BRIAN RIVERA is an Emmy Award-winning director, writer and producer based in Los Angeles.
In more than 10 years of telling stories, Rivera has shot with Tyson Fury and the Aflac duck. Coach Prime and a FIFA whistleblower. Dogs, frogs, and horses. Even a Red Panda. He’s shot with a blind painter, an incarcerated playwright, a spelling prodigy, a deaf dancer and dozens of others with incredible talent and journeys.
He has directed two documentaries that were nominated for National Sports Emmy Awards and many more that weren’t.
In 2024, Rivera worked for NFL Media as a producer of original content, where he wrote and directed the open / tease for Netflix’s “NFL Christmas GameDay” broadcast and the inaugural season of “Tight End University” (CBS). In 2023, Rivera worked as a producer and second-unit director on “The Express Way with Dulé Hill” (PBS), an arts and culture docuseries which was met with critical acclaim.
He has worked on follow-style docuseries, archival docuseries, short and feature length documentaries, commercials and branded content. Prior to becoming a freelancer, Rivera spent 7 years as a director on ESPN’s documentary series E60.
Rivera co-directed “Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story” (ESPN, 2020), which USA Today called “powerful and absorbing” and was nominated for two National Sports Emmy Awards in the categories of Outstanding Journalism and Outstanding Tease.
Rivera’s documentary “Lovely Finish” (ESPN, 2019) was nominated for a National Sports Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Short Sports Documentary.
CONNECT: RIVERA.BRIANM@GMAIL.COM / IMDB
Rivera directs John Cena and Caroline Boulton on the set of “Everyone Has a Fireplace” (Netflix / 2024)
Rivera on location in Ohio directing an episode of Peyton’s Places (ESPN / 2025)