Meet Kaitlyn Kelly | Screenwriter, Film Director, & Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaitlyn Kelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaitlyn, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In order to take a risk, one must first have the belief and the faith that whatever they are going after is worth it and will one day become a reality. I visited LA in 2021 for a week to decide if this was a place I wanted to move to post film school in 2022. On the plane ride back to Florida, I couldn’t help think about how magical my experience was. I had lived in my small town, Albany, Georgia most of my life, but I knew I needed to live in LA to pursue this career, but didn’t have that much money. We also weren’t allowed to have a job in film school, so I wasn’t earning any income. My decision to move Los Angeles was solely based on faith. I knew that one day it would be real.

I came up with the idea to start a GoFundMe a year in advance to fund my expenses to live in LA. My goal was to raise $10,000. I am the type of person that would rather struggle in silence than to ask my own parents for a dime, so as you can imagine asking for $10,000 on the internet was a huge step outside of my comfort zone. But, it taught me to advocate for myself and to continue to believe that my dreams can become a reality. I received so many donations from strangers, those of which who were industry professionals, also living in LA, or just strangers rooting for another stranger. Because I stepped out on faith and took this risk, I raised a total of $9,000 and am grateful to have now been in LA going on almost 2 years.

I think most times when we think about taking a risk, we worry about what will go wrong or how we will be rejected. When we take risks, there’s always a possibility that someone will say no or someone won’t support what you’re doing. But, there’s also a world in which there’s someone that will give you that “yes”. There’s a world in which what you’re taking a risk for will work out.

Also, our risk taking not only benefits ourselves, but it can also inspire others to do the same.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My passion for storytelling stems from my commitment to telling authentic and diverse stories that challenge the prevailing narratives of black people on screen across various genres. Growing up as an only child in South Georgia I spent most of my time alone creating storylines with intense plots. Whether I wrote them down in a notebook or turned my fingers and toes into fictional characters; I always found a way to tell a story. At an early age, I recognized a lack of diversity in film and television. Though I noticed that there weren’t a lot of characters on screen that looked like me. I also recognized that there weren’t a lot of characters that looked like anyone else either. I realized that characters on screen didn’t reflect the diversity of real-life experiences. This realization fueled my determination to be the voice that was missing in the industry.

I had an Aunt who was a double amputee, a diabetic, half blind, and weighed over 600lbs. She had the most kindest spirit and was known as everyone’s “neighborhood auntie”. She passed away when I was about 10 years old. I never saw her as obese, a diabetic, half- blind, or anything else other than my cool auntie who always made me feel safe. I would watch a lot of TV as a kid and I would often wonder why stories like my aunt’s weren’t worth being told in a positive light? The only stories I could recall that were about obesity were reality TV shows like “My 600 lb Life”. There was so much more to her and her story than just her weight.

The type of stories I tell aren’t necessarily directly related to health conditions, but my art is for anyone who has ever felt underrepresented or invisible by their peers, the industry, or even the world. My aunt’s story is just one of many. I want people to view my art as a mirror and to feel seen through a myriad of genres (Drama, Comedy, SciFi) and art mediums (TV/Film ,etc.). Sometimes these stories aren’t even directly related to my personal experience, but I’m able to identify the core message that I want to convey.

I’m most proud of my 2022 short film, “Pas De Deux” (A Dance for Two)” my MFA thesis film from Florida State University. The story follows the journey of a young black male ballet dancer who is grieving his romantic dance partner and has to move on with a new dance partner. I’m not a ballet dancer, never have been, and most likely never will be. I wrote and directed this piece as someone grieving a relationship that I lost. I was dedicated to making sure this wasn’t the average ” sad breakup movie”. I wanted to highlight black people in a way that people had never seen before. I had never seen a black male represented this way, let alone a black male ballet dancer. So, I did my research and got to work.

Outside of filmmaking, I also launched a mental health podcast for creatives , “Take Care with Kaitlyn Kelly”. On the podcast, we advocate for elevating to the highest versions of ourselves through embracing self- care, personal growth, and finding balance in the fast-paced world. It’s been a great outlet for me to share what I love to do offline and in my daily life, but on a larger and public scale, which is encouraging others. I decided that the impact I have on encouraging a random stranger in the Starbucks line could have the same impact if not greater if made accessible for anyone to receive a weekly dose of encouragement and positivity. It’s been a great way to share some of the lessons I’m learning along the way as someone managing adulthood on a different scale, life as a creative, and finding myself in my mid-20s. Being a creative can be challenging sometimes. It’s a huge risk. Sometimes we feel like we have it all together, and then sometimes we feel like we’re failing at life or feel that we’re questioning if this is even going to work out. I created this space because I know that if I’ve ever felt alone, or felt a certain emotion that someone else out there has too at some point, and I want them to know that their not alone.

While I am at the beginning of my career in the industry, I recognize that this journey (or any of them), is never “easy”. But, I will share some of the things I’m learning along the way:

1. A closed mouth never gets fed. Always advocate for yourself. Unfortunately, no one else will.
2. Just because you can do something yourself, doesn’t mean you have to or that you should. Collaborate with other like-minded creatives!
3. The Climb by Miley Cyrus hits harder as an adult and is my anthem. I suggest you give it a listen when you’re down.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I never considered myself an “outdoorsy” person until I moved to LA, but hiking or being in nature would definitely be on the itinerary. LA is just too gorgeous for me to even put into words and also it’s too gorgeous to stay inside; that’s how people get Vitamin D deficiencies. I love the hike up to the Griffith Observatory because the view on the way up is breathtaking. My first time hiking up was awful haha, but the views on the way up and once we arrived made it all worth it. When most people think of LA they, think of how expensive it is, the crime rates, and just how stressful it must be living here. They’re not wrong, hahaha. But, one thing that always makes me feel at peace regardless of what’s going on, is basking in the beauty of LA and admiring God’s creations all around me. The Griffith Observatory is just the cherry on top because I’ve always been fascinated with space. So, I view the hike as the perfect opportunity to bask in God’s creation and to learn more about His creations. So, if my best friend (or anyone) came to visit me from Georgia, I’d want to share that with them. I just want everyone to experience the view of LA from way up high and feel or think to themselves “maybe this place is alright”.

As far as food, I am a BIG foodie. I’ve never tasted better food ever. I love Greek food. So, I’d probably take them to Rodini Park in North Hollywood. I also love Bruxie’s Chicken,

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s so many people I can shoutout. I would not be here without my amazing parents. I am so blessed to have been raised by such good people who were committed to making sure I had a better quality of life. I will always cherish and appreciate my upbringing. Someone once asked me how do I stay grounded out here in LA when there’s so much to “get into” or be distracted by and I told them that 1: My mama and daddy ain’t play that. Lol. But, it truly is because of my foundation. My roots. I’m not sure what I did to deserve such a good pair of humans to be born to, but I am so blessed and honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’d also like to shoutout my alma maters: Albany High School, Middle Georgia State University, and lastly Florida State University’s MFA Film Program. I am so grateful for my education as each of them played a huge part in molding me into the storyteller I am in some capacity. At a young age, I knew I wanted to tell stories, but never was able to quite identify the occupation or the path to get there. I first learned how to tell compelling stories and piece together moving images at age 15 in my Audio/Video Production courses at Albany High School taught by Stephanie Burke.

In undergrad, I gained so many skills as a lead member in the student production teams supervised by Dr. Andre Nicholson and in film production courses taught by Lauren Cater. I am forever grateful for their leadership and their dedication to the advancement of students.

In graduate school, I learned every key component of filmmaking from pre-production to post and how each crew member plays a huge role on set. Most people believe that you do not have to go to film school to be successful in this industry, and that is true; but, in my case it was the best decision I could have ever made for my life and my career. To each and every educator that has poured into me, encouraged me, or believed in me just a little, I will always remember you and hope to make you proud.

While, my college career is over, I am always a student of my craft. I can not answer this question without giving a shoutout to Gregg Binkley, my current acting instructor. Gregg has played a huge role in teaching me the craft of performances. Through his acting classes, I’ve been able to grow not only an actress, but as an overall storyteller and human. A large portion of my lens as a writer and director is rooted in the art of acting and I am so grateful to be able to learn from him.

Website: https://linktr.ee/kaitlynkelly

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamcomplikaited/?next=%2F

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlynkelly0911

Image Credits
Headshot Photo: J. Chris Rouse

Image 1 – Still from Pas De Deux – Director of Photography: Ava Jazlyn
Image 2- Still from “MOVIE” Director of Photography : Eric McCambridge
Image 3 – Still from Pas De Deux – Director of Photography: Ava Jazlyn
Image 4- BTS from the set of Pas De Deux – Javan Richardson
Image 5- Still from Pas De Deux- Ava Jazlyn