David Ayer

Whether directing a commercial campaign or a feature film, every frame that David shoots pulses with an undeniable level of realism. In David’s stories, heroes and villains are often indistinguishable; both wear camouflage – badges, uniforms, even harlequin makeup.

David scrapes away the line separating good from bad, reminding us that truly great characters and grounded stories are never black and white, they’re a shiny bruise of both. A self-taught screenwriter, David’s experience growing up in the gang-controlled streets of South Central L.A. directly informed his writing of Training Day – for which Denzel Washington won the Academy Award – and The Fast and the Furious, establishing the tone, style and authentic urban cadence of what would become one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.

As a director, David’s personal experiences shaped his sensibilities and sharpened his senses to focus on the coarse details of life, both on and off the screen. David’s muscular visual style – from restrained and bold to subjective, handheld vérité – spars with the powerful subjects in his movies, television and commercials.

Whether shoulder-to-shoulder with a tank battalion led by Brad Pitt surviving the last days of WWII in Fury, or following Margot Robbie and a team of supervillains through a monster-occupied city in Suicide Squad, David consistently proves that nothing requires more strength than finding the courage to show your vulnerability.

David made his commercial directing debut helming the jet-fueled, cinematic spots “Moments” and “Helmet” for the United States Air Force, celebrating the bravery, excellence and unique heroism of the pilots ready to pull down the canopy on their cockpits to the next generation of new recruits, all united by a single purpose, regardless of their background, race or gender. 

David’s latest film, The Beekeeper, is the first installment of a new action-thriller franchise, starring Jason Statham as an unassuming beekeeper avenging the death of a neighbor, only to reveal his apiarist hobby is a cover for his real identity as a special agent working with a “hive” of secret operatives tasked with protecting the country. David’s next feature, Levon’s Trade is about a construction worker that is forced to return to the shadowy world of his former life in counter-terrorism.