Syra McCarthy

Syra (sigh-ruh) is a 5’2 half Filipino, half New Zealander first generation American. Say it five times fast.

What she lacks in physical size she makes up for in imagination. A director as well as an actor she uses both identities like Batman and Bruce Wayne working to keep the city of Gotham safe. Moving with grace between different styles of film —from cinematic surrealism to smart quirky comedy—McCarthy approaches filmmaking with a stylistic flair that subverts expectations. Directing for brands like Google, Angi, Olly, Scotch-Brite, Ford’s Gin, and Square, her work was recently featured in the New York Times . (Insert another appealing accolade here).

Syra is also the co-creator or Soft Hold Collective, a Bay Area film directory highlighting female & non-binary talent behind the camera.

When she is not on set, you can probably find her camping in the forest with her cat Ringo.