Peter Mervis - Director

Peter sees every production from multiple angles, because he learned it that way. First as an actor, then as a shooter, an editor and producer, his craft runs as deep as his commitment to bringing out the best in collaborators on both sides of the camera.

It all started with Shakespeare in Michigan. After performing professionally in numerous plays in his home state, Peter brought his Bard to Los Angeles. Then a gig with director Samuel Bayer opened an opportunity to learn from a master of music videos and commercials. He was continuing to train in commercials with multiple filmmakers, including Jeff and Tim Cronenweth, when he started to direct.

The first short he directed won Best Director at Chicago Indiefest. He was directing and shooting shorts and music videos when his work caught the eye of grindhouse production company, The Asylum. Now his directing boot camp would begin in earnest.

Instead of weeks or months of production, Peter had only days to shoot his first feature film. This was a long way from the big-budget commercial world he had been mentored in, but it was the best education a young director could ever have. He directed and edited four features for The Asylum, and all turned a profit for the company. He next directed a feature for Night Light Films, then produced three more features for them, each time using his growing strength as an editor to turn footage born of rapid shoots and low budgets into successful movies.

His ability to work fast and deliver quality narratives soon turned a reality TV show pitch into a sale and Peter into an Executive Producer on “Ex-Wives of Rock”. Field directing 48 of its 54 episodes lead to another reality gig that had him crisscrossing the country as Field Director of 12 episodes of the HGTV/DIY series “Breakneck Builds.”

After numerous sizzle videos selling new reality TV concepts, Peter was hired to sell a presidential candidate in reality. Hillary Clinton’s campaign called on Peter to pull from footage of her life to tell her story in a video for the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

On a wide-ranging creative journey from Shakespeare to grindhouse, from commercial production to presidential branding, Peter has maintained a strong belief in positive relationships as the foundation for every project. Creative collaboration with his behind-the-scenes team and his ability to make on-screen talent feel at home are the keys to unlocking everyone’s potential.