Cinematography is a true passion of mine and I feel fortunate to have found such a stimulating career. I find every aspect of filmmaking fascinating, from the collaboration of artists to the science of optics and light.
My job is to help the director define visual language. Filmmaking is a collaboration and it brings great satisfaction to assemble a talented crew who enables visual storytelling. It’s key to create a calm and comfortable space for actors to open-up and feel free to embody characters. Overcoming obstacles, solving problems and discovering art is the best part of my job.
I’ve always been a do-it yourself person, believing in the sense of pride and satisfaction in creating something. I build my own camera parts, re-house vintage lenses and hope, one day, to design and grind my own optics. I believe in the personal touch and the power of fusing one’s energy into the craft. Gaffer, Yann Duarte whom I respect dearly, once told me, “The great films are comprised of many small details, and it’s the small details that make great film.” These words resonate encouraging experimentation, taking-chances, bold decisions and tending to every detail no matter how big or small.
Jason’s high school years coincided with the heyday of Cable-Access television in San Francisco. One afternoon, while flipping through channels, Jason happened upon a Public Service Announcement offering free training on how to produce a TV show. Learning how to work with a camera ignited a passion that ultimately lead him to pursue a degree in filmmaking at UC Santa Cruz.
Jason’s first job post-graduation was working as a local news camera operator. Working the night-shift freed up daylight hours, thereby allowing him to pursue Craigslist crew listings to work as a Production Assistant, Boom Operator, camera trainee or any other role available. At this time, Jason met an octogenarian camera assistant on a short film who later trained him as a film-loader. Honing in on camera department, he eventually moved up to focus-pulling, exposing him to talented cinematographers from all over the world. Watching them work, Jason could see his own place in the film industry and enthusiastically resolved to further his career in cinematography.
In 2010 Jason lensed his first feature film, Coldwood and has been working solely as a cinematographer ever since. Between films, he’s shot countless commercials, documentaries and music videos. In 2017 his music video On the Road was featured in Film and Digital Times magazine and praised for his ingenuity of designing and machining a pinhole lens. In 2019, a Sci-Fi feature he photographed, The Alternate, screened at major festivals around the world and won prizes in cinematography. Commercials for major brands have aired nationally and even played at New York’s, Times Square. Additionally, documentaries have screened on major streaming networks, including his recent doc feature, Like A Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres. which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and may now be viewed on Netflix.
In 2021 Jason was admitted into the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Vision Mentorship program, where he has benefitted from access to, and guidance from, America’s top cinematographers. This has become a place where he can ask questions, seek insight and continue advancing his craft. At the start of 2022 Jason officially qualified for, and became a member of, the International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600), where he now looks forward to furthering his exploration into long-form storytelling.