Bio

HALEY WATSON is an Emmy-nominated director known for her emotionally resonant storytelling across narrative, documentary, branded content, and commercials.

Watson’s latest film, Songs of Black Folk, premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, marking her second consecutive world premiere at the festival. This follows her 2024 debut with Motorcycle Mary, an original short documentary acquired by ESPN Originals - 30 for 30, executive produced by Formula-One champion Lewis Hamilton and created in partnership with the two-time Academy Award-winning Breakwater Studios, Motorcycle Mary introduced Watson’s distinct voice to a global audience.

In 2021, Watson originated the story concept for The Queen of Basketball, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. Her keen eye for compelling narratives has established her as a visionary in the field.

Haley began her career by working through the ranks of the camera department. While serving as a first assistant camera, she had the opportunity to work with many notable directors, such as Lynn Shelton and David Lynch. Her technical skills earned her placement in the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women in 2019, as well as ASC’s Vision Mentorship Program in 2020 (Paired with Marshall Adams from "Better Call Saul" as her mentor).

Amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Haley joined Breakwater Studios and played a pivotal role in developing an innovative remote shooting method. She applied this method as the Director of Photography for The Beauty President, which premiered at SXSW. Additionally, she spearheaded the establishment of Mariposa Camera, a boutique camera house in Los Angeles, demonstrating her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to the industry.

Haley's artistic vision and technical expertise converge seamlessly in her work, characterized by compelling storytelling and innovative filmmaking techniques.

Today, Haley actively directs and shoots original narrative, documentary, and commercial projects. Her recent work in commercial directing with Puma - About a Bucket has earned a AI-AP International Motion Art Award. Watson’s brand film recognition, with the short documentary One in Fifty premiere’s at the Indy Shorts International Film Festival. The film anchors the human story at the heart of LSEG Risk Intelligence’s global campaign against child identity theft, garnering significant attention from the financial industry, driving real change for policies around financial crime.

Watson’s DP work with Nike notably showcased the launch of Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe, alongside prominent athletes like Naomi Osaka, Megan Rapinoe, and Serena Williams. This work has been displayed in Nike retail spaces across the USA.

Haley has embarked on collaborative projects with other industry giants such as Microsoft, LSEG Risk Intelligence, Puma, Amazon and Subaru.