Kayla Marriott is a writer, director, and producer driven by a passion to tell female and queer-centered stories through the lens of psychological horror. She grew up in a small town in New Jersey and currently resides in Oakland, CA. She has built her career from the ground up– balancing creative ambition with crew work to support herself and stay close to the craft. 

Her short films have received multiple awards on the festival circuit. A Calling Home won Best Actress at Ridgewood IFF and Best Director at Newark IFF 2023. Her college thesis film, You Can’t See Out, took home Best College Film at Highlands Film Festival. Her other smaller short films have also all been screened at numerous film festivals.

In addition to directing, Kayla works full time as a Script Supervisor on independent films and has previously supported sets as an AD, grip, 2nd AC, and PA on projects ranging from features and shorts to branded content and commercials. Her hands-on experience across departments informs her eye for detail, story, and visual rhythm.

Kayla is drawn to narratives that center women’s experiences in society and push against genre conventions. She is currently developing various feature scripts, a short, and a pilot. Her perspective is a breath of fresh air in the horror/thriller genres. She strives to push boundaries and reimagine tropes, incorporating experimental practices into traditional narrative.