Directed by Tonya Kay
The official music video for Lyra Star’s original song “Moonrise,” featuring contortion and special visual effects.
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Director Biography – Tonya Kay
Tonya Kay’s career started as a professional dancer on Broadway and in blockbusters. Expect to see dynamic physicality, choreographed camera movements and a fascination with bodies glorified in all their gross, hilarious and sensual shapes in Tonya Kay-created and directed works.
Mentored by Birds of Prey director, Cathy Yan, Tonya Kay’s film directing debut, The Ascension of Ava Delaine (Amazon Prime), was called a “ridiculously difficult” 5 min single-take film shot entirely on drone and won the AT&T SHAPE Film Awards with notable funding awarded at Warner Bros Studios. Tonya Kay reveals, “What you see from the drone front is the movie. What was happening behind those walls was a whirlwind of rambunctious nudity and focused determination.”
Her tv directorial debut premiered on The CW in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! “Curious Christmas” segment, which she also wrote. Indie Shorts Mag says; “The bold, experimenting spirit of Tonya Kay … revels in attaining new heights.” Tonya Kay was named one of “30 Female Directors You Should Know” by Festigious Mag and was honored as an “Exceptional Woman in Production” by StudioDaily at the Cablefax Awards.
With an established film/tv acting career, Tonya Kay works quickly and powerfully with actors’ unique psychology. Her 2020 and 2021 directing works include all episodes of the Admit One tv series, a 30 min single-take thriller Every Digital Ghost, short comedy Band and a series of artistic music videos with talent Lyra Star.
When not on set, Tonya Kay is the go-to gal for hot rods in Los Angeles. She produces elaborate automotive photoshoots, writes the most-read column at RacingJunk.com and throws live classic car shows with sell out attendance.
Director Statement
“I love working with the talent of Lyra Star and Moonrise marks our four music video together. The challenge for me as director is to continually push the envelope to show contortion on film in a way it hasn’t been seen before. In Moonrise, I have Star doing jaw dropping postures teetering on top of a retro 70s television while filling the tv screen in with wolf morphs and Star singing through static. I asked Ryan Enos to create the VFX and am delighted where he took all of the direction in post. I’m also doubly excited about Moonrise because as soon as I did the walk through of our gorgeous location, I noticed it’s size restrictions would be my challenge. In this case, though, limitations lead to some great creativity! Using DP Andria Chamberlin’s lighting instincts and set dressing to the fullest, I pulled four very different set ups together in a gorgeous, but small location. You might not believe that all scenes were shot in the same space on the same afternoon. And that, fans and viewers, is the magic of framing, lighting, set dressing and vision. Which all came together stunningly to bring out the soft and glamorous femininity of talent, Lyra Star.”
Experimental Film & Music Video Festival 
