Director’s Reel
Lindon Passing (HBO nominated film)
1 minute film Stopped
Keena Ferguson
Director
From the Show Me State, to The Ohio State University with a BFA in dance to Los Angeles, Keena has been a storyteller in many forms for years. Starting as a dancer and choreographer since a young age gave her the understanding of staging, blocking and using your entire body to evoke emotion. A NAACP award winning actor and nominated writer and producer, Keena seamlessly transitioned to being a film and TV director. Using her diverse body of work as an actor on hit shows like Atlanta, SWAT and MAD TV; she is able to communicate clearly to her actors and get performances that move the audience.
“Creating a safe space for my actors where they are free to explore and feel heard invites them to trust me to lead them on their journey for each project.”
Keena’s film directorial debut was Lindon Passing that earned her a nomination from HBO for best short film. This film, also written by Keena, was praised and received many write ups that spoke to her directing style and ease of transitions and sensibility dealing with the issue of abortion. From there, she created and directed the docu series, From the Fly that was an uncensored and in depth look at what it means to pursue your passion at every stage of your life.
During the pandemic, Keena was awarded a grant to tell a 1 min story. The film Stopped was written and created by Keena and received many accolades and buzz. “This beautiful 1min film has been banging around my head for days.” Chelsey Crisp
Using all of her creative talents informs her style as a director. She takes the words on the page and brings them to life like a dance using the camera as her choreographer. She loves the feeling and emotions that she pulls from the actors keeping the need for intricate intimacy between characters and camera. Using her personality as a connector, she leads the cast and crew to be a cohesive team to tell the story and bring it to life. Being bold, evocative and expanding her reach to tell stories that bring humanity and that sense of community we all crave. Keena’s love for the truth behind each story and the interesting ways in which she brings that vision to life is what makes her a director to watch.
