Jesse is a screenwriter, director, and teacher of filmmaking. He is also the host and producer of the found-footage audio drama podcast, Keeping the Bones.
In his first decade of adult life, Jesse worked as a robotic monkey operator at a circus-themed casino in San Diego’s backcountry, performed in live theatre around town, attended community college and then UCLA, and intermittently bummed around the world from Phnom Penh to Ouagadougou.
He eventually got practical and went to film school, earning his MFA from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. He went on to write and direct the award-winning feature film THANE OF EAST COUNTY, which screened at film fests across the USA and is now streaming on Tubi, as well as numerous short films include a recent reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s story THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZANN.
His feature screenplays, some in collaboration Evan Muehlbauer, have been recognized by top contests including Script Pipeline, Tracking Board Launch Pad, Slamdance, and the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Contest. He has also worked as a cinematographer, editor, and film composer, on projects such as the documentary CANYONS AND ICE: THE LAST RUN OF DICK GRIFFITH.
Jesse is an Associate Professor of Dramatic Arts and Digital Storytelling at San Diego Mesa College, where he helps the next generation of storytellers develop their craft.