LEV PAKMAN was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Fiorello H. Laguardia High School and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. During college, Lev produced and directed his first short film, Side Effected, which was voted an "Audience Favorite" at the 2013 Palm Springs International Shortfest, earned a Vimeo Staff Pick, and played at festivals internationally. His short film, For the Record, premiered at the 2014 Hamptons International Film Festival. His short doc, Cpl. Brittany Jackson’s Smile, premiered on Vimeo Staff Picks, played at the 2019 Sarasota Film Festival, and received a write-up in The Advocate.

His feature-length screenplay Mouthpiece, co-written with playwright Francisca Da Silveira, was shortlisted for the 2020 Sundance Screenwriters Lab.

Lev is repped by Sharon Horgan’s management-production company Merman, where he has directed commercials for brands like GEICO, Samsung, Kraft Heinz, T-Mobile, AT&T, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, The Glenlivet, Ajinomoto, and Captain Morgan in collaboration with globally recognized ad agencies including R/GA, BBH, Edelman Digital, 72andSunny, GUT, Wunderman Thompson, Evoke Group, Bloomberg Studios, The Martin Agency, and Anomaly. His “Everybody Strip” campaign for Breathe Right was named “Ad of the Week” by Campaign US. His Captain Morgan “Shotface” commercial starring Charles Melton received shoutouts from Adweek and Us Weekly. His “Redefine CRS” campaign starring Eddie Huang received Webby and Shorty Award nominations as well as attention from The New York Times, BBC, NBC News, CNN, Adweek, and Ad Age.

Lev began as a performer and, at age 13, sang one of the Three Genies in Julie Taymor’s production of The Magic Flute at The Metropolitan Opera. He has had a recurring role on Red Oaks (Amazon) and appeared in Love the Coopers (Lionsgate), The Mysteries of Laura (NBC), and the Counting Crows music videos "Palisades Park" and "Scarecrow.”