Youngstown native wins Telly Award

the vindicator

Youngstown native Eljay Williams, a television director/editor, won a Telly Award for an opening segment he created that was used for all Atlanta Hawks games broadcast by FoxSports Net and Sports South. Williams, the son of Leroy and Nettie Williams of Youngstown, lives in Georgia. He wrote, produced and edited the segment, with musical collaboration by DJ Rob Swift. The spot also received an Emmy nomination.

The Telly Awards recognize outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, video and films.

Williams and Swift also worked together on a DVD titled “As the Technics Spin,” which focuses on turntabilism. Swift delves into the technical aspects of disc jockeying on the DVD, which was released this year. It is available through Amazon, Netflix, BestBuy, UGHH.com and Blockbuster.

Williams also produces Comcast’s “The Stand,” a minidocumentary series on independent hip-hop. His latest project is directing the independent film “Pathways,” which will be filmed in Atlanta next month. Williams wrote the script for the film, which will be released in 2010.