Sam Picariello.
Writer-Director-editor
working within narrative & commercial.
About Me
When it comes to directing, everything I do on set is tailored towards creating an environment that best facilitates the performance. For me, a story only functions if it can be both seen and felt.
A subject I always gravitate towards in my own films is loss. Whether it’s the loss of the version of ourselves we thought we would become, or the loss of a friendship that our life once revolved around. I believe loss is something we all carry with us in one shape or form. My debut feature, Butterfly (2026), explores that subject. It is a contained sci-fi drama about the fear of living a life you didn't choose and losing yourself in the process. I wrote, directed, and edited it, shooting over ten days across London and Surrey with a cast including Jordan Adene (Doctor Who, The Sandman), Samiah Khan (Star Wars: Andor, The Power), Elliot Cable (Sweetpea, A Thousand Blows), Isobel Thom (Too Much, Big Mood), and Owen Warner (Hollyoaks, I'm A Celebrity).
Before Butterfly, I wrote and directed two award-winning shorts, Good Ones and Boot, with wins at Venice Shorts, Hollywood Blood Horror, and the Alternate Film Festival. I've also directed three television mini-series for Paramount, creating branded content for Paw Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Alongside narrative work, I've spent years editing and directing commercially for clients including Disney+, Paramount, Pokémon, and Warner Music. Most recently, this has included directing a Paw Patrol cinema commercial for Paramount and editing the worldwide launch trailer for Pokémon Horizons S3.
Right now, I'm booked for a couple of projects in 2027 and am writing my second feature film.