Community Highlights: Meet Avery Kelley of Inspired Melanin Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Avery Kelley.

Hi Avery, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I used to dream of being an actress. However, I wasn’t very good.

When I was around 11 years old, I was asked to submit a self-tape for an audition. Although, unlike typical auditions, they wanted me to write my own monologue. The tape was…okay…to say the least. But, I fell in LOVE with writing.

That was the beginning of my journey. I began writing my very first short film “Back Row” in my notebook, having my friends play all the roles at recess. I begged my parents to help me make this dream into a reality, and after reaching out to a local talent agency for help, I was able to write and direct my first short film…entering it into the Mustard Seed Vision Youth Film Festival in 2019. 5th grade me was overjoyed, and the film gained amazing feedback…so I knew I should keep going.

Later that summer I founded Inspired Melanin Inc, and ever since I have worked on several projects ranging from a pilot episodes, documentaries, talk shows, and of course short films! My short film “The All Aroundz” made apart of the Black Girls Film Camp 2023 Cohort even had the chance to run a festival circuit, gaining selection for over 15 festivals internationally including Mill Valley Film Festival, Essence Film Festival, and Diversity in Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival in France. It was an absolute dream.

I am now currently working on my newest short film, and embarking upon a journey of applying to film school and taking my scripts from the page to the screen. Stay tuned!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not always been smooth! As a young creative, many people can undermine or underestimate my drive, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. I often ran into the 18 and over guidelines when trying to join classes, workshops, and more to help evolve my craft and skills as a filmmaker and writer. There were very limited programs out there for me to gain experience and knowledge. I only ever found one (the AMAZING Black Girls Film Camp) that supported me and my goals in the way I desired. However, I took this as a sign to keep going, going to as many networking events as I could, learning from YouTube university, and PA’ing on any set I could.

We’ve been impressed with Inspired Melanin Inc., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company Inspired Melanin Inc., founded in 2019, is a production company-curated with the goal of creating positive stories highlighting underrepresented communities. At the time, I was an 11-year-old writer who saw a lack of people who looked like me on the screen. Therefore, I decided to form a company that would work to fill in that gap for the new generation in television. Ever since, now ab17-year-old screenwriter, director, filmmaker, and creator I have curated multiple scripted and non-scripted projects and concepts that are showcasing positive black voices, that we plan to get on major platforms to reach everyone…representing the underrepresented.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I am so grateful to God for providing me with such a strong community. My parents have always served as my biggest supporters, dropping everything to move from Chicago to Atlanta to support my filmmaking dreams. To some, it may sound crazy. To pack up and leave everything we know for a 14-year-old to go shoot some movies. But my parents knew that my passion transcended what was “normal”. I can never thank them enough for all of their hard work and sacrifice to ensure that my passion for storytelling could become a reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.averykelley.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askaveryk/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@inspiredmelanininc?si=OxpNMKv8RyVMZe-2