Joy Kecken

Joy Kecken (writing for the screen faculty) is a showrunner, producer and librettist, as well as a playwright and director, who has worked in television productions, films and documentaries, for over twenty years. She has written and directed for the critically acclaimed HBO series, The Wire, and recently has finished an incredible season as an Executive Producer on Apple TV+’s Swagger. Her feature, All-In, is in development with Maven Pictures. She has also served as a Co-Executive Producer on Nat Geo’s Genius series for the MLK/X season, FX’s Kindred and Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem. She was a Consulting Producer on the critical darling, feature documentary, The Biggest Little Farm, which got on the Oscar doc shortlist. As a director, librettist and Consulting Producer for Boston Lyric’s award-winning digital opera, desert in, Joy has fulfilled a lifelong dream of bridging her musical background with her love of cinema, all while on location in Palm Springs. Her additional writing credits include Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger, Tales and Homicide: Life on the Street. Last year, she participated in the 24 Hour Plays visit to LA to support the Entertainment Fund for crewmembers affected by the strikes, and her play, Hollywood Invitation, was performed at the Hudson Theatre. Her shorts and feature documentary that she wrote and co-directed screened at over 30 film festivals and she has developed series at Amazon, ABC Signature and FX. She has taught at ArtCenter College of Design, Sundance Collab and internationally for American Film Showcase, a USC School of Cinematic Arts/State Department program. Joy lives with her husband and daughter in Culver City.