Ashley Avis is an American screenwriter and filmmaker. She was born in Chicago, Illinois to Richard Avis and Victoria Woods, and has one brother, Richard Avis. She is married to Edward Winters, who is her partner in their Los Angeles based production company, Winterstone Pictures.
Ashley's work has been called "timelessly romantic" (White Lies Magazine), "elegantly sensual" (Elite Daily), and "tasteful, blending innocence with seduction" (Red Hot Society).
Growing up in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a former competitive equestrian, Ashley was passionate about writing from a young age. Deciding to pursue her education in New York, she attended Manhattan College on in Riverdale, graduating with a double major in two and a half years (International Business and Marketing), in 2008. During college, she worked as a journalist and regional editor for Nielsen Media, and ran a web design company while dabbling with acting. It was during that time that she fell in love with the visual and poetic style of screenwriting.
In 2009 she moved to Los Angeles, and a year later she used her savings to self-financed a spec pilot that she had written - a project called The Cynical Life. The project caught the attention of Lionsgate Entertainment founder Frank Giustra, who would later Executive Produce. It was through this experience (and due to the budgetary constraints of initially not being able to hire her own producer and director) that Ashley began her journey behind the camera. She began working in the commercial and branded beauty world, directing more than 100 spots in just three years, all with her markedly whimsical and romantic style - including co-branded campaigns for Coca Cola, Red Bull, Pfizer, Cali Burger - and more.
She formed her production company Alchemy Pictures in 2010.
In 2013, Ashley was hired by Todd Labarowksi of Dreambridge Films to write the adaptation of "The Cybil Raven Chronicles". In 2014, she made her directorial debut with the feature film Deserted, which she also wrote and produced. The film stars Mischa Barton, Winter Ave Zoli, Jackson Davis and Trent Ford.
In 2015 she met Edward Winters, who she would later become engaged to and marry. A former finance professional, when Edward turned his sights toward producing - the couple joined forces and re-branded Alchemy Pictures to Winterstone Pictures in 2016.
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Ashley's next projects include The Picture (2016) a television pilot for David Winkler, and Adolescence (2016), her second feature. She lives in Venice, California with her husband.
