Gary Leo Miller / DIRECTOR & CINEMATOGRAPHER
A director’s director. That guy who turns staid into stunning and ho-hum product commercials into Oscar-worthy awesomeness. But don’t expect any ego here. He’s just really, really, really passionate about film.
Gary comes by his passion for storytelling authentically, forgoing the traditional fancy film school path for a self-taught career forged out of adventure and a keen eye for style and showmanship. As a competitive downhill mountain biker, he learned the power of having a sharp focus (both literally and metaphorically); as a sous chef he acquired his rigorous discipline, and as a Volvo mechanic he discovered the beauty of a well-crafted piece of equipment. (We’ve also seen him casually pick up a unicycle and effortlessly ride it on set, but don’t ask us where he picked up that cool party trick!)
From these rich life experiences, Gary has honed his intuition for understanding people, brands and stories, along with a fine-tuned ability to translate that on screen. Through a vigorous work ethic and immersive approach, he can find a stunning visual language in even the most mundane objects and locations — Gary truly does find beauty everywhere he goes, elevating the everyday into something extraordinary. And through it all, he captures that human desire for connection, finding those little details that tug at the heartstrings and make even the biggest brands entirely relatable for their audiences.
Gary’s unique visual approach melds the best of documentary and feature filmmaking. He has exceptional range as a director, able to create a sense of mystery and anticipation through cinematic framing and dramatic lighting, or to engage his audience on a personal level, finding intimacy by shooting authentic details and eliciting nuanced performances from his actors. As a commercial director, Gary brings his characteristic warmth and cinematic vision to short essence films, narrative explorations and commercials for high-profile brands like GE Aviation, Tempur-Pedic, UofL, Valvoline and the University of Kentucky.
And with his easy going demeanor and knack for sharing hilarious anecdotes, he’s also just a damn fun guy to work with!
Stuart McWhirter / PRODUCER
Bon vivant, raconteur, man of the people and society darling. These are just some of the ways we’ve heard Stuart describe himself to strangers on trains.
The son of a traveling evangelist and a tour director, Stuart had crossed the Atlantic 50 times by the time he was 10 years old. As his family traveled from town to town each week, Stuart began to develop the gregarious (and hilarious) personality that continues to win him new friends to this day.
These formative years with his family also gave Stuart all the skills he would need to become the awarded (and much adored) producer that he is today. After watching his parents successfully coordinate the logistics of taking large tour groups to The Holy Lands and Europe in the 1970s (this was pre-Expedia, people!), Stuart was granted his first producing job at the tender age of 14: planning the family trip to Disney World. We’ll spare you the gruesome details, but there were graph paper maps, meticulous time schedules and two younger siblings crying outside the Hall of the Presidents after their older brother attempted to guide them through the entire park in one day.
Needless to say, Stuart has adjusted his producing style since then, but the same level of enthusiasm and zest for detail remains. His decades-long career in production has seen him work on everything from feature films, TV shows and commercials, giving each project the devoted attention and commitment as if it were his own. Stuart lives for stories — both the ones that take place in front of the camera, and the ones that happen offscreen. Have Stuart produce your next project and you’ll get a beautiful video and a beautiful new friendship. (Awww, shucks.)