Carissa Dorson is a Los Angeles-based director of photography, originally from Silver Spring, Maryland. She passionately lends her skills as a cinematographer to stories that are rife with vulnerability and human connection. Her most recent feature film is the sci-fi/drama Things Will Be Different, premiering at SXSW 2024.  

Carissa began her career by carving out a niche for herself in LA’s comedy community, first filming sketch comedy, and then more nuanced projects helmed by comedians, such as the feature It's a Party (Showtime) and short film I Think She Likes You (Tribeca Film Festival). Her TV credits include A Little Late with Lilly Singh (NBC), The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula (AMC+), and Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (Netflix), a documentary about LGBTQ+ comedians who dared to be their authentic selves. While Carissa has maintained a diverse portfolio, each venture reflects her desire to make underrepresented voices be heard.

Carissa is also a fine art photographer with an interest in portraiture. Her photo series, Funny People. Serious Photos, was featured in L.A. Weekly, and her photography book, Conversations with Dad, was published in 2021 by Kehrer Verlag.