Biography
Harley Di Nardo is the creator, executive producer, director, writer, and lead actor of the short film "Weathered Storms," which premiered at the prestigious Soho House in New York City in 2016, was an official selection of the Soho Short Film Festival, and was recently selected as film of the month for the Oasis Short Film Screening Series. "Weathered Storms" features a couple trapped in a New York City loft forced to work out their marital differences during a raging storm. Di Nardo is also the writer/director/actor in the feature film, "Dead Envy" A film about an aging Rock artist's disastrous recruitment of a mysterious young talent, which premiered at the Hollywood Independent Reel Festival, where it took home the award for Best Thriller. The film is distributed through Random Media and is available on Amazon and iTunes. He also has a web series titled "Desert Hot Valley," in production, about a male prostitute who is on the run. He previously served as creator, executive producer, director, writer, and lead of the short film "Dylan's Mania," as well as for the music video for "GO" by the band Born Pilot, and two feature film teaser trailers.
Di Nardo studied script development and method acting at the Strasberg Film Academy, and Meisner's Technique at the T. Schreiber Acting Studios in New York City. He also attended Dov Simen's "Indie Filmmaking" program, whose past graduates include Quentin Tarantino, Chris Nolan, Spike Lee, Guy Ritchie, and Will Smith, and the "Screenplay Rewrite" seminar led by the "Godfather" of screenwriting Syd Field.
Prior to his work in film, Di Nardo had a successful career as a musician in New York City, first as the lead singer and songwriter for the band Closer, signed to Irving Azoff's label Revolution Records/Warner Bros., and later with White Light Motorcade, signed to Maroon 5's label Octone/BMG. Closer's debut album was well-reviewed and they toured with Supergrass, Chumbawumba, Edwyn Collins, and Love Spit Love. White Light Motorcade's critically-acclaimed first album "Thank You, Goodnight" led to tours with bands including The Donna's, Alice Cooper, Ok Go, Ash, and more, as well as appearing on the MTV/CMJ Advanced Warning Tour alongside The Moony Suzuki and The Raveonettes. Di Nardo's filmmaking style incorporates his rock n' roll aesthetic as well as sophisticated use of music and sound in storytelling.
Always in search of new stories and opportunities, Di Nardo has several new projects in various stages of Development.
Originally from White Plains, New York, Di Nardo now resides in Los Angeles.
