Meet Ethan Leisie | Director, Cinematographer, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ethan Leisie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ethan, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
So my upbringing was a bit different than most people’s; to be honest, nothing really in my life has been standard. I grew up outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania kind of like where the suburbs and the country meet. My mom was a pre-k Teacher, and my dad was an Aircraft mechanic who bounced back and forth between the civilian airlines and active duty orders with the Air National Guard. My parents are very creative people. They were owner-builders, so I grew up surrounded by construction. Swinging hammers and digging holes, chopping wood and building things. A construction site seems dangerous, but it’s actually a lot for fun for a kid. Things are constantly changing; you get to see construction equipment up close. A lot of my childhood was spent following my parents around and helping them with the various things that go into building a house and living in the woods. My sister and I both ended up in creative careers, she’s an interior designer, so I think growing up surrounded by literal and physical creativity got into us.

My parents had this very do-it-yourselfer out look to life. My dad grew up farming and did a lot of construction in his youth, and he wanted us to have something similar. He was into organic farming and off-the -grid-living back in the early 2000s, long before you ever saw “certified organic” on the shelves.

My mom was really ahead of the curve too. We were actually homeschooled for a number of years. I went to regular Highschool, but for a lot of grade school my sister and I were homeschooled, which is becoming more and more popular since the pandemic. There’s been a lot of scrutiny put on public schools in the last few years, and rightly so, but my mom was saying a lot of those same things back in the 2000s. Being a teacher, and a do-it-yourselfer she knew she could educate us better. But you gotta remember back in the 2000s, homeschooling was looked down upon, and my parents, especially my mom took a lot of heat for keeping us out of public school. But my grandparents are from Scotland, so my mom’s got that stubborn “can’t tell me nothing” attitude.

And she was right. I know so many people who had their creativity and dreams stifled by public education, and I’m thankful that didn’t happen to me. Being homeschooled, you waste a lot less time compared to public school, which opens your day for a lot more life experiences. Like my parents were very adamant that we experience the arts and other cultures, I’d describe them as “hipster-rednecks”. My dad had traveled all over the world with the military, and they made it a point that we learn about other cultures. Both historically and artistically. We’d go to the Pittsburgh arts festival every year, and I look back on those experiences very fondly for opening me up to different ideas of what art was and could be. We also did a lot of cultural field trips while being homeschooled. My parents wanted us to get a taste for a lot of different things before we had to decide what to do with our lives. My dad never pushed me to do sports either, he was adamant that I didn’t play sports until I was at least 10 years old, so that I could have the opportunity to just be a kid. So, when other kids were playing soccer, or baseball, I was playing on a construction site, imagining all sorts of characters and storylines to keep me company.

And from these experiences, I knew at an early age I wanted to be a writer. However, it wasn’t until I went back to public school that I knew I was going to be a filmmaker. My high school had a really robust film/video program that my older cousin was a part of, and he pulled me into it.

I also served in the Marine Corps Reserve for 6 years as an Infantryman. The Marine Corps builds in you a lot of the soft skills required to be successful, especially in this industry. But what it also gives you is a very unique perspective on life. I often say that filmmaking is psychology in reverse, and in the marines, you see a very different side of human psychology both individually and in groups. These experiences really shaped who I am today as a person. How I lead a team on set, how I approach problems, how I budget my time. But also, with the themes I try to tackle in my work.

We work in a weird industry, the film industry. You don’t work set hours; you’re often outside, in less than desirable weather; you have to be creative and solve problems creatively. You’ve also got to be self-motivated and think outside the box. And not let anybody tell you can’t do it. Nobody is going to just hand you the keys to the Warner Bros. lot. You’ve got to do it yourself; you have to make your own shit. And keep working at it until you succeed despite all odds. And when I look back at my upbringing and military service, I see how this attitude was instilled in me which has lead to my successes in film.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been making films since I was like 15, in my high school’s film program. So, I’ve Always been directing shorts. But I knew you couldn’t just show up in Hollywood one day and get handed the director’s chair. You know when you’re starting out the way I did, in a very DYI run-and-gun environment, there often isn’t a distinction between Director and DP. So I was directing with a camera in my hand. And through this way of working, I found I had a real knack for camera work, and won a couple awards for my cinematography. So, knowing nobody was going to hand me the reins to direct right out of film school, I decided to focus my career on cinematography in the short term, with the goal to eventually move into directing. And that’s the transition phase of my career that I’m in now. So, I started out my career as a Cinematographer, in Pittsburgh while also working in camera, grip, and Electrical departments. I shot a couple indie features in Pittsburgh, and more shorts than I can count, before moving to LA.

