LINDSAY KEYS Filmmaker, Photographer & Writer*~

About Me

I was raised in a rural farm town, Salem, New York (pop. 1,000) where at an early age, the arts—and renting movies—became my escape from the mundane. In high school, I decided I would orient my life toward cameras. Why? It was a hunch, or maybe it’s in my DNA. My paternal grandfather, Sonny, was a blue-collar worker who often had a camera in his hands. Only after his death did I realize he had an extraordinary eye.

I received a Bachelor’s in Studio Art at Wesleyan University, which is where I discovered both the darkroom and the world of filmmaking. Upon graduating in 2011, I moved to New York City to freelance in photography and film production. Scripts of my own started to take shape, and I even acted in a couple films, then my health unraveled due to years of undiagnosed Lyme and tick-borne diseases.

In the fall of 2015, I connected with another filmmaker in the same situation—Winslow Crane-Murdoch—through a chance encounter at a local doctor’s office. While navigating debilitating symptoms and medical treatment, we co-directed a feature documentary, The Quiet Epidemic, in association with the legendary Pennebaker Hegedus Films (The War Room, Startup.com, Unlocking the Cage)—who we also met through a chance encounter.

Following the The Quiet Epidemic’s festival circuit, theatrical run and VOD release (2022-2023), I led the film’s impact campaign, which culminated in events at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in the fall of 2024. You can watch The Quiet Epidemic here and learn more about the film and impact campaign here.

After dedicating 1/4 of my life to The Quiet Epidemic, people are asking—what’s next?

I have begun working as the Director of Communications for InnerMost—a psychedelic therapy innovation center based in New York City. One of my greatest passions is psychedelic medicine, and I have personally relied on various psychedelic compounds and planet medicine for my own healing.

Writing is one of my greatest passions, and my desire to write screenplays never went away. I host a virtual writing community called Pressure Release, to hold space for others who want to develop a writing practice (whether professionally or just for fun).

I still appreciate any opportunity to pick up my cameras. I am most passionate about documentary and portrait photography, but really, I enjoy photographing everything. For the right project, I will pull out my cameras.

Want to collaborate?

I wear many hats: director, producer, writer, project launcher, photographer, graphic designer, fundraiser, and more. If you have an idea or project that you may want support with, reach out.