CARTEL
Cartel is a Santa Monica-based video editing and post-production studio founded in 2015, serving advertising agencies, brands, and music artists with professional editing and VFX services across its Los Angeles, New York, and Austin offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSanta Monica, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
CARTEL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CARTEL
- Legal name
- Cartel
- Website
- https://cartel.tv
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cartel is a Santa Monica-based video editing and post-production studio founded in 2015, serving advertising agencies, brands, and music artists with professional editing and VFX services across its Los Angeles, New York, and Austin offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where CARTEL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Monica
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
CARTEL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Post-production Services: Cartel generates revenue by providing professional video editing and post-production services to advertising agencies, brands, and production companies for commercials, music videos, and films.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
CARTEL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cartel is a B2B editing and post-production studio providing professional video editing services for commercials, music videos, feature films, and documentaries. The studio operates a roster of professional editors across three US locations (Los Angeles, New York, Austin), serving advertising agencies, consumer brands, and production companies through direct, project-based engagements.
Product overview
Cartel is an editing and post-production studio operating as a single unified creative platform. The core offering is professional video editing services for commercials, music videos, and films. The studio is organized into sub-brands: the main Cartel editing roster, The Lookout (for additional editorial and look development), Cartel Films (for feature and documentary work), and Transformer (for VFX and transformation services). All sub-brands share the same Los Angeles, New York, and Austin locations and operate under the Cartel creative umbrella.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Lookout: Division of Cartel focusing on editorial work
- Cartel Films
- Transformer
Products and services
- Cartel (Core Editing and Post-Production Studio)
- The Lookout
- Cartel Films
- Transformer
Companies that use CARTEL
Customer profileNamed customers28 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CARTEL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CARTEL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CARTEL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cut+Run: Cut+Run is a globally recognized editorial and post-production studio serving major advertising agencies and brands on commercials and long-form content — the closest direct peer to Cartel in scale, client mix, and craft focus.
- Exile: Exile is a boutique editorial studio known for high-end commercial and music video editing, working with leading agencies and brands — directly comparable to Cartel in offering and client profile.
- Union Editorial: Union Editorial is a US-based editing and post-production studio serving advertising agencies on commercial campaigns — a directly comparable boutique peer to Cartel.
- Whitehouse Post: Whitehouse Post is a long-established editorial and post-production company with offices in multiple US cities, working across commercials, music videos, and film — highly comparable to Cartel's multi-market, multi-format model.
- PS260: PS260 is a New York-based editing and post-production studio serving agencies, brands, and filmmakers on commercials and longer-form projects — directly comparable to Cartel in craft and clientele.
- Spot Welders: Spot Welders is an editorial and post-production studio specializing in commercial and advertising content for top-tier brands and agencies — a directly comparable boutique peer to Cartel.
- Arcade Edit: Arcade Edit is a New York-based commercial editing and post-production studio serving advertising agencies and brands — a directly comparable peer in offerings, geography, and client mix.
- Rock Paper Scissors: Rock Paper Scissors is an editorial and post-production studio with a strong reputation in commercial and music video editing — directly comparable to Cartel's core offering.
- Cosmo Street: Cosmo Street is a post-production studio offering editorial and finishing services for commercials, music videos, and film — directly comparable to Cartel's service mix across formats.
- Final Cut Edit: Final Cut is a London-headquartered global editorial and post-production company serving advertising and entertainment clients — a broadly comparable peer in craft, format mix, and agency relationships.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
CARTEL social profiles
Digital presenceCARTEL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CARTEL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CARTEL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CARTEL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CARTEL
What does CARTEL do?
Cartel is a B2B editing and post-production studio providing professional video editing services for commercials, music videos, feature films, and documentaries. The studio operates a roster of professional editors across three US locations (Los Angeles, New York, Austin), serving advertising agencies, consumer brands, and production companies through direct, project-based engagements.
Is CARTEL a public or private company?
CARTEL is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CARTEL founded?
CARTEL was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CARTEL based?
CARTEL is headquartered in Santa Monica, United States, in the North America region.
How does CARTEL make money?
One revenue line is on record: post-production Services.
Who are CARTEL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cut+Run, Exile, Union Editorial, Whitehouse Post, PS260, Spot Welders, Arcade Edit, Rock Paper Scissors, Cosmo Street and Final Cut Edit.
Does CARTEL have an API?
No public API is recorded for CARTEL.