Keli Price of Los Angeles on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Keli Price shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Keli, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I’m currently in the Midwest producing our movie Death of a Brewer with Jefferson White, Mena Suvari, Tyler Posey, and Crispin Glover. A typical day is full-on work on set, then on the weekends, I fly home to spend 24 hours with my wife and our 2-year-old son before heading right back!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I made my first movie in 2014, an ode to my great-grandfather, titled On Thin Ice. It was a documentary exploring discrimination in sports and society, highlighting my great-grandfather’s experiences, as well as the trailblazers who followed him, like Greg Louganis, Evander Holyfield, Robbie Rogers, Aimee Mullins, and Allyson Felix, and examining how discrimination continues to persist in sports today.

Since then, my company, Price Productions, has grown to produce five to six films per year, while staying true to the themes of resilience and amplifying underrepresented stories and communities that guided our first project. We constantly revisit the pure joy and passion that went into making On Thin Ice, using that same spirit to guide the stories we tell and the films we create moving forward.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I’ve been very lucky to have several mentors and cheerleaders in my life. My grandfather, my mom, my dad, my brother, my wife, and now, my son. My son constantly reminds me of who I am. When you raise a child, you’re confronted every day with your core principles. I have to consistently show up in the way I want him to be.

You learn a lot about yourself when you raise someone else. You become acutely aware of the qualities you want to pass down, and the ones you don’t. In the process, I’ve found a deeper love and acceptance of myself through raising my boy.

Boys want to be like their dad. You become this kind of superhero in their eyes. But what’s really powerful is that while they love you unconditionally, they also see exactly who you are. There’s no mask. That bond with my son has shaped me profoundly, and I can say it’s made me a better person.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Failure has always taught me far more than success. As an operator and business owner constantly running film productions, there’s never a day without a fire to put out. That’s just part of the process. What’s funny is that every single project brings new challenges I never could have anticipated. You prep, you learn from past experiences, you think you’re ready, and then something unexpected tests you. That’s the beauty of being a leader and a business owner: the unknown is part of the job.

For me, failure is fuel. When I fall short, I don’t retreat. I come out swinging. That’s just who I am. I could never fail and then sit on the bench. I have to come back and pitch a perfect game, at least secure a win. It’s in my blood. Failure and suffering don’t discourage me. They motivate me more than victories ever could.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My family and making a positive impact on others through kindness are at the core of everything I do. It’s so important to me that when people leave one of my productions, they remember the positive energy and the supportive, inclusive environment we created, which hopefully encourages them to want to collaborate again.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop overthinking unimportant stuff and focus on what really matters. Life has moments that remind me to appreciate the little things and hold onto what’s important. I like to think I live life to the fullest, always trying to soak up every minute, but there’s always room to do better. It’s sobering to think about having only ten years left, yet at the same time, it really puts everything into perspective

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Sabrina Steck for all images other than the Golden Globes photo and the photo next to the guy in the blue and red shirt. The photo credit for the one next to the guy in the blue and red shirt sitting down: Tiffany Brook Helm.

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