About Me

Eli’s love for storytelling developed while growing up in Oakland, CA, and honed at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and TV, where he concentrated on video production and screenwriting. At UCLA, Eli won numerous accolades, including The Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award, Motion Picture Association of America Award, and Frank Glicksman Award for Artistic Merit in Film Directing.  

Eli’s first feature film, AGAINST THE GRAIN, which he wrote, directed, produced, and edited screened at film festivals all over the world, including in Cannes, France, and won many awards, including the Favorite Audience Award at the Los Angeles Pan African Film Festival, Jury Prize at the Rome International Film Festival, and Filmmaker Award at the Gasparilla International Film Festival. Eli marketed and guided the film through the festival circuit until worldwide distribution was secured. The movie is currently streaming on Amazon Video.  

Eli’s objective is to touch the lives of people through storytelling. Eli has lent his storytelling skills to create videos for companies such as Q- Cigarettes, a startup that focuses on Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Eli has also worked as a story and script consultant for major Hollywood producers, including Participant Media, a company that has earned 85 Academy Award® nominations and 21 wins. At Particapant, Eli provided the story, dialogue, and character analysis on screenplays that Participant was considering for production. Eli also assessed a project’s social relevance and commercial viability using metrics from similar movies in the marketplace. 

When Eli isn’t creating stories or working as a consultant, he loves to read, travel, workout, attend Toastmasters meetings, and hang out with his nieces and nephews.