Melissa Skirboll
director - writer - actor - editor - producer
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I think in some ways art exists to illuminate the shadow. In my work I like to explore the grey areas: where drama meets comedy, where magic meets realism, where good meets evil and it all becomes “human”. I never liked coloring in the lines when I was a kid and I still don’t. I hope to deliver the unexpected: complex characters making choices that defy reason, in stories that defy genre.
We all have a kind of inner rhythm, a music that we dance to that no one else can hear. Whether acting, writing, or directing I am listening to that beat at the heart of the project even in moments of utter silence.
And always, always, a sense of humor, of wonder and of hope.
We all have a kind of inner rhythm, a music that we dance to that no one else can hear. Whether acting, writing, or directing I am listening to that beat at the heart of the project even in moments of utter silence.
And always, always, a sense of humor, of wonder and of hope.
Melissa’s directing work is some of the most thoughtful, illuminating and precise I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness. She has elevated every creative experience we’ve shared with her incredible drive, creativity and vision." |
We are delighted that Melissa is a member of the NPTC director/dramaturg team for the Women's Work LAB.She is an experienced guide for playwrights working on new scripts, and superb at helping to get them on their feet." |
WELCOME TO SARAJEVO plays beautifully and powerfully and it was fantastic to experience the film with an audience that was so clearly deeply into the film in its absurd humor and deep feeling and history of violence that underpins all the action. Your great sensitivity and humor and deep humanity all present and rich. |
Melissa Skirboll raises the stakes on any project that she undertakes. As a director, she is a mixture of practical, magical, thoughtful, and provocative. She is, indeed, a master of physicality. Melissa can helm a challenging play and, through playfulness and diligent work, bring it to another level – figuratively and literally! I recommend that you experience this director-actor-teacher for yourself. |
I love watching Melissa direct because she just gets it –understands actors as well as cinematography. My role is mainly the storyteller. I tell people that working with Melissa is like a crash course in filmmaking. She knows how to keep raising the stakes higher in every scene, how to create action without words, and to trust the actors to find the right beats. She is also a genius with finding the right music to tell the story, and both of our films have terrific soundtracks that truly reflect the characters and conflicts." |