E.J. McLeavey-Fisher

E.J. McLeavey-Fisher is known for his authentic and intimate storytelling, connecting with the audience through grounded performances, relatable humor, and a nuanced visual tone.

E.J.’s commercial work includes campaigns for brands like AT&T, The Farmer’s Dog, Coca-Cola, and Samsung, in collaboration with agencies such as BBDO, Ogilvy, and TBWA/Chiat/Day. His films have garnered multiple Vimeo Staff Picks and Short of the Week selections and have screened at festivals like AFI DOCS, the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, DOC NYC, the Edinburgh Film Festival, the Nantucket Film Festival, and the Montclair Film Festival, and featured in The Atlantic, Slate, and Vice. 

Earlier this year, while cleaning out his old bedroom in his childhood home, E.J. discovered a letter to his future self that he had written at the age of thirteen. It said, “Hopefully, when you read this as an adult, you’ll be a professional golfer or guitarist, but as a backup option, maybe you can direct commercials.” And here we are.

Hailing from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, E.J. initially planned to major in music business before he shifted to film and television, attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He began his career at MTV, given creative license to experiment with a wide range of genres and formats. While at the network, he directed commercials, short-form, and long-form content for the network, and received an Emmy Award nomination. 

E.J.'s short film, The Guy: The Brian Donahue Story, was created through dramatic and cinematic reenactments to showcase the story of a working man, a stuntman and extra for decades, who still works at UPS to make ends meet. The Guy came about from a casting call on a commercial that E.J. was directing. While interviewing stunt people, he met Brian Donahue, whom he felt had a compelling story to share. The film was made over the course of the following three years and received critical acclaim. 

Between commercial shoots, McLeavey-Fisher is focused on projects spanning documentary and narrative, in various stages of development. He also has a particular interest in supporting his fellow filmmakers, and has recently helped co-found The Slate, a director’s collective, and hosts monthly conversations via Nourish, a filmmaking wellness community.