About Phynley Joel
Writer / Director
Born in Franklin, TENNESSEE with a New Zealand dual citizenship, I grew up in a family of musicians and artists — storytelling has always been in my bones. I now work on-set IN VARIOUS roles and freelance as a director of documentary shorts, music videos, and occasional short films.
I am currently honored to be an Emerging Artist in Residence teaching in the cinematic arts department at Lipscomb University, where I graduated from in 2022. I’m enjoying year two of coffee with students in between classes and being in their corner while they find their voices.
Over the past few years, I have directed narrative shorts, documentaries, music videos and more. I have been honored to have my work screened at many film festivals and even win some awards - My short Muggy (2021) won Best Short Film in the Next Generation Filmmakers Tennessee Shorts category at the Nashville Film Festival and screened at 25+ festivals, and my most recent, Henry and the Horrible Thing, came out in 2025, won Best Female Director at the Independent Shorts Awards in LA and was nominated for 15 festivals.
Since 2022 I have also had the privilege of working alongside and documenting environmental scientists and religious leaders across the globe as they discuss how to broaden the discussion surrounding creation care. This work has taken me as far as Norway, Italy and even inside the Vatican City.
Aside from my own projects, I have had the privilege of working as an executive producers assistant the Amazon Studios feature Holland, Michigan (2023), first team PA and interim 2nd AD on Kingdom Story Company's Sketch (2022), and PA on various other feature films.
Please reach out at phynleyjoel@gmail.com