Gabriel Olson is a filmmaker, director, and producer working across award-winning commercials, documentaries, and narrative films. A graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Gabriel launched his career under the mentorship of Anonymous Content’s Malcolm Venville, contributing to dozens of global campaigns for clients including Nike, Honda, Toyota, NASDAQ, and the California Lottery, as well as two feature films.

His directorial debut in the commercial world quickly gained traction: his Coke Zero piece won Overall Grand Prize at the Cannes Lions MOFILM Competition, leading to a stint working for Ogilvy & Mather on Coca-Cola. Gabriel was named to SHOOT Magazine’s prestigious New Directors Showcase, and his Super Bowl–aired Guitar Center spot featuring Questlove established him as a go-to visual storyteller and documentarian for major brands. He went on to direct work for Google, Meta, EA Games (for The Sims 20th anniversary campaign), and Nintendo, earning accolades including a Webby Award and over 8.7 million impressions for a real-time Facebook Live experience with Lexus.

Gabriel also has a deep knack for authentic, emotionally grounded storytelling in the documentary-commercial space. His work with pharma brands like Novartis and Supernus showcases his unique ability to create a safe, empathetic environment where interview subjects feel comfortable opening up—resulting in interviews that are not only moving but deeply accessible to audiences.

In narrative, Gabriel’s Hitchcockian short film The Bridge Partner, starring Beth Grant, Sharon Lawrence, and Oscar nominee Robert Forster, premiered internationally at Raindance and screened at over 50 festivals worldwide. It won the Wes Craven Best Horror Film Award, the Best Suspense Film at Comic-Con International, and an Audience Award at D.C. Shorts. The film was also featured by Vimeo Staff Picks, The Wrap, GIZMODO, and Famous Monsters to name a few..

He produced the indie thriller The Devil to Pay, now streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime, and directed Coach Pancake, a heartwarming short documentary that premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Gabriel was invited to shadow a director on Criminal Minds during its penultimate season and is currently attached to direct Nurtured, an upcoming narrative feature with Mandalay Pictures.

Across all formats—from global brand campaigns to personal stories—Gabriel’s passion remains the same: to uncover the emotional truth at the heart of every story.