Melinda Hess

Melinda Hess began her traditional filmmaking career at NYU Film School. Working in the video industry she focused on cinematography and editing stories giving her a deep understanding of the scene coverage necessary for compelling stories.

Melinda’s first documentary, based on diaries and journals of pioneer women, ignited a life long-span interest in archives and first person narratives. Beginning her career as a news cinematographer for an ABC television affiliate, she became a full time editor, winning several awards for short and long form documentaries for both independents and television networks. Melinda edited a series of PBS documentaries made in collaboration with major museums; all of these films included original film footage, archival footage, numerous narrative techniques and original music. These credits include: In Our Own Time for Art of the Western World PBS series, Merchants and Masterpieces for Metropolitan Museum of Art /PBS, The Vever Affair for Smithsonian World/PBS, Light of the Gods for National Gallery of Art/PBS. With Director Meryl Joseph Melinda edited Into the Mainstream and City Farmers, CINE Golden Eagle Award, airing on Nickelodeon and Learning Channel. Collaborating with a team of film and video artists, Melinda co-produced, directed and edited several segments of a 16mm/interactive laser videodisc art project entitled The Erlking, exhibited at MOCA, the Whitney Museum Biennial, the Jewish Museum in New York and the Beauborg in 80’s Paris.

Her collaboration with Convivial Studio began in the late 90’s in San Francisco. With Convivial Studio she relocated to New Mexico in 1999. As Melinda oversees all documentary post-production and produces non-profits videos serving diverse communities of New Mexico, when she found an old suitcase of letters she embarked on her own documentary journey – Letter From Cloudcroft.