Melinda James is a Black and Thai cinematographer whose work encompasses documentaries, narratives, installations, and commercials. As a kid growing up in Yuba City, California, she enjoyed looking through toy viewfinders; it wasn't until much later that she realized cinematography is not just about looking, but about building points of connection. Centering her work on women, QTBIPOC, and underrepresented communities, Melinda is drawn to the process of unearthing the nuances of people’s everyday lives. She believes a good image is the starting point for communication, but it’s in the space between images where dialogue happens. With a current interest in themes of memorialization, memory, and the intersection of past, present, and future, Melinda has been exploring video installations in an attempt to think of ways to shape more immersive experiences when dealing with seemingly intangible topics. Most recently, Melinda lensed the narrative short, “Work,” which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and is currently working on a project as an Adobe Creative Fund Residency recipient. She’s worked with Hulu, Netflix, Disney Channel, Nike, FX, and Pandora and was awarded an ASC Vision Mentorship with John Simmons, ASC. She is a member of the International Collective of Female Cinematographers, Sporas, The Authority Collective and Level Ground Collective.