptional contributions as an editor. He is a distinguished member of prestigious organizations such as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Motion Picture Editors Guild, and American Cinema Editors, and serves as a Mentor on the Diversity in Editing Committee for the ACE. His career is distinguished by his remarkable talent and unwavering dedication to the craft of editing.
Originally from Los Angeles, California, Jacques’ journey in the entertainment world began after graduating from Rolling Hills High School. He pursued his academic interests at San Diego State University’s Fowler School of Business, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Management. However, his passion for film ultimately redirected his career path.
After college, Jacques entered the production realm, securing a position at Paramount Studios. He contributed to several television series, including iconic shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Enterprise. It was during this time that Gravett’s interest in storytelling through editing began to flourish.
Transitioning to the role of an editor marked a significant milestone in Gravett’s career, a journey spanning over 29 years. His exceptional expertise in shaping narratives has earned him widespread acclaim within the industry. Gravett’s editing credits boast a diverse range of projects, highlighting his versatility and mastery of the craft.
One of his notable collaborations was with Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme on the limited TV series Shots Fired, which premiered at the esteemed 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Gravett’s contributions to “Shots Fired” demonstrated his ability to enhance narratives with precision and creativity, earning recognition for its thought-provoking themes and compelling storytelling.
Jacque’s influence extends across numerous successful projects, including editing for the Apple TV series Swagger, the critically acclaimed Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, the Golden Globe-winning series The Shield, and the Peabody Award-winning series “Battlestar Galactica.” His recent work includes editing for the second season of Starz’s hit drama series Power Book IV: Force, further solidifying his reputation as a trusted and accomplished editor.
Let’s meet Jacques!
What’s your origin story?
I’m a Los Angeles native. I grew up in Rolling Hills Estates, California, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. I went to college at San Diego State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management. After graduation, I moved back home thinking I would put my degree to use working in the entertainment industry. I was wrong. I couldn’t get a job. Several months went by and I was still having no luck getting any kind of a job.
More months passed until one day I finally landed a job on the Paramount Studios lot as a studio page. It was part-time and not prestigious at all. To this day, I still say I started working below the mailroom because the people in the mailroom were full-time employees. As a page, I gave tours of The Lot during the day and seated the audience at live tapings of TV shows at night. Arsenio Hall and Cheers were the two most popular at the time.
After several months of doing that I got a slightly better job working in the studio store. From there I was able to land a job as PA (production assistant) on the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was long hours but I learned a lot. The producers of Trek were creating spin offs and I wanted to keep working for the franchise.
I started to learn the craft of film editing and with the help of executive producer Rick Berman I pivoted in that direction and left the franchise for a while. However, I later returned and was able to interview and get a position on Deep Space Nine with writer and executive producer Ronald D. Moore as his assistant. I wasn’t able to break in as a writer but there was another Trek spinoff starting called Star Trek Voyager and sure enough they had an opening for an assistant film editor.
I worked as an assistant film editor for eight years splitting time between Voyager and yet another Trek spinoff, Enterprise. Ronald D. Moore had since moved on from Trek to become the showrunner of the new HBO series Carnivale. He needed one more film editor for his team and called me. Even though I had only worked for him as a writer’s assistant he thought enough of me in that position to bump me up from assistant film editor to film editor.
How did you get into the entertainment/film and television industry?
My parents put me in TV commercials when I was a kid and by the time I was five years old, I was already in SAG. As I got older, being on set was always a fun experience. I enjoyed being on the various studio lots where movies and tv shows were made. It was just really really cool. As a teenager, I preferred playing sports to acting in commercials and I stopped acting.
What did your parents think you would be?
I’m not sure. I know they always wanted the best for me. They supported me in whatever I did.
Who were your mentors?
I didn’t have any official mentors, but I consider editor Maysie Hoy, ACE, my unofficial mentor. I would often call her for professional advice and she always took the time to speak to me and drop some knowledge.
Bravest thing you’ve done?
A friend of mine was thinking about doing a really bad thing while holding a gun and I talked him out of it.
How do you handle failure?
Never quit, just begin again.
Who is a talent, actor, director or writer, you are dying to work with?
Actor-Denzel Washington, Director-Steven Spielberg, Writer-Barry Jenkins
REELated: Read about others on The Reel Black List
Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon is over-indexing on Black and Hispanic audiences. Why?
Ha Ha. I don’t know. I haven’t seen it.
Lunch, Happy Hour or Dinner
Barack Obama
You would give up your career to go on tour and perform with what singer/band?
I’m not a singer and don’t play any instruments, so no singer or band would ever ask me to perform with them BUT, traveling the world and hanging out on tour I could do that for sure! It would be Michael Jackson, the BAD tour. When he hit the stage people would lose their minds.
I mean really go crazy before he ever sang a note! The brutha would just stand there and people would lose their shi-xx!
Colman Domingo is a national treasure. Yes or No.
Yes. Very good actor from the movies I’ve seen him in.
Nosebleed seats for Beyoncé or front-row tickets for Taylor Swift?
I’ve sat in too many nosebleed seats during my life. Give me front-row tickets with the Swifties. I’d probably say I’m a former NFL player and try to Bogart my way backstage to hang with Travis Kelce and talk football (if the two of them are still together by the time this article comes out)
What are your guilty pleasures?
Watching YouTube travel videos.
What’s brewing for your 2024?
Hopefully prosperity to make up for all that was lost in 2023 as a result of the WGA and SAG strikes. Below the line folks in the industry are still really really hurting.
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