Originally from a tiny town in New England called Nottingham, Mel began her film career in New York when her original screenplay entitled, Heroine, won the Best Alternative Drama Award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival in 2001.
Shortly after winning the NYIIF, Mel was invited to study at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Film Conservatory, where she was mentored by Producers, Nicole LaLoggia (Swingers, See Jane Run) and Dale Pollock (Set It Off, Mrs. Winterbourne), in the Producing and Screenwriting disciplines.
After departing the conservatory, Mel produced the 35mm short film, Christmas Wish List, which won the Gold at the 33rd Annual Student Academy Award in the Narrative category from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Wish List also won the Directors’ Guild of America’s Eva Marie Saint Media Award and the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. Wish List also screened at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2007 Mel had her directorial debut on the dark fable, FEED, a new series by Heroine Films, which she also wrote and is editing. The first and second season aired every week on LOGOonline, AfterEllen and 365gay.com and FEED will soon be adapted into an hour-long episodic for television. Mel also penned the novel adaptation of FEED, published by Heroine Publications in 2008.
Currently, Mel’s feature length sports drama, Queens of the World, about the rise of the Women’s Professional Soccer Association is being developed and packaged at present, starring Michelle Clunie (Make It Or Break It, Queer as Folk), Nicole Pacent (Anyone But Me), Tanya Roberts (That 70′s Show, Charlie’s Angels), Nikki Caster (Cherry Bomb) and Elizabeth Keener (The L Word). Mel is attached to direct the feature film, which will return her to her New England roots as most of the film will take place in and around New Hampshire. Mel is also in development for her original series, Sweet Science, a dark comedy.
In her spare time, Mel is a freelance producer and editor, seeing series, commercials and music videos through production and post-production such as the Emmy award-winning series, Deadliest Catch and Motor City Motors. She has produced several series, promos and spots for such companies as Disney, MGM, G4TV, ABC, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central and Pay Up Sucker Productions, among others. Mel also directed a funny little commercial for Heinz ketchup.
Currently Mel resides in Cambridge, MA with her partner, singer songwriter and body worker, Michelle Barrett and their seventeen year-old kitty Talula Bankhead.
Mel is spending the rest of 2013 hard at work on her third novel and the first book of the Home series.
