GARY MCKENDRY

Born and raised in Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, versatile film and commercial director Gary McKendry is accomplished in genres ranging from comedy, to thrillers, to high-octane action. He attended Belfast College of Art before enrolling at Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London. Graduating with a degree in art and film he worked as an armored car guard by day and a storyboard artist by night, before moving to Australia where he worked as an advertising art director. A job offer from the American ad agency Chiat/Day brought him to New York City, where he went on to work for Ogilvy & Mather and Margeotes Fertitta and Partners.

After directing several campaigns in-house, McKendry struck out on his own, directing award-winning commercials for clients ranging from IKEA, Porsche, Heineken, De Beers and Barnardos. His short film Everything in this Country Must was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005, and his first feature film, Killer Elite, debuted in 2011.