Jessica Kelley is an award-winning documentary Director & Producer, a foster parent, & fierce defender of the Oxford comma.
Raised on the banks of the Ohio River, this Midwest Liz Lemon began her 14 years of filmmaking experience in her hometown but soon traveled across the world to Beijing, China where she studied for her Master's degree in International Media.
From there, she yearned for bagels & Billy Joel so she moved to New York where she became a 2x Emmy-nominated director developing over 50 short films and 4 digital series for Newsday.
In 2019 she was one of the first video producers in the United States chosen for the Facebook Video Accelerator Program and was awarded a Peabody for her work on the film Long Island Divided.
If you can’t find her on set, check the beach, she’s most likely there demolishing a bag of salt & vinegar chips.
5
continents traveled
3
regional spelling bee championships
4
states called home
30+
listened to
the search for everything album
mission
serving the Socratic function of making us question our habits & challenge conventions
providing underrepresented voices an opportunity to change the conversation, bringing to life their unique voices & experiences through non-fiction storytelling
specifically interested in stories focused on mental health, women empowerment, & pop culture
values
recognize the importance of (especially marginalized) employees having an advocate present to support them, to avoid surprises of coercion & pressure often found in the power dynamics inside an office or on a set
emotional intelligence & empathy are the backbone of impactful storytelling
committed to making purpose-driven decisions that can be seen in action at every level of enterprise
non-violent communication, conflict resolution, sensitivity toward others, & a sense of humor on set are non-negotiable
always submit a creative brief with detailed clarity, communication, & strategy, destroying any opportunity for future misunderstandings while creating efficiency & accountability in future stages
promise chocolate, then bring chocolate AND a bottle of wine
ALWAYS OVER-DELIVER
goals
in the next year - build upon community to include & empower more BIPOC creatives in future projects
while continuing to evolve & strengthen my voice as a visual storyteller
add at least 5 scripted productions -preferably comedy - to the portfolio in the next 5 years
over the next decade - build & connect with a core audience; be able to promise companies a loyal audience by driving them to their platform
...also hoping to afford a nugget ice maker one day
specialties
setting visual styles & tone then maintaining that format in accordance to network needs
leading with decisive,
forward-thinking strategy for multipile story producers & editors on multiple episodes, characters & storylines
establishing the production & post schedule then providing constructive & motivating notes to department heads
dream projects
intimate feature-length film that examines mental health in the world's most inventive comedians
inspiration:
"Love, Gilda"
"Katy Perry: Part of Me"
"Cracked Up: The Darrell Hammond Story"
docuseries that explores the complexities of the lawful and genetic rights of motherhood inside the foster care system
inspiration:
"Little Fires Everywhere"
"The Light Between Oceans"
"Lion"
an improv travel show that attempts to tackle uncomfortable topics between cultures while providing abbreviated history lessons for context
inspiration:
"Conan Without Borders"
"Down to Earth with Zac Efron"
"Somebody Feed Phil"
dream partnerships
hello sunshine
jigsaw productions
30 for 30
paper kite productions
pixar
complex
umm...did we just become best friends?
If you love quoting Seinfeld, riding roller coasters, or having intense debates on N*SYNC vs. Backstreet Boys...we're gonna get along just fine.
*Bonus points if you can help find my phone
(I'm always losing it)