Rising Stars: Meet Kellie Madison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellie Madison.

Hi Kellie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started out as an actor in Chicago, I did the conservatory program at Second City, I did theater, commercials, and indy films. Then when I moved to Los Angeles about 20 years ago, I very shortly moved behind the camera and started writing, producing and directing, in that order. My first feature film that I wrote and produced was called DEAR MR. GACY with William Forsythe playing John Wayne Gacy. It was an amazing true story about Gacy’s last victim – a young boy that he attacked while he was visiting Gacy in prison in 1993. It was on that set that I experienced a seminal moment in my career where I saw everything very clearly on the monitor and realized after my producer barked at me… “Kellie! You’re not the director!” And it was that moment that I realized – that I felt most at home directing and have been doing so ever since.

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?
Smooth road? That’s hilarious. I am a woman, pursing a career as a film director, no. It has definitely not been a smooth road. I did not realize until I got to Los Angeles and got into the Director’s Guild of America that “Hollywood” does not want to hire female film directors – particularly in films. There have been very minor advances in equality ever since Harvey Weinstein fell from grace and the #METOO/TIMES UP movement started, but there is still immense disparity. In 2022, 11% of the top-grossing feature films were directed by women.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a writer, producer, director of feature films. I am most proud of my action proof of concept called THE GATE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH_JxzW3l1Y&t=502s

I also recently directed the feature film NEVER BACK DOWN: REVOLT for Sony and Mandalay Pictures.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Yes – get to Los Angeles as soon as you can. My business is all about relationships and they take a long time to develop, especially if you don’t have any nepotism, or a nepo-baby as they now call it. So it’s important to start early and meet as many people as possible while honing your craft.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.madisonfilms.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directormadison/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/directormadison
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH_JxzW3l1Y&t=502s