Gay Abel-Bey is an American film director, producer, writer, editor, and academic. She currently teaches at New York University.[1]
Abel-Bey earned her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, as well as her M.F.A. in Film from UCLA.[1] In 1991, she made her thesis film Fragrance, which earned her the Dorothy Arzner Award for "high recognition of dramatic piece by a woman."[1] While in graduate school at UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television, Abel-Bey taught courses in screenwriting and production.[1] In her time at UCLA, Abel-Bey worked with ABC's Television Lighting Director Leslie Zak to produce and direct an instructional video in television lighting, and conducted a lighting seminar for film as well as producing three more instructional videos retained at the UCLA archives.[2]
Abel-Bey was involved with Filmex, a Los Angeles film festival, and co-hosted a retrospective for the National Film School of London.[1] She also helped to develop a community-based documentary workshop for at-risk youth in Los Angeles via Cal State LA's media department.[2] Additionally, Abel-Bey has produced a variety of other film projects, some of which include Father & Son, Running 4 My Life, When It's Your Turn for WPVI-TV, Stone Cold Hustler, and Kiss Grandmother Goodbye.[2] Father & Son was awarded a Sonny Innovators Award, while Stone Cold Hustler was awarded a local Emmy Award in Washington, D.C. for the "Drug Free School Zone" campaign.[2]
In 1995 Abel-Bey started teaching at New York University, and as of 2023 she continues to work there as an Academic Advisor for the Undergraduate Division of Film & Television, teaching courses in production and screenwriting.[1] As a teaching assistant, Abel-Bey taught the Remote Television Workshop and Sports Broadcasting & Intermediate Television Production.[2]
| Year | Title | Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Daydream Therapy | Acting role | |
| 1980 | Happy Valentine's Day[1] | Director and writer | |
| 1991 | Fragrance[1] | Director, producer, writer, and editor | Served as her thesis film[1] |
Additional works include: