Gabriel Isaac Lakey, PDX born and raised filmmaker.
Gabriel Isaac Lakey is an award-winning filmmaker based in Portland, Oregon, whose work blends nostalgia, introspection, and personal storytelling. As a director and writer, he crafts emotionally resonant narratives, infusing even the darkest moments with humor and optimism. His films are defined by their rich visual storytelling, favoring imagery over exposition to create lasting impact.
His feature film Punched After the Fact has earned international recognition on the festival circuit, and his latest short, The Barbarian, is set to debut in October of 2025, starring rising talent Windsor Williams and Broadway veteran Vin Shambry. Gabriel’s portfolio spans feature films, music videos, and branded content, including The Space Between Words (2019), as well as music videos for Honorscouts’ Rebranded (2023) and Laryssa Birdseye’s Porcelain (2021).
Beyond directing, Gabriel is deeply involved in the creative process, from writing and production design to editing. Trained by Broadway actor Rodney Hicks (Rent, Come From Away), he also has a background in acting, giving him a unique perspective on performance and character-driven storytelling. His collaborations include working with Adrian Grenier (The Devil Wears Prada, Entourage), comedian Andrew Schulz, award-winning filmmaker Ian Stewart Fowler (Crazy Right), and musician Trevor Dahl (Cheat Codes).
On set, Gabriel creates an inviting, collaborative, and safe space where creativity thrives. His passion and energy are contagious, inspiring the cast and crew to bring their best work to every project. A graduate of Portland State University with a degree in communication and film, he continues to develop original stories that connect with audiences. For the last six years, Gabriel has dedicated his time to Providence Milwaukie Hospital’s Community Teaching Kitchen as their Lead Video Production Specialist working on a large variety of medical based video content, including a mini documentary for the international organization, the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, an award-winning recipe demonstration video, and internal-use productions.
Featured project:
THE BARBARIAN
WRITER / DIRECTOR / EDITOR / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Log line: Through a lonely but imaginative game of Dungeons and Dragons, a young teen learns to live with the grief of his departed father.
Festival Circuit:
Portland Film Festival 2025
Philly Area Gaming Expo (PAGE) 2026
PopCon International Film Festival 2026
Filmed: Oct 2024
Release: TBD 2027
REELS
FILMMAKING
MUSIC
TALKING HEADS
COOKING
NARRATIVE FILMS
COMMERCIALS
MINI-DOCS
COOKING DEMOS
MUSIC VIDEOS
LIVE-PERFORMANCES
What Clients Are Saying
“The Come Back Better music video marks the beginning of a love affair with one of out favorite collaborators Gabriel Isaac Lakey, and the way this all came about is nothing short of divine intervention. My collaborator and I had been talking about how much we wanted to do a music video for at least one of the songs on Magical Realism, and almost the same exact day Gabriel messaged us with a music video concept he had been wanting to shoot for some time that was impossibly perfect for the story of Come Back Better.”
— Alexander Shane, Singer, Songwriter & Producer, honorscouts
“Gabriel was great to work with and quite professional. He is thoughtful, creative, and collaborates with you well to make your vision a reality. He goes above and beyond to make high quality work and has a quick turn around time for editing what was shot. I’d highly recommend working with him and I look forward to working with him again.”
— Gerick Latham, Sustainability & Efficiency Director, Nicky USA
“When I start working on a script, or planning out a shoot, I have high expectations on communication. It has been nearly impossible for me to find a writing partner over the last 12 years, that is until I met Gabriel Lakey. Gabriel and I have worked on multiple shoots and he has shown to me that his skills as a director, cinematographer and editor are at a high level. I look forward to continue work with, especially on our next feature film Punched After the Fact.”
— Ian Fowler, Head Executive of King Poacher Films
“Working with Gabriel Lakey was an outstanding experience from start to finish. When we first started communication about the ideas, plans and processes of making this music video, Gabriel made me feel really heard, safe and excited! Shooting with Gabriel on two of my music videos was an absolute blast! His eye for shots, motivation to create the best product and willingness to go the extra mile for the videos was bar none. I will definitely be working with Gabriel Lakey again.”
— Adam Knight, Musician
“Gabriel spent a year in residence with us and he’s a very passionate person who can shoot, edit and livestream high quality and engaging content.”
— Nick Perkiss, Videography Equipment Technician, Providence Health & Services