User:Jsanc623/Melissa Ulto

Melissa Ulto
Born	May 29 1970 Los Angeles, California, United States
Pen name	VJ Mixxy
Occupation	Filmmaker, photographer, activist, multimedia artist, writer and video technologist
Nationality	American
Period	Late 20th/early 21st century
Genre	Web, documentary films
Subject	Social justice, video activism, equality, sex, feminism
Notable works	ManifestA: Young Women, Feminism and the Future
Website
multo.com

Melissa Ulto (born 1970), also known as VJ Mixxy, is a filmmaker, photographer, activist, multimedia artist, writer and video technologist whose work explores social justice, video activism and equality. She is currently a freelance producer for Multo.com, a full service broadcasting and branding agency.

Early and personal life

Ulto was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Northern Ontario. She attended Humber College in Ontario, before moving to New York City in 1991 to care for family. Forced to abandon her Directing and Theatrical Production degree at Humber, she later enrolled at New York University as a liberal arts major where she expanded her documentary skills at Columbia University's Center for New Media Teaching and Learning.

Career

1990's

After moving to NYC, Melissa was hired as tech support in Viacom's broadcast arm. Shortly after that, Melissa started her professional career in filmmaking working for MTV Networks in production, working on promo segments, specials and promos for MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon. Three years after, she moved on to working as a Production Manager for Todays Feature, an advertising agency. Towards the end of the decade, she became the senior systems administrator at About.com, where she was in charge of a prepping for Y2K.

2000's

She then went on to become a Senior Digital Video Specialist at Columbia University's Center For New Media Teaching and Learning in 2001, leaving in 2003. Not much is known of Ulto between 2003 and 2006. Between 2006 and 2007, she worked for Ruff Nation Films as an Editor and Animator, ibrido as a Director of Production and National.tv as a Freelance Video Editor. In 2007, she became the Director of Production for Online.tv, where she was tasked with building a $250,000 production suite.

2010's

In 2009 to 2013, she has worked as Creative Director for Crash Bang Boome Productions, LLC and Senior Producer at Oovoo.

Overview of Major Works

FIGMENT 2013 Installation - Play & Draw (2013)

An interactive installation with Guillaume Lauzier and VJ DoctorMojo (Mark Alan Johnson) involving live projection and projection mapping for exhibit attendees. The installation allowed attendees to interact with the installation by using an iPad drawing app. The installation was also entirely livestreamed, although interactivity via livestream was not available.

Oovoo

HOT 97 Summer Jam (2013) Ulto produced a live Oovoo call between Joe Budden and a contest winner which was displayed on the METLIFE Stadium Jumbotron.

VH1's The Gossip Game Debate (2013) Ulto produced the livestreamed pre-show debates for VH1's The Gossip Game leveraging Oovoo as the backbone for the livestream.

Armory Installation - The History of the Armory (2007)

Melissa was charged with creating, designing and producing an installation of four video segments for the Armory. The installation, developed alongside Pentagram Designs, ran for a total of 6 months.

Death Before Dishonor (2006)

Death Before Dishonor was a documentary which took viewers on an behind the scenes look at the 'Stop Snitching' movement from the perspective of the Hip Hop community. With a budget of $100,000, Death Before Dishonor successfully premiered in December of 2006.

Awards, nominations and selections

Film	Award	Location/Festival	Outcome
Mandatory Service	Best Short Documentary	Tribeca Film Festival	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Miami Pro-Am Urban Arts Expo	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Man Up’s Campaign Exhibition “Through Our Lens” at Central Park West Gallery	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Is Hip Hop History Conference at CUNY CWE	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Man Up Campaign at Maysles Cinema	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Northeastern University Hip-Hop Festival	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	B-Girl BBQ - Alice Arts Fundraiser, Oakland CA	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	East Harlem International Puerto Rican Film Festival at Museum of City of New York	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Dance on Camera Film Festival at Lincoln Center	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Manchester's Contact Theater, UK	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	B Supreme Women's Hip Hop Festival, London, UK	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	University of Wisconsin - Breaking The Law Festival	Won
All The Ladies Say	Official Selection	Bronx Museum	Won
The Art of Love & Struggle	Official Selection	Pan African Arts & Film Festival	Won
The Art of Love & Struggle	Official Selection	Hip Hop Odyssey Film Festival	Won
The Mighty Humble Blueberry	Best Home Grown Short	Garden State Film Festival	Won
The Mighty Humble Blueberry	Codes Pro Media ReelHeart Award	ReelHeart International Film Festival	Won
The Mighty Humble Blueberry	Official Selection	Gloria Film Festival	Won
The Mighty Humble Blueberry	Official Selection	NJ International Film Festival	Won
The Mighty Humble Blueberry	Official Selection	Independents Film Festival (Tampa, FLA)	Won
Melissa Ulto	Nomination - Video Blogger	Shorty Awards	Won

External links

• multo.com