MelJones
Co-Founder, Invisible Collective
Head Judge – Music Video
Mel Jones is a multi-talented producer, director, and writer. She received her Bachelors of Arts from Howard University and later earned her MFA in producing at the American Film Institute. Mel worked for Stephanie Allain’s Homegrown Pictures for 8 years and rose through the ranks becoming the President of Production. She produced a film each year of her tenure as President at Homegrown. Jones’ credits include Justin Simien’s Dear White People and Gerard McMurray’s Burning Sands. Subsequent films include Netflix Original Film Juanita starring Alfre Woodard and Blair Underwood and The Weekend starring Sasheer Zamata and Y'lan Noel which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She also produced for Macro Really Love starring Kofi Siriboe which played SXSW and AFI and was acquired at Netflix.
She served as EVP of Production at Confluential where she developed a number of television and film projects and most recently served as an EP on The Perfect Find directed by Numa Perrier starring Gabrielle Union and Kieth Powers. Jones made her directorial debut at Sundance with “Leimert Park,” a MACRO/Homegrown digital series, she also directed CURVES a pilot for BET and Issa Rae.
Mel is also a cofounder of Invisible Collective, a creative studio and production company that tells stories across mediums from advertising to film and television.
Past fellowships and professional memberships include, Netflix Amplifier Grant, Film Independent Project Involve, Sundance Episodic Lab, IFP Cannes Producers Network, PGA, and the DGA. She also sits on the American Film Institute Alumni Council.