Director Sam Coleman has joined the U.S. roster of Eleanor.
“At the end of the day, my job is finding the best in a script and elevating it to be the absolute best it can be,” said Coleman. “Never letting a single second slip, every moment within a script becomes a doorway of possibility.”
This approach has yielded a distinctive body of work. From the simple idea of time, he composed a black-and-white dance through the decades for Allan Gray’s “Everything Comes Around.” The film captures how patience, dedication, and artistry always find their reward. Under Coleman’s eye, light and shadow, silence and sound, ebb and flow in perfect harmony–a visual symphony that transcends the sum of its parts.
His film “Khuphuka Nathi” for Spotify Africa captures that same emotional purity. Rooted in Zulu identity and the power of music to connect generations, it’s a stirring ode to cultural pride and modern youth. “For Spotify, you might expect something sleek and stylized,” Coleman said. “But this story let me lean into a more narrative, emotional space, where I feel most at home creatively.” Shot across Durban and KwaZulu-Natal with nimble, handheld cameras, the piece balances intimacy and scale in equal measure. As Spotify’s head of marketing, Sithabile Kachisa, described, the film is “a love letter to Zulu-speaking listeners…about celebrating the pride, identity, and spirit of being Zulu.” Through projects like this, Coleman continues to champion the rise of Pan-African youth culture on the global stage, a movement he calls “undiscovered, hungry, and absolutely tireless.”
Coleman’s KFC Streetwise campaign, including a :90 spot which earned SHOOT’s “The Best Work You May Never See” distinction earlier this year, is a rousing chain reaction of “original feeding original” out of Ogilvy Johannesburg. Rappers Khuli Chana, Blxckie and 25K team with Coleman to celebrate the power of inspiration for KFC Streetwise. The piece underscores that every groundbreaking artist has a story, a moment of inspiration that drives their next wave of creativity. But this doesn’t happen in isolation–original needs to feed original. “Sam has a truly unique vision with the ability to transform a script in a way that elevates the story,” said Grant Macpherson, KFC’s chief marketing officer for Africa. “His remarkable eye for talent and craft enhances every piece of film he touches.”
In “Superfrau” for ON Running, Coleman weaves performance and emotion together–juxtaposing Swiss triathlete Nicola Spirig’s triumphs with her child’s drawings to tell a story of motherhood, ambition, and grace. The result is both poignant and deeply human, showing how Coleman pushes even the most remarkable stories further through visual storytelling.
Prior to joining Eleanor, Coleman was repped in the U.S. market by RSA. And before his directorial career, Coleman had his eye for excellence shaped by years as a creative director. From amplifying South African street culture to leading the Adidas Originals account at 180 Amsterdam and later joining Mother New York across Stella Artois and Tanqueray, his background in creative direction and fashion sharpened his instincts and refined his taste.
His storytelling has captured the attention of the industry’s most respected juries, including Cannes Lions, Clios, Ciclope, and D&AD.
“It’s the micro moments that make Sam’s craft amazing,” said Eleanor president Sophie Gold. “He crafts the hell out of every second. Nothing is missed.”
“Eleanor’s got a very refreshing voice,” added Coleman. “It feels relevant, it feels disruptive. For me, signing with Eleanor is like stepping into the right bar.”
