Hi, I’m Dena Hysell-Cornejo, a DGA Director/Writer/Producer who loves crafting character-driven stories across features, television, and documentary series. I’ve directed, written, and produced projects that run the gamut from suspenseful thrillers to immersive documentaries, collaborating with talented teams to bring bold ideas to life. Notable work includes directing and writing episodes of UNMUTED featuring Constance Wu, Torrey DeVitto, and Maria Avgeropoulos, and leading feature projects such as Ascent to Hell, The Sinister Surrogate, and The Tribe from concept to screen.…

Dena Hysell-Cornejo

Hi, I’m Dena Hysell-Cornejo, a DGA Director/Writer/Producer who loves crafting character-driven stories across features, television, and documentary series. I’ve directed, written, and produced projects that run the gamut from suspenseful thrillers to immersive documentaries, collaborating with talented teams to bring bold ideas to life. Notable work includes directing and writing episodes of UNMUTED featuring Constance Wu, Torrey DeVitto, and Maria Avgeropoulos, and leading feature projects such as Ascent to Hell, The Sinister Surrogate, and The Tribe from concept to screen.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Dena Hysell-Cornejo, a DGA Director/Writer/Producer who loves crafting character-driven stories across features, television, and documentary series. I’ve directed, written, and produced projects that run the gamut from suspenseful thrillers to immersive documentaries, collaborating with talented teams to bring bold ideas to life. Notable work includes directing and writing episodes of UNMUTED featuring Constance Wu, Torrey DeVitto, and Maria Avgeropoulos, and leading feature projects such as Ascent to Hell, The Sinister Surrogate, and The Tribe from concept to screen.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Director/Writer/Producer at Without Exception Films
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Director/Writer on UNMUTED Ep. 3 'FGM' (starring Constance Wu); collaborative documentary work across Ep. 2 'Acid Attacks' and Ep. 1 'Child Marriage'; episodes selected for Clinton Global Initiative (2024) and premiered in 2025.
Director/Writer/Producer at Without Exception Films
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Director/Writer on UNMUTED Ep. 2 'Acid Attacks' (2025).
Director/Writer/Producer at Without Exception Films
January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026
Director/Writer on UNMUTED Ep. 1 'Child Marriage' (2026).
Writer at Women in Motion
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Writer for a feature documentary (2025).
Writer at Cartel Films
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
Writer for feature thriller 'My Missing Sister' (2022).
Producer at Mirage Studio
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Producer for feature musical 'Bart Bagsbys and the Garbage Genie' (2021).
Director/Writer/Producer at Green Apple Films
January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Director/Writer/Producer for 'Algorithm: Bliss' (2020) – Sci-Fi thriller.
Director at Mar Vista Entertainment
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Director for 'The Sinister Surrogate' (2018).
Director/Writer/Producer at Gravitas Ventures
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017
Director/Writer/Producer for 'Ascent to Hell' (2017).
Producer at Terror Films
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017
Producer for 'The Tribe' (2017).
Producer at Z Machine Productions
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Producer for 'Strange Septembers' (2016) - Documentary Feature.
Director/Producer at Eli Roth’s Crypt TV
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Directed/Produced shorts 'Pinata' (2016), 'Mirror' (2016), '7-10 SPLAT' (2016), 'HAHAHA' (2016).
Producer at Global Digital Releasing
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015
Producer for 'Rumperbutts' (2015) — Feature Film / Musical.
Executive Producer at Smosh TV
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2014
Executive Producer for 'OISHII – High School Battle' (Seasons 1-3) — animation/live-action hybrid.
Producer at Image Entertainment
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014
Producer for 'Home Run Showdown' (2014) — sports comedy.
Director/Writer at Drive Media
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014
Director/Writer for documentary feature 'The Paladins' (2014).
Producer at Freestyle Releasing
January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011
Producer for 'A Little Help' (2011) — drama.
Co-Producer at Toronto International Film Festival
January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009
Co-Producer for 'Down for Life' (2009) — feature.

Education

Add your educational history here.

Qualifications

Talented New Director Award, Madrid - Finalist
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2014
Aspen Institute Stanton Scholar
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2009
Royal Film Commission - Jordan Creative Consultant
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2017
Clinton Global Initiative: episodes selected
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
DGA Director Diversity Initiative Semi-Finalist
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Travel & Hospitality, Gaming, Non-Profit Organization, Education, Professional Services