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Kent Kay
Film & Digital Media Educator • Instructional Technology Leader


Profile
Media educator and creative director with nearly 30 years in television production and 13 years as a Creative Director at a group of television stations in Southern California. Teach film, digital imaging, and video post-production; develop curriculum in directing actors, film auteurs, and generative AI for creatives. Student-centered instructor focused on practical skills, industry pathways, and inclusive learning.

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Academic Appointments

Adjunct Faculty, ​Film Studies, Digital Design, and Generative AI

College of the Desert

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  • Courses taught: FILM 001, FILM 002A, FILM 008, DDP 101, DDP 106, DDP 120, DDP 142, DDP 095​

  • ​Responsibilities include course design in Canvas, instruction, lecture development, assessment rubrics, accessibility support, student mentorship, and applied creative production training, and intern supervision through workforce experience

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Shared Governance & Institutional Leadership, College of the Desert

  • CODAA-Appointed Adjunct Faculty Representative, College Planning Council

  • Voting Member, Staff Prioritization Committee

  • Co-Chair, Pillar 1 Voting Member, Guided Pathways Steering Committee

  • Team 1: Creative Programming, AI Steering Committee

  • AI Ambassador, School of Applied Sciences and Business

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Education

  • Ph.D., Leadership: Instructional Technology, University of the Cumberlands, Expected 2027

  • M.F.A., Film & Television Production, Asbury University, Expected August 2026

  • M.A., Photography, Academy of Art University

  • B.A., Film, University of Nevada, Las Vegas


Certifications


Presentations & Workshops

  • Presenter, AI Symposium, College of the Desert — “Demonstrating AI Tools in Adobe Photoshop” (August 13, 2025)


Curriculum & Course Development

  • Generative AI for Creatives — launched course with student-facing virtual AI assistant (Playlab.ai)

  • How to Direct Actors — practice-based directing pedagogy for community college learners — in progress

  • Major Directors in Cinema — Study of the works of major filmmakers through the auteur theory and other approaches. Different individuals studied each time course offered. May be repeated to a maximum of nine credits — in progress

  • Launching speaker series and film lab initiatives to fund student productions and experiential learning — in progress


Courses Taught (Selected)

  • FILM 001: Introduction to Film
    Taught foundational concepts in cinema history, film language, genre, authorship, cinematography, editing, sound, production design, narrative structure, representation, and critical film analysis

  • FILM 002A: Film Production I
    Taught introductory production practices including camera operation, shot design, lighting, sound recording, pre-production planning, directing, crew collaboration, editing workflow, and short film creation

  • FILM 008: Production Design
    Taught production design concepts including visual storytelling, set design, props, costumes, color, texture, spatial organization, world-building, visual research, and the relationship between design and character

  • DDP 101: Digital Imaging / Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Certification
    Taught digital imaging foundations including Adobe Photoshop, image correction, compositing, masking, typography, visual design principles, file preparation, and portfolio-ready creative projects

  • DDP 106: Generative AI Foundations for Creativity Certification

Taught foundational generative AI concepts including prompt engineering, AI model types, text-to-image and text-to-video workflows, ethical use, copyright considerations, bias, verification, and creative applications

  • DDP 120: Video Post Production, Adobe Premiere Pro Certification
    Taught video editing and post-production skills including project organization, timeline editing, trimming, transitions, audio adjustment, color correction, titles, exporting, and certification exam preparation

  • DDP 142: Storyboard Pro Certification
    Taught digital storyboarding skills including visual sequencing, shot planning, camera movement, animatics, timing, scene organization, export workflows, and certification exam preparation


Student Mentorship & Outcomes

  • Faculty Mentor Certificate

  • Supervised student crews on short-form productions; select work entered into regional festivals

  • Career coaching toward internships, scholarships, and transfer pathways


Creative Work (Selected Films)

  • Your Company — Producer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor

  • Name Tag — Producer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor

    • Official Selection: AmDocs, Palm Springs Cultural Center​

  • Perfect — Producer / Gaffer 

    •  Official Selection: HollyShorts, TCL Chinese Theatre

  • The Last Tear — Producer / Gaffer / Camera

    • Shot over two days; student-forward crew model

  • Surprise — Producer / Director / Editor

    • Official Selection: Big Bear Film Festival​


Awards & Honors

  • Television Academy Silver Circle Inductee (NATAS Pacific Southwest Chapter)

  • 5× Emmy Awards (NATAS Pacific Southwest Chapter)

  • 2× Edward R. Murrow Awards (regional)

  • Golden Mike Award

  • LA Press Club Award

  • Promax Award 

  • Bronze Quill Award


Professional Service & Leadership

  • National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Pacific Southwest Chapter)

    • Board of Governors, Gold & Silver Circle Chair, Education Committee Co-Chair

  • Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT)

    • Former Board of Directors & Scholarship Chair.

  • Cathedral City High School digital academy student mentor

    • ​Inspired, guided, and critiqued high school juniors and seniors as they worked toward completing their digital media projects. 

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Professional Experience (Industry)

  • Creative Director, KESQ News Channel 3 — Palm Springs, CA (13 years)

    • Led brand creative across broadcast/digital; produced, wrote, shot, and edited thousands of promos and commercials.

    • Managed writers, editors, and designers; coordinated with clients, community partners, and campaigns.

  • Various positions such as Executive Producer, Director of Photography, and Content Producer over two decades at several major market television stations in Houston, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, and Reno.​

  • Independent Filmmaker. Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Gaffer, Camera Operator, and Editor

    • Short films and branded projects with student-integrated production models.


Skills & Tools
Premiere Pro (Advanced) • Photoshop (Advanced) • After Effects (Intermediate) • DaVinci Resolve (basic) • Audition (basic) • Storyboarder Pro • Google Workspace • Canvas LMS • Playlab.ai chatbot develeopment • DSLR & DSLM cameras • ENG / EFP cameras • Strobe & video lighting • Lighting modifiers • Grip equipment

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