• Valley Village, CA
• Cinematographer

Award presented: September 26, 2020

 Through determination, desire and hard work, Crystal Kelley has earned her place as a respected part of the world of cinematography. She’s never been one to shy away from opportunities, and in fact has made it a goal to create new opportunities for herself and women in the industry. That drive was fostered at Otterbein where Kelley was an active member of Sisters United, a student-run organization for women of color, where she contributed ideas for programs and community service projects. Her creative energy was further on display in the Department of Theatre and Dance where she continued her studies in stage lighting, preparing her for Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. While earning her M.F.A., Kelley’s knowledge of cinematography continued to grow. Since then, she’s taken her skillset to the skies, earning her license with the FAA to pilot drones for aerial cinematography. Crystal doesn’t believe in limits, which is why she’s been part of production crews for television, live events, documentaries and films, both short and feature length. Her dedication and pride in her work has led to over 25 director of photography credits in films and web series, from her first motion capture short film, Some Like It Bot that screened at Comic Con, to her latest feature film The Workout Room, starring Joe Torry and Tammy Townsend. Crystal tell stories through her cinematography work and we can’t wait to see what story she shares next.