Meet Sam Ciaramitaro. He was lucky enough to have one of those teachers that made a life-long impact on him. His DJ-turned high school media and production teacher did cool things like turn band rooms into studios, giving Sam his first taste of filmmaking. He never looked back.
Sam started as an agency producer; experience he credits with truly being able to understand the filmmaking process from start to finish. He spent the early part of his career working alongside some of the most seasoned directors and crews, so not only did he feel the pressure to deliver, he also got to learn from the best of the best. During his agency years, he produced and directed the Cannes Lion-winning US Army campaign. As part of the project, he interviewed people at all levels of the military. This laid the groundwork for his ability to truly listen, a skill at the heart of his directing philosophy. He has a true interest in getting to know people and earning their trust to get the strongest and most authentic performances from both actors and non-actors alike, all in the spirit of telling the most genuine story possible.
Professional photographers, cinematographers, surfers – anyone who’s great at what they do – Sam draws inspiration from just about anywhere and will take notes on just about anything. When he’s not directing, Sam loves to keep it simple. Whether road tripping or hanging out with neighbors swapping stories, he’s happy wherever he is.
In addition to the US Army, Sam has directed spots for Chevy, Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Ford, Hyundai, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide, Porsche and Toyota.