Meet Emily Kelly

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Kelly. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.

Emily, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

Growing up, I found myself struggling to be confident. I constantly worried that my scripts weren’t well-written and my stories weren’t good enough. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that my screenwriting professor pointed out that my stories are uniquely mine. Nobody else can tell my story like I can. This comment really hit me. Throughout that class, I began to develop my own, unique voice as a writer. I like to write from personal experience and put the deepest parts of myself into my films. No one can tell my story better than I can because it’s a piece of me. This screenwriting class allowed me to see the value in my perspective and the uniqueness of my voice as a writer and director. I am forever grateful for that.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

In 2016, I launched a production company called Wolflion Studios to market video production services to local schools, businesses, churches, and non-profits in the greater Atlanta area. Over the years, I’ve managed, produced, filmed & edited over 65 videos with various business leaders, doctors, musicians, and fellow filmmakers. My personal favorite project is currently in the works: a coming-of-age short film called Flow!

Flow follows a terminally-ill dancer and her protective best friend as they clash over the decision to continue dancing for their toxic instructor. Ive been wanting to tell this story for a while now. Dance has a very special place in my heart. One of my best friends introduced me to the dance world when I was in middle school. We spent countless hours practicing together, making up routines, and going to classes. There is a beauty to movement, and dance gave me a place to express emotions that I couldn’t really put into words. Dance is freeing and satisfying, but at the same time, the dance world itself can be competitive and overwhelming. I want to tell a story about the dance world that highlights the good and the bad. I want to tell a story for those that have ever been pushed to their physical, emotional, and mental limits. This film is about holding on the what you love.

I directed a very amazing and talented crew of over 35 filmmakers with various accolades and background experiences for this project. Post-production is well under way and I can’t wait to share this film with the world!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

It is invaluable to be personable. Talent isn’t the only thing that gets you through the door. People want someone they can work well with and get along with. Go the extra mile and treat others the way you want to be treated!

Gaining experience pitching your projects and yourself is also essential. I’ve learned that it is important to have a “why you” component to every story that I pitch, as I need to prove why I am the only one who can tell that story, even if it’s not my own.

Lastly, never stop networking! Always have an appetite for getting to know other creative individuals. If you want to go into film, surround yourself by people that will make you a better filmmaker.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes! Absolutely, and always! I believe that it is so important to make connections with fellow filmmakers and broaden my network. As artists, it is our duty to build each other up.

If you have an interest in working on a film project in any capacity or simply want to grab coffee and chat about the industry, feel free to reach out to [email protected]

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Cary Qian
Leika Wong

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