A former high school teacher and screenwriting instructor, McElvaney has spent most of his life helping others craft meaningful, emotionally-resonant stories. Now a full-time screenwriter himself, McElvaney applies a deep understanding of structure and character development to his features, which often show what happens when the underestimated and overlooked take action.  

Just getting started in the industry, McElvaney has fared well in screenplay competitions with his risque TV dramedy pilot Not Swingers, a 2nd-rounder at AFF in 2022; his fantasy action/comedy Dragons of the Gloaming, a Top 5 Finalist in the 2021 Save the Cat! Screenplay Challenge; and his coming-of-age drama/thriller Sent Away, a Semi-Finalist in the 2022 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition.

In a writers' room or on a set, McElvaney brings a veteran teacher's comfort with collaboration and the ability to adjust on the fly.