SHELDON CANDIS

Baltimore native Sheldon Candis is a graduate of the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts. Candis’ feature directorial debut LUV was an official selection in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition starring Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Charles Dutton, Michael K. Williams, Meagan Good, and Russell Hornsby. Candis directed the feature length documentary BALTIMORE BOYS for the prestigious ESPN Films banner.

Candis directed WHO WILL SURVIVE AMERICA for the AMC Networks/ Sundance Now Doc Club original series Take 5: Justice in America. The short documentary chronicles the United States’ storied love affair and easy accessibility to guns. Candis’ has also directed the docu-series I WILL WHAT I WANT for Under Armour and ballerina phenom Misty Copeland along with the Charles Barkley Executive Produced DREAMS.

WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE BRIGHTEST, a cinematic story within the cult video game series NBA 2K 20 for Springhill Entertainment Candis has helmed. Executive Produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter and starring Idris Elba, Rosario Dawson, Thomas Middleditch, and Lamorne Morris.

Candis' high impact storytelling has seamlessly translated into the advertising world, with Candis directing cultural defining campaigns for the likes of Amazon, Ford, Honda, Walmart, and Microsoft along with helming numerous national public service announcements, including the IT'S ON US sexual awareness campaign for the Obama-Biden administration.

Candis’ television credits include the BET Detective Noir series REBEL starring Giancarlo Esposito and Mykelti Williamson. OWN’s CHERISH THE DAY starring Joy Bryant, Henry Simmons, and Richard Roundtree along with his most recent work on the CW and DC Comics super hero series NAOMI. Along with THE GAME PLAN for TNT and Executive Producer Shaquille O’Neal.

Candis recently helmed the Netflix and ARRAY production COLIN IN BLACK & WHITE with Executive Producer Ava DuVernay. Starring Nick Offerman, Mary Louise Parker, and Jaden Michael. The prestige limited series chronicles the early wonder years of civil rights activist and cultural icon athlete Colin Kaepernick. 

AWARDS:

-2023 GRAND GOLD Circle of Excellence - University of Louisville “Here & Beyond”

-2023 SILVER TELLY, REGIONAL TV - Rocket Mortgage “Anthem”

-2015 WOOD PENCIL BRANDED FILM CONTENT & ENTERTAINMENT, D&AD Awards - ‘I WILL WHAT I WANT’

-2015 BRONZE ADVERTISING, DIGITAL & MOTION, ADC 94th Annual Awards - ‘I WILL WHAT I WANT’

-2014 NOMINEE BEST VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE, MTV Video Music Awards - CROOKED SMILE

-2014 NOMINEE BEST HIP HOP VIDEO, BET Hip Hop Awards - CROOKED SMILE

-2013 NOMINEE GRAND PRIZE, Skip City International D-Cinema Festival - LUV

-2013 BEST INDEPENDENT FILM, Black Reel Awards - LUV

-2012 NOMINEE GRAND JURY PRIZE, Sundance Film Festival - LUV

-2012 NOMINEE HUMANITAS PRIZE, Humanitas Prize - LUV