Jay Melena
Photographer, Director, Filmmaker, Creative Director
Telling visual stories is the foundation of what I do, but emotional connection is why I do it. I grew up surrounded by my dad’s photojournalism and then received a BA in photography. But before pursuing this as my career, I invested 12 years in social and environmental non-profits and the outdoor industry. I bring my full scope of visual acuity combined with social and product awareness to bear for my client's projects.
Trusted by:
Awards, Grants, and Honors
Best of Festival, No Man’s Land Film Festival
Telly Award, Silver Winner, DOCUMENTARY: SHORT FORM — BRANDED CONTENT
The Webby Award, Honoree, Video Documentary (Branded)
Winner - 2nd Annual Genderqueer Filmmaker Grant, No Man’s Land Film Festival
Semi-Finalist, New Voices Filmmaker Grant
2024
Official Selection at Tribeca, BANFF, 5 Point, SF Documentary, Indy Shorts, Bentonville, BendFilm, Hot Springs Documentary, Sedona International, Bicycle Film, AmDocs, Kendal Mountain, Flagstaff Mountain and Outside Film Festivals.
2023
2021
36 Hours in Kitsbow Filmmaker Grant
“Working with Jay is such a breath of fresh air. Not only is he incredibly skilled, thoughtful, and organized, but his strong creative eye is always seeking and capturing new angles on his subjects, making it a delight to see what he’s going to deliver next.
Jay makes my job easier by working more as an extension of our team than an independent contractor. He sees the bigger picture of our work and delivers beyond what’s requested in the brief.”
- Sarah Seward, Creative Director at Ecology Action
"Jay! You captured it! Made me tear up seeing all the joy in this video! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU"
- Ashley Rankin, Founder of Shredly
