ABOUT ELLA
Ella Harmon is a filmmaker, director, and multi-media artist whose work spans documentaries, narrative work, and the myriad worlds in between. As a for-hire director, Ella approaches each project on its own terms, prioritizing emotional integrity, thematic resonance and poetic truth. As an independent artist, Ella works at the margins of documentary film, merging narrative techniques with documentary research as a means of calling attention to their role in an active process of truth-construction. Broadly, Ella's work is inspired by their study of social systems, the rhythms of the everyday, queer relationality, and cinema's capacity to connect seemingly disparate lives.
Ella's work has been featured in Rolling Stone and Movie Maker Magazine, among other publications, and has screened at festivals internationally, including the Chicago Underground Film Festival, Workers Unite Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, and more.
Beyond directing, Ella offers expertise as a cinematographer, photographer, editor, and colorist, contributing technical depth and visual integrity to every project. In a prior life, Ella also worked as a producer and commercial production coordinator for companies including FX, Investigation Discovery, Radical Media, and more, giving them a holistic perspective on the production process. From documentaries, to music videos, to fashion films, Ella’s distinct vision and collaborative spirit make each project compelling and impactful.
Ella holds an MFA with a Certificate in Critical Theory from Northwestern University where they have since worked as a Documentary Specialist in Residence and taught 7 film courses across undergraduate and pre-college programs, as well as MFA workshops. They are currently pursuing a PhD in Northwestern's German and Critical Theory program. As an undergraduate, Ella studied Film and Philosophy at Sarah Lawrence College and Oxford University. This academic background informs Ella’s thought, their approach to storytelling, and the themes of their independent art practice.