Megan Griffiths
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Megan Griffiths (born April 22, 1975)[1][2] is an American film and television director who resides in Seattle, and is a board member of Northwest Film Forum.[3]

Key Information

Early life and education

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Megan Griffiths was born in Ohio, lived in Moscow, Idaho in her teens, attended Moscow High School, and was an undergraduate at the University of Idaho where she earned a B.A. in visual communications in 1997.[1][2][4]

She received an MFA in Film Production from Ohio University School of Film in 2000.[1][3][5]

Career

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Film

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Griffiths wrote and directed her first feature film, First Aid For Choking, which was released in 2003.[6] Griffiths subsequently worked as a producer and first assistant director on features in and around Seattle including Zoo, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, The Catechism Cataclysm, and Your Sister's Sister.[6]

Her second feature The Off Hours world premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival[7] and went on to receive a nomination at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards for Ben Kasulke's cinematography.[8]

Griffiths released Eden in 2012. The film starred Jamie Chung, Matt O'Leary and Beau Bridges, and it told a story about a human trafficking survivor.[9] The Stranger newspaper wrote, "Griffiths navigates the horrifying facts of her film with great respect," and her direction was described as "a veritable master class in how to make humane art out of inhumanity."[10]

The following year she released a comedy titled Lucky Them. The film, shot in Seattle, starred Toni Collette, along with Thomas Haden Church, Oliver Platt, and a cameo by Johnny Depp.[11] It premiered in the Special Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[12]

Griffiths wrote and directed The Night Stalker, in which Lou Diamond Phillips played American serial killer Richard Ramirez.[13] The film co-starred Bellamy Young and was acquired by Lifetime Television.[14] It aired on June 12, 2016.[15]

Her sixth feature Sadie starred Sophia Mitri Schoss, Melanie Lynskey, John Gallagher, Jr., Tony Hale, Danielle Brooks, Tee Dennard, and Keith L. Williams. It premiered at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival. Variety said, "writer-director Megan Griffiths’ quietly absorbing and methodically disquieting drama is a genuine rarity."[16]

I'll Show You Mine directed by Griffiths and starring Poorna Jagannathan[17] and Casey Thomas Brown[18] had its debut at Seattle International Film Festival on April 16, 2022.[19][20] I'll Show You Mine was acquired by Gravitas Ventures and released in theaters and on demand on June 23, 2023.[21]

Her eighth film, Year Of The Fox, written by Eliza Flug, also premiered at Seattle International Film Festival on May 13, 2023. The cast includes Sarah Jeffery, Jane Adams, Lexi Simonsen, Jake Weber, and Balthazar Getty.[22] Year Of The Fox won Best Directing and Best Feature at the 2023 Catalina Film Festival. It was acquired by Electric Entertainment in February, 2024.[23]

The short film View From The Floor, directed by Griffiths and Mindie Lind and animated by Joe Garber, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in the Documentary Shorts Program on January 25th, 2025.[24]

Television

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In 2017, Griffiths directed two episodes of Room 104 broadcast on HBO.[25] "Missionaries" premiered September 8, 2017,[26] and "The Fight" premiered on October 6, 2017.[27] Both episodes were written by Mark Duplass.[28] "Missionaries" was nominated for a 2018 GLAAD Media Award in the "Outstanding Individual Episode" category for its portrayal of two Latter Day Saints companions who begin to question their stereotypes on sexuality.[29][30] Later that year, Griffiths directed one episode of Epix series Graves starring Nick Nolte and Sela Ward titled "They Die Happier" which premiered on December 3, 2017.[31]

Griffiths directed one episode of TNT series Animal Kingdom titled "Prey" and starring Ellen Barkin.[32] "Prey" premiered on June 26, 2018.[33]

Four shows directed by Griffiths aired in 2019. First was "Like A F-ing God Or Something", Episode 6 of The Society on Netflix.[34] It premiered on May 10, 2019.[35] Her second television job that year was a return to Animal Kingdom.[36] Griffiths directed "Tank" which aired on June 18, 2019.[37] Her third show that year was Episode 6 of Hulu's Looking For Alaska, "We Are All Going", which aired on October 18, 2019, and starred Kristine Froseth.[38] Finally she directed one episode of the Fox Broadcasting Company series Prodigal Son titled "All Souls And Sadists" and broadcast on October 28, 2019.[39]

Griffiths directed one episode of USA Network series Dare Me starring Herizen Guardiola and Willa Fitzgerald titled "Fog Of War" which aired on March 1, 2020. [40][41] She also directed two episodes of the Netflix series Trinkets starring Brianna Hildebrand titled "Same Time Last Year" and "Black Friday" which both aired on Aug 25, 2020.[42][43]

She directed two episodes of Amazon Studios show Panic. Episode 7 titled "Trust" and episode 8 titled "Returns" both premiered on May 28, 2021.[44][45]

Griffiths next directed episode eight in season one of HBO Max series Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.[46] The episode, written by Michael Grassi & Stasia Demick, was titled "Chapter Eight: Bad Blood" and it aired August 18, 2022.[47]

In 2023, Griffiths served as the producing director of Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty (TV series), season 2, starring Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno.[48] She directed episode 7: "Love Affair" aired Aug 11, 2023, and episode 8: "Love Triangle" aired Aug 18, 2023.[49]

Awards

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Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Episode(s)
2017 Room 104 "Missionaries"
"The Fight"
Graves "They Die Happier"
2018-2019 Animal Kingdom "Prey"
"Tank"
2019 The Society "Like a F-ing God or Something"
Looking For Alaska "We Are All Going"
Prodigal Son "All Souls And Sadists"
2020 Dare Me "Fog of War"
Trinkets "Same Time Last Year"
"Black Friday"
2021 Panic "Trust"
"Returns"
2022 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin "Bad Blood"
2023 The Summer I Turned Pretty "Love Affair"
"Love Triangle"

First Assistant Director

Film

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Year Title Director Writer Notes
2003 First Aid for Choking Yes Yes Also producer
2011 The Off Hours Yes Yes Also editor and casting
2013 Eden Yes Yes
2014 Lucky Them Yes No [1]
2016 The Night Stalker Yes No
2018 Sadie Yes Yes
2022 I'll Show You Mine Yes No
2023 Year Of The Fox Yes No

Short film

Year Title Director Writer
2008 Moving Yes Yes
2009 Eros Yes Yes
2025 View From The Floor Yes Yes

Other credits

References

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Megan Griffiths

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Megan Griffiths is an American film and television director known for her independent feature films that have premiered at major festivals and her work directing episodes across prominent cable and streaming networks. [1] [2] Based in Seattle, Washington, Griffiths began her career in the Pacific Northwest after studying film in Ohio and working initially as a cinematographer and assistant director on independent projects. [3] Her debut feature The Off Hours premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011, followed by Eden (2012), which earned the Emergent Narrative Director Award, Audience Award for Narrative Feature, and a Special Jury Prize at SXSW. [2] Subsequent films include Lucky Them (premiered at Toronto International Film Festival), The Night Stalker for Lifetime Television, Sadie (SXSW 2018), I'll Show You Mine, and the recent Year of the Fox. [4] [3] Griffiths has directed scripted episodes for HBO's Room 104, Hulu's Looking for Alaska, Netflix's The Society, Amazon's The Summer I Turned Pretty (where she served as producing director for season two), and series on TNT, EPIX, USA, and Fox. [2] A member of the director's branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, she serves on the board of Northwest Film Forum, advocates for sustainable production practices, and has received regional honors including the Stranger Genius Award for Film, City Arts Film Artist of the Year, and Seattle Mayor’s Award for Film. [3] [2] She has also produced projects such as Your Sister's Sister and The Catechism Cataclysm, collaborating frequently with the late filmmaker Lynn Shelton. [3]

Early life and education

Early life

Megan Griffiths was born on April 22, 1975, in Athens, Ohio. [5] She spent her teenage years in Moscow, Idaho, where she lived from 1989 to 1997 and attended Moscow High School. [5]

Education

Megan Griffiths received a bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho in 1997. [6] She went on to pursue graduate studies in film, receiving her Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from the Ohio University School of Film in 2000. [7] [8]

Career

Early work in Seattle independent film

After completing her MFA in film at Ohio University, Megan Griffiths relocated to Seattle in 2000 to pursue opportunities in filmmaking.[9] She secured a position at the Alpha Cine film lab, where she worked for several years, including as a negative cutter and on night shifts that later informed her writing.[9] [10] Griffiths initially focused on cinematography and occasional editing on low-budget projects, including serving as cinematographer on the independent feature Shag Carpet Sunset, which helped her forge connections in the local film community and commit to building her career in Seattle rather than relocating to Los Angeles.[10] [9] Griffiths transitioned into assistant directing, a role she held for approximately five years on various Seattle independent productions, describing it as a key learning experience that offered insight into all aspects of production and department needs.[10] Her credits in the Seattle indie scene include first assistant director on Robinson Devor's Zoo (2007) and Colin Marshall's The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle (2009).[9] She also worked as producer, assistant director, and casting director on Todd Rohal's The Catechism Cataclysm (2011).[10] These roles allowed her to gain practical expertise in the low-budget, collaborative ecosystem of Seattle independent film, contributing to other filmmakers' projects while developing her own on-set capabilities.[10] While building her crew experience, Griffiths began directing her own features, starting with First Aid For Choking (2003) and later The Off Hours (2011).[10]

Feature film directing

Megan Griffiths began her feature directing career with the low-budget indie First Aid for Choking (2003), which she wrote, directed, and produced on a $19,000 budget financed by credit cards. [10] [11] She followed this debut with The Off Hours (2011), serving as writer, director, editor, and casting director on the film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. [2] [12] Her third feature, Eden (2012), which she wrote and directed, explored the harrowing subject of human trafficking through the story of a young woman forced into sexual slavery, starring Jamie Chung, Matt O'Leary, and Beau Bridges. [12] [2] The film premiered at SXSW, where it won the Emergent Narrative Director Award, the Audience Award for Narrative Feature, and a Special Jury Prize for lead actress Jamie Chung. [2] [1] Griffiths next directed Lucky Them (2014), starring Toni Collette, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. [12] In 2016, she helmed the Lifetime television movie The Night Stalker, a dramatization of the pursuit of serial killer Richard Ramirez. [12] Griffiths returned to independent features with Sadie (2018), which she wrote and directed as a coming-of-age story about a troubled teenage girl navigating family upheaval and first love; the film premiered at SXSW. [12] She directed I'll Show You Mine (2022), which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival and centered on intimate, character-driven revelations between estranged siblings. [12] Her most recent feature as of 2023, Year of the Fox, which she directed, premiered in Seattle and received awards including Best Director at the Catalina Film Festival. [4] [13] Griffiths' directing work on features consistently emphasizes character-driven stories addressing social issues such as exploitation, family dynamics, and personal resilience, often produced independently in her home base of Seattle. [12] [2] She has occasionally balanced her feature projects with television directing work since 2017. [12]

Television directing

Griffiths entered television directing in 2017 with two episodes of HBO's anthology series Room 104. [1] She continued that year by directing an episode of the Epix political comedy Graves. [1] From 2018 to 2019, she directed multiple episodes of the TNT crime drama Animal Kingdom. [1] Her subsequent episodic credits focused heavily on young adult and teen-centered dramas, including Netflix's The Society and Hulu's Looking for Alaska in 2019, Fox's Prodigal Son in 2019, USA Network's Dare Me and Netflix's Trinkets in 2020, Amazon Prime's Panic in 2021, and HBO Max's Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin in 2022. [1] These projects often explored themes of adolescence, identity, and social dynamics within genre frameworks such as mystery, thriller, and coming-of-age narratives. In 2023, Griffiths took on a larger role as producing director for the second season of Prime Video's The Summer I Turned Pretty, where she oversaw directing operations and personally helmed two episodes. Her television directing career has run parallel to her ongoing feature film projects, allowing her to expand her reach across episodic formats while maintaining her independent roots. [1]

Recognition and awards

Major awards and honors

Megan Griffiths has received multiple awards and honors in recognition of her work as an independent filmmaker and her contributions to the Seattle film scene. [14] At the 2012 South by Southwest Film Festival, her film Eden won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and the Emerging Female Director Award. [15] In the same year, she received the Genius Award for Film from The Stranger. [16] She was named Film Artist of the Year by City Arts magazine in 2013. [2] In 2015, Griffiths was honored with the Mayor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film by the City of Seattle for her film production work and advocacy for the region's film industry. [14] Her film Sadie won the Gryphon Award for Best Film in the Generator +16 category at the 2018 Giffoni Film Festival. [17] More recently, Year of the Fox received Best Directing and Best Feature at the Catalina Film Festival in 2023. [18]

Industry contributions

Northwest Film Forum and Seattle film community

Megan Griffiths has played a prominent role in strengthening the Seattle independent film ecosystem through her leadership at the Northwest Film Forum (NWFF), a nonprofit organization central to the region's exhibition and support of independent, experimental, and international cinema. She has served as a member of the NWFF board of directors, contributing to strategic decisions that advance programming, education, and community outreach for filmmakers in the Pacific Northwest. [19] Her board service reflects her long-standing commitment to Seattle as a hub for independent filmmaking, where she has helped promote access to resources, workshops, and exhibition opportunities for emerging and established artists. [19] Beyond her NWFF role, Griffiths has engaged in broader community initiatives, including mentorship of local filmmakers and participation in efforts to build a more inclusive and sustainable independent film scene in Seattle. These contributions underscore her dedication to nurturing the creative environment that has sustained her own career and benefited the wider regional film community.
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