But you’ve got to understand, making films in Pittsburgh is a lot different than LA. There are a lot less restrictions in Pittsburgh, but there’s also a lot less resources. The market is just smaller so, you have to build or improvise a lot of gear yourself. And working in this way you get really good at making stuff look expensive, without it actually being expensive.
For example, prior to doing our first feature, Beyond The Lake, director Domenic Porcari and I did shorts two years in a row that required building sets by hand. Dom comes from an engineering background, which dovetailed nicely with my construction background. In 2018 we did The Magic Words, which took place in the private cabin of a train. Without the budget to rent a period accurate train to shoot in, we built by hand a working train cabin complete with removable ceiling, walls, window and door. It also rocked back and forth for authenticity. Oh, and we also built a 50-foot train hallway to go with it.

The following year, we did The Control Room, which Dom also acted in. The story revolves around a girl with mind powers and the ability to walk on walls. The film climaxes in a fight between her and the villain who has the same powers and takes place across all four walls. So, for this project, we built a rotating room from scratch, complete with furniture mounted to the ceiling for authenticity. Similar to what they did for the hallway fight in Inception, but on a smaller scale.

With that in mind, as a DP, I didn’t intentionally curate a single unique style. But much like Janusz Kominski, I tried to develop a unique visual style for every project I worked on, based on what I felt the story was calling for and the director’s vision.

Looking back on it now though, I think a unique visual style has developed through my work. Like when I look at my website with a collection of my best shots laid out, there are certain framing and lighting choices that repeat, across multiple projects. And I carry that same sense of framing and style into my visual style as a director.

People often ask me what kind of films I like to write, or what genre I’m most interested in. And to that I would point to the Coen Brothers. They’re some of my favorite filmmakers, but they don’t stick to one genre, while also creating films that bend/mix genre which are completely their own. That’s really the example I’m trying to follow in.
I’m also very interested in story structure. So, the films that I’m working on now, are less defined by a single genre as much as they are defined by how they innovate or change up the story structure. Most stories follow a three act structure, with a Beginning, middle and end. Where a hero gets a quest, embarks on it, faces challenges and ultimately overcomes them. But that’s not the only story structure. Breaking Bad for example follows a classic Greek five act structure. Showing the rise and fall of a hero.

To give you an example, the short film we’re taking on the festival circuit this year, Eye Of The Beholder, is a combination of sci-fi and horror. Written by my friend and producer, Chad Ayinde, you have two characters with two very different views of reality. You see the same events happen, without knowing who’s POV you’re seeing it through. Until the finale where their points of view come crashing together, in a twist ending.

The feature I’m currently writing is a coming-of-age episodic narrative, about a group of friends during the pandemic years. In a lot of ways, it’s like my journal of the covid years, showing what it was like to be a young person during that crazy time, as well as giving people a look into what life is like in the rustbelt. It follows a five-act, episodic story structure similar to that of Boogie Nights following the rise, fall, and recovery of our young heroes.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d start out showing them Silverlake/Echo Park. We’d start the day off on Sunset, getting breakfast burritos at Tacos Delta. From there we’d grab coffee at Intelligentsia, and explore Silverlake, we’d grab lunch at a food truck on our way down to Echo Park. And then swing up to the Hollyhock House, to check out the Unique Architecture and watch the Sunset. From there we’d head over to Digital Debris in Cypress Park. My friends are really into cyberpunk stuff and vintage sci-fi stuff. And Digital Debris is a curio shop straight out of Blade Runner, with vintage video cameras, old toys, old VHS tapes, film reels and old lofi tech. The owners are also super interesting guys to chat with if you’re into that sort of thing. From there we’d swing over to Thai town to grab some dinner at Sanamluang Café Hollywood on Hollywood Blvd. They’ve become one of my go-to spots, for their quality, reasonable prices, and huge portions. From there we’d end the night with drinks and dancing at Zebulon in Frog Town. This is the first bar my friend took me too in LA, so it’s got a special spot in my heart. It’s a great place for the combination of conversations and Dancing.

Day 2 we’d Start out in my neck of the woods, North Hollywood, at Crafted Donuts And Bagels. Nothing gets you right after a night of drinking or an all nighter on set, like a breakfast sandwich from Crafted Bagels and Donuts. While you’re there, try their Fruity Pebbles donut.

From there we’d spend the morning down in La Brea, checking out the art galleries. I really love Artspace Warehouse, and Artplex Gallery, which are conveniently across the street from each other. I like going to these places because it feels like they’re show casing artwork from artists really innovating today.

For lunch we’ll head south and grab something from the Grove Farmer’s market. The chaos and packed in nature of this place truly makes it an exciting spot. We’ll then head west, to the beach. I know it’s a little cliché but, I feel like any time I have visitors in LA I have to at least show them the Santa Monica Peir. That view of the beach, with the mountains in the background, is just such a beautiful part of this city.

Then from Santa Monica, we’d head south to my favorite neighborhood in this city: Venice. We’d start at the Venice sign and check out the variety of street artists and street venders on the board walk before making our way around the town checking out the various shops. There’s always something going on in Venice. I love this part of town, because you never know what you’re going to find. It’s one of the places that makes this city truly unique.

As the sun goes down we’d make out way back to the beach to watch the sunset. And grab dinner at Teddy Red’s Tacos. I eat a lot of street food, and Teddy Red’s has become one of my go-to spots for tasty, cheap fare. The rest of the night we’d spend bouncing around between bars in Venice, Winston House, and The Delmonte Speak Easy to name a couple. But also mulling about in the streets and board walk seeing what we can get into. There’s always something going on, and you never know who you’ll meet on a night in Venice.

No trip to LA is complete without at least a little hiking. And after two nights of drinking, chillin next to a water fall sounds pretty nice. So, after sleeping in a bit, we’d head out to Altadena to do the Eaton Canyon Falls trial. This hike isn’t too hard, but there is a harder section to the upper falls for the more adventurous. It’s a few miles along the creek to the falls where, there’s a natural pool you can swim a little bit in.

After coming back to NoHo and getting changed, we’d head Downtown to check the iconic Architecture. We’d start at the Los Angeles central Library and then make our way up Grand Ave past the Broad towards The Walt Disney Concert Hall. When we hit the Ahmanson Theatre, we’ll head South through the Gloria Molina Grand Park, towards City Hall. There’s just so many unique and beautifully massive buildings on this stretch, it’s one of my favorite parts of the city. I look at this part of town almost like a modern acropolis, so I think it’s something to be experienced.

From there we’d keep heading south and end up in Little Tokyo. After grabbing a coffee at Yoboseyo Superette, we’d explore the various shops. Some of my friends back home are into anime, so I think they’d enjoy the Kinokuniya bookstore. From there we’d head downstairs to the Marukai Market, and see what kind of Japanese snacks, and alcohol we can find. This is something I like to do once in a while, especially with my friends from out of town. We don’t know what anything is, so that randomness of it makes it fun: trying out and sharing different snack and drinks form a different culture. From there we’d end the night with drinks at the Wolf and Crane Bar. Their unique selection of Japanese Whiskey Draws a Lively crowd.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First of all, I’d like to start by shouting out Felicity LuHill who recommended me to Shout LA. We met the before I even lived in LA when Beyond The Lake was in the NoHo Cinefest. The following year when I moved to LA, she was one of the first people I met with. She took me in and introduced me to a lot of her awesome friends. We had the opportunity to work together for the first time in 2024 on feature she produced, and I was the Cinematographer on. Working with her firsthand she’s a fantastic producer and problem solver. But more than that she’s a fantastic director and writer as well. You should check out her interview with Shout LA to learn more about her and her work.

I’d also like to acknowledge my good friend and frequent collaborator Domenic Porcari. Dom is the Director/Writer/Actor/Producer and Stunt man that directed my first feature as a DP: Beyond The Lake. I already alluded to some of our previous works, but I wanted to make sure I shouted him out specifically. Back home in Pittsburgh, Dom was my most frequent collaborator. Prior to BTL, we did so many short films, and promos together. Those early years working together in Pittsburgh really shaped who’d I’d become as a filmmaker. Domenic is one of the smartest and most thought-provoking guys I know.

I’d also like to acknowledge my parents. I already talked at length about how their upbringing instilled a love of the arts and creative pursuits in me. But I wanted to say that the older I get, the more I look back and see how the unconventional way in which I grew up prepared me for this sort of career.
I’d also like to shout out Daniel McKosky and Janice Plutnicki of SVTV. I mentioned that my high school had a really robust film program, which cultivated in me my love of filmmaking at an early age. These two were the teachers who ran SVTV at my public high school. It was a combination of production and theory classes they taught, as well as a film club which filmed events. Going through film school I realized just how far ahead of the curve these two had put me. I still think about their teachings on every project.

Last but not least I’d like to give flowers to John Rice and Hanjin Park. They were my Cinematography and Directing professors, respectively, at Point Park University. These two mentors took me from a kid with talent, to an artist. As a DP, when I look at a shot and it’s almost perfect, but there’s some tiny detail that nobody would ever notice. I don’t want to fix it, I want to be lazy. But then I hear John’s voice in the back of my mind pointing it out. And so, I go fix it. This attention to detail and pickiness has been one of the things which took my art from good to great. Now as I make the transition to more and more directing work, I think often on my classes and one-on-one conversations with Hanjin. My directing style is fundamentally shaped by him and I think I’m still unpacking what he was trying to teach me.

Website: https://Ethanleisie.com

Instagram: @leisie_productions

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ethan.leisie

Image Credits
Beyond The Lake – Director: Domenic Porcari, DP: Ethan Leisie
The Trip – Director: Dean Jacobs, DP: Ethan Leisie
The Transmission: Dir.: Jesse Hutchins, DP: Ethan Leisie
The Great Cosmic Hoax – Director: Ethan Leisie, DP: Sam Gilbert
The Hemlock Horror – Dir. Ethan Leisie, DP: Ben Savidge