Chris Elley
Encyclopedia
Chris Elley is the founder and current Director of Austin, Texas
-based film production company Electro-Fish Media Inc. He holds two Emmy award
s and two additional nominations.
that included appearances by celebrities such as Will Smith
and Boyz II Men
. By age 16, he was interning for San Antonio CBS
television station KENS-TV
. There, he covered the NBA San Antonio Spurs
. Elley produced film material throughout high school and college, including hundreds of TV commercials. The international television debut of his work came in 1996 when he won a national video contest sponsored by Friskies
cat food that premiered his commercial during The Price Is Right
. Elley earned a bachelor's degree in Communications Studies from Texas Lutheran University
and a master's degree in Mass Communication from Texas State University.
-owned and operated television station in Austin, Texas. He would later be promoted to On-Air Director, Creative Services before leaving the station in 2001 to produce private content.
Elley directed the 2004 cultural documentary "Barbecue: A Texas Love Story" (named to "Best of SXSW" series for the South by Southwest
Film Festival) featuring Ann Richards
, Dan Rather
, Kinky Friedman
, Art Alexakis
, Ray Benson
and others. The film screened at film festivals around the United States and for U.S. Congressional members, was released on DVD in 2005 and re-released in 2009. The film is available nationally at Netflix
and was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Program".
Previously, Elley had directed a documentary film on the NASA
Apollo space missions titled In the Shadow of the Moon: People of the American Space Program and a documentary film on the Texas Theatre in Seguin, Texas
titled A Projection of History.
In 2007, Elley's Electro-Fish Media released a documentary film about people who live in an abandoned ghost town in the West Texas desert, titled Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua. That film received an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Documentary – Cultural" and was Emmy-nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Editing."
In 2009, Electro-Fish Media received an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Program Achievement – Heritage" for their series on Loudoun County, Virginia
which can be viewed at the site for Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association.
Elley is currently producing and directing a documentary feature on football in Texas and is on hiatus from producing and directing a film on the current state of country music. That film closely follows Texas musicians the Randy Rogers Band
and features musicians such as Tracy Lawrence
, Dierks Bentley
and Shooter Jennings
.
Elley splits his directing, producing and writing responsibilities with his wife and collaborator Cile Spelce. Elley splits editing duties with co-editor Dave Rehm. Elley also contributes to magazines such as Chile Pepper Magazine.
and a handful of other Texans in New York City's Madison Square
Park to educate New Yorkers on the significance of Texas BBQ to the state's identity. He has also appeared on numerous radio and television shows including BBQ with Bobby Flay
on the Food Network
and the international radio program Voice of America
.
Reviews of Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
-based film production company Electro-Fish Media Inc. He holds two Emmy award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s and two additional nominations.
Early career
Elley began his film career at the age of 15, producing short films and a local cable variety show in his hometown of Seguin, TexasSeguin, Texas
Seguin is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, in the United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,011; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had increased to 26,842...
that included appearances by celebrities such as Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
and Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
. By age 16, he was interning for San Antonio CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television station KENS-TV
KENS-TV
KENS is the CBS affiliate television station in San Antonio, Texas owned and operated by The Belo Corporation. Prior to late April 2010, KENS also managed UPN, later The CW, affiliate station KCWX through a local marketing agreement...
. There, he covered the NBA San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. Elley produced film material throughout high school and college, including hundreds of TV commercials. The international television debut of his work came in 1996 when he won a national video contest sponsored by Friskies
Friskies
Friskies is a brand of cat food. It is owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, a subsidiary of Nestlé. This brand is offered as a canned soft/wet food, as well as dry food . Flavors include poultry, beef and seafood.-History:...
cat food that premiered his commercial during The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
. Elley earned a bachelor's degree in Communications Studies from Texas Lutheran University
Texas Lutheran University
Texas Lutheran University is an undergraduate, private, coeducational university affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The University was founded in 1891, and currently serves approximately 1,400 students each semester....
and a master's degree in Mass Communication from Texas State University.
Career
In 1999, he accepted the position of Senior Producer of Creative Services for the CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
-owned and operated television station in Austin, Texas. He would later be promoted to On-Air Director, Creative Services before leaving the station in 2001 to produce private content.
Elley directed the 2004 cultural documentary "Barbecue: A Texas Love Story" (named to "Best of SXSW" series for the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Film Festival) featuring Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
, Dan Rather
Dan Rather
Daniel Irvin "Dan" Rather, Jr. is an American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News. He is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports on the cable channel HDNet. Rather was anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, from March 9,...
, Kinky Friedman
Kinky Friedman
Richard S. "Kinky" Friedman is an American Texas Country singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election...
, Art Alexakis
Art Alexakis
Arthur Paul "Art" Alexakis is best known as the American singer, composer, and lead guitarist of the rock band Everclear. He has been a member of several notable bands, in addition to his own work as a songwriter for other artists...
, Ray Benson
Ray Benson
Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has...
and others. The film screened at film festivals around the United States and for U.S. Congressional members, was released on DVD in 2005 and re-released in 2009. The film is available nationally at Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
and was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Program".
Previously, Elley had directed a documentary film on the NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Apollo space missions titled In the Shadow of the Moon: People of the American Space Program and a documentary film on the Texas Theatre in Seguin, Texas
Seguin, Texas
Seguin is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, in the United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,011; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had increased to 26,842...
titled A Projection of History.
In 2007, Elley's Electro-Fish Media released a documentary film about people who live in an abandoned ghost town in the West Texas desert, titled Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua. That film received an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Documentary – Cultural" and was Emmy-nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Editing."
In 2009, Electro-Fish Media received an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Program Achievement – Heritage" for their series on Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
which can be viewed at the site for Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association.
Elley is currently producing and directing a documentary feature on football in Texas and is on hiatus from producing and directing a film on the current state of country music. That film closely follows Texas musicians the Randy Rogers Band
Randy Rogers Band
The Randy Rogers Band is an American Texas Country group from the state of Texas. The band is composed of Randy Rogers , Geoffrey Hill , Jon Richardson , Brady Black , and Les Lawless . They have recorded four studio albums and two live albums, and have charted six singles on the Billboard Hot...
and features musicians such as Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music...
, Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...
and Shooter Jennings
Shooter Jennings
Waylon Albright "Shooter" Jennings is an American singer-songwriter active in the country music and Southern rock genres as well as making his first foray into psychedelic rock in 2009...
.
Elley splits his directing, producing and writing responsibilities with his wife and collaborator Cile Spelce. Elley splits editing duties with co-editor Dave Rehm. Elley also contributes to magazines such as Chile Pepper Magazine.
Public speaking
Elley frequently speaks on Texas culture in academic or pop culture settings. In June, 2005 he joined Dan RatherDan Rather
Daniel Irvin "Dan" Rather, Jr. is an American journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News. He is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports on the cable channel HDNet. Rather was anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, from March 9,...
and a handful of other Texans in New York City's Madison Square
Madison Square
Madison Square is formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the principal author of the United States Constitution.The focus of the square is...
Park to educate New Yorkers on the significance of Texas BBQ to the state's identity. He has also appeared on numerous radio and television shows including BBQ with Bobby Flay
BBQ with Bobby Flay
BBQ with Bobby Flay is a travelogue series, in which celebrity chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay travels around the USA in search of the best and most delectable grilled barbecued food...
on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
and the international radio program Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
.
Critical reviews / press
- Reviews of Barbecue: A Texas Love Story
- efilmcritic.com
- Austin Chronicle
- FilmThreat
- MSN Slate Magazine
Reviews of Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua