Rachel Grissom

Rachel Grissom, MFA, is a writer, director, and filmmaker based in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans whose work spans narrative film, short form, web series, screenwriting, and production sound mixing. She has written and directed numerous short films and scripts that explore character, place, and social nuance, and has professional experience below the line as a production sound mixer on more than 60 film and television projects, bringing substantive technical and creative expertise into her teaching.

Grissom’s creative work has garnered juried festival recognition and awards. Her short film Regret screened at the New Orleans Film Festival and multiple national and international festivals, earning distinctions such as Judges’ Top Five at the Cane River Film Festival and a Bronze Award at the Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards. Earlier scripts and projects—including Ripe Figs, The Somnambulist (distributed as Paranormal Abduction), and others—were selected for official festival competition and received awards for elements such as cinematography and sound design.

In addition to her creative practice, Grissom writes short stories, plays, screenplays, and digital media content, integrating narrative craft with practical production experience. Her professional and creative work informs her instruction in writing, directing, narrative analysis, and production, enabling students to connect theory and craft with contemporary creative practice and festival-driven exhibition contexts. Grissom’s work reflects a commitment to storytelling that blends technical proficiency, character-driven narratives, and engagement with cultural and community contexts in the region.