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jacenknet
As a child, Jason was always interested in performing in front of people through magic, toys, or even thrown together music theater shows for the neighborhood parents. He wanted to be a stand-up comedian at a young age and wrote various skits and drew cartoons throughout childhood.
In 1994, Jason started performing, set building, and stage managing various musical theater productions such as Hello Dolly, Chicago, Crazy for you, Once upon a Mattress, Joesph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Music Man, etc. After stage performance for 3 years, Jason moved into improv and sketch comedy taking on actor, director, producer, writer, and editor roles. Including various film projects like: Any Given Sunday, All the World, and the Mongo Like Candy tv series.
Jason started his career behind the camera in 1996 (the era of VHS/hi-8/vhs-c). Completely self-taught and learning with every new project- Jason strives to become better and more technically creative with everything he does. He uses practical effects and in-camera techniques whenever possible and looks forward to collaborating with agencies, directors, and projects that want the visual element to be just as important as the rest.
The late 90s also provided work as an A/V tech, roadie, and foreman in various event and stage companies. Some groups included - Green Day, Kid Rock, Linkin Park, Dashboard Confessional, Shania Twain, Hall and Oats, Hillary Duff, Coke, etc.
In 2003, Jason drifted into the field of photography and developed a media company focusing on video/design, which provided him work with various clients and companies including music, corporate, fashion, and event work.
In 2011, he branched back into working in film, and in 2013 started the production company JACENKNET, leaving the production house he was working at to start freelancing in the Chicago film community.
2011 - 2021 produced hundreds of projects such as narrative films 'Heaven is Hell', 'Bunny', 'Love', 'Gancho', 'Fang', 'The Way I See It', 'Twisted Little Lies', and 'The Christmas Thief'. Music Videos for 'Allister', 'Ganser', 'the New Loud', 'Melter', and 'My Gold Mask'. And clients such as - Lifetime Network, Focus Features, Chicago Bulls, Lego, Consumer Reports, Dolby, Grammy Foundation, Universal Music, BBC, Financial Times, National Geographic, Nike, PBS, Reebok, Rolling Stone, United Airlines, Victoria's Secret, Visa, White Castle, etc. As well as countless commercials, documentary work, ad campaigns, and personal projects.
At the end of 2021, Jason joined The International Cinematographers Guild as a Camera Operator in the Local 600 where he is continuing to pursue both freelance and union opportunities as well as getting married to his longtime girlfriend, Hair/MUA artist Jessica Lynn.
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Tenet (2020)
Studios still paying for Nolans personal pipe dreams
150 minutes and 6000 questions (cause thats literally ALL the dialog written for nearly every character in every scene), Nolan still cant figure out how to tell a story that isn't just a effects demo reel self stroking way to spend 205 million dollars and frustrate everyone instead of making a enjoyable movie.
Another reviewer said it best 'This is just Memento with more explosions' which is true except that movie took the time to explain things and give the sense of learning as you go. Primer is another good example of this.
This movie doesnt do that at all, instead is riddled with:
- bs convenient plot development that happens within a scene
- horrible amateur editing in parts
- sound issues that further the difficulty in following
- a seemly wonderful performance by Kenneth Branagh overshadowed by the time you get to him with rage of WHY SO MANY QUESTIONS? JUST WRITE SOME ACTUAL DIALOG!
alas, as with his last 2 movies, its on the studios now for paying to keep his name afloat instead of giving money to people that have better films to enjoy. His ego was given a proper check with the streaming release and all his complaining about not working w Warner Bros will hopefully kill his relationship with them. Then maybe he will be forced to have to self fund films and go back to telling proper stories instead of just using millions to fund personal dreams that involve crashing planes for next to zero effect in the overall point of the film.
Unhinged (2020)
something happened to this director
Second movie from this director thats fairly decent and deranged
Akira (1988)
still has something
Rewatched for the first time in like 20 years last night. overall its a better concept then it is a movie i think, not horrible as a movie though but i feel it 'could be' something more if expanded. now do i want someone to make a blah version of a live action remake? no. do i want someone to maybe add to what has been done and expand on it? yes. will that be best for the story and its memory? ....honestly idk
Elegy (2008)
emotional
Isabel Coixet, Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson- whats not to love just from that setup alone. The film was another that I feel you needed to relate to in some kind of a depression search for love and fighting self doubt kinda way. So of course those people can relate instantly and in a slightly painful way, but I find some of my favorite films in this fashion as its very hard to convey these emotions to someone outside of this group and watching that hidden world being seen though anothers eyes always gets a nod from me. Aside from that the cast is amazing and Coixet goes down for another win in my book- now go fall in love with My Life Without Me.
The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
pad the volume
Let talk about what horror movies have come down to for a second now....crap...well at least the Hollywood horror movies that think a crap movie can be saved with name actors. Then add a horrid use of CGI in every scene thought of that could have been done (and better mind you) in real life. Then add the simple OVERUSE of jump scare crap (so many scenes would have been actually scary if i could have watched them without a 9 volume increase piano crash noise). And pretty much your stuck with this movie which is a excellent example of when a studio gets a horrid movie and has to make it look good in the preview edit just so somebody goes out and sees it.
Hwanghae (2010)
one of the best films into korean action thrillers
Prob hands down one of the best movies i've ever seen. The writer/director blows away any sense of the "norm" along with even with multiple viewing continues to keep you wondering whats going to happen next. The combo of Jung-woo Ha and Yun-seok Kim in reversed roles from the Chaser is amazing as always. Another win for Korean filmmakers
Broken Flowers (2005)
Not the 'Translation' follow up you hoped for
I really dont understand just HOW this movie could be so bad, but to be blunt and jump right to the point...it was. First off I, like many i guess, was interested in seeing this one do to my utter love of Lost in Translation in which they made sure that they styled the previews the same. From the opening i had some doubts after the first glance of the letter seemed like a interesting idea and slowy over the course of the next 5 minutes became a clear overplaying of everone who touched it to make sure that you could ALWAYS see the letter, which its freakin pink! i think you could tell where it was in a sea of white with a overplay of the fact. Yes, this might be a trivial point- but it IS a point that sums up the whole movie, "even the objects in the bad had bad direction." Other than that it just went downhill- FAST! There are fadeouts in the closing of everyscene that serve only as a reminder to the audience that the writer couldnt really come up with a strong closing and chose the "blackout" button as his only choice and then made the decision "hey, why dont i just use that button ALL THE TIME." But maybe in looking back- it WAS a good idea to use the blackout button, because it saved us from watching anymore of the current scene that we were stuck in. Overall and to sum up the scenes i would have to say i thought it impossible to direct good actors to act poorly within the confines of a script, but this movie proved me wrong. These scenes lacked any purpose for the viewer to come to any resolution or even understand WHY Bill signed onto this film. Not to metion the very very poor choice of direction each scene took on, the pointless nude teenager, the dry/lame jokes that the supporting characters where made to speak, the odd dream scenes which would have worked in a movie that was TOTALLY different then this one, and the dragging story. In summary, i wouldnt tell anyone to view this movie for ANY reason whatso ever, not EVEN if you were a Bill fan!
The Omega Man (1971)
ugh to the ughth degree
Im not saying that i'm the biggest fan of heston but like most people i do remember planet of the apes and thought that was a interesting and very well done. this one, not so much...maybe its because it almost right away reminded me of vanilla sky, which i loved but was done in a more interesting way. then it started to feel like 28 days later, again with the compare- i know, but i loved that one too...and again- i KNOW this was way way long ago in comparing the 2 for quality but thats not a excuse for staying interesting to me. i think that maybe every movie that heston made had some sort of "i'm a tough wise-guy character" in it back then, but to me it just seemed like it made everything he said more b-movie than this highly talked about movie that my roomie bf came over with last night. i attempted to watch it, but to be honest i started falling alseep pretty much not even half way into the thing. i remember the wine rack falling on him and then some hoeky interview by the big-bads and then i was out...only to awake a few times within the next couple of scenes to not be impressed again and fall back alseep. finally i thought that its not even worth it and the pain in my neck for trying to stay awake on my couch won out and off to bed i went. now i've fell asleep in some viewing of GOOD movies or movies i DIDNT want to fall asleep in before and watched them again the next day or whatever...but this one isnt going to be one of those i fear. i think the empty spot it takes up before its returned to blockbuster will stay its resting place until its due. i kinda feel that this review might be looked on as "i just dont like older movies", and though there is some truth in that- i do like some older movies and i feel that its not a excuse to be used just because of that. the lines were stupid, the action was very easy to read, the plot was overdone, and in general it was just boring to me. give me the old war of the worlds or the blob....at least there fun to watch.
Evil Dead (2013)
Better the more you watch
Second viewing and then third viewing with commentary really helped this one for me, still have a few issues as i did the first time but overall points to the practical effects and if your watching in the sense of "there are no rules here" then its a much more enjoyable film. I'm more into the over the top blood and guts then i was the first time mainly for "balls out" reasons of "if your going to do it, F it do it with a million gallons of fake blood". ** Vapid actors, amazingly stocked cabin, and people who seem stronger alive and still able to function and carry weapons with 2 dozen knife wounds/broken limbs/guttings then the "undead"....until you come back, then all of a sudden those wounds go away....and if your hit in the arm with a crowbar three times which clearly is shown to break it, no worries- in the next 3 seconds that will be fixed too. Overall points for the fx and cinematography and a shame as even though this was so not scary, horrid "acting", and torture it could all have been saved going the Rami/Whedon route and just a call that shit out, ala "Hey, why the F can we physically pull our own hand off and be perfectly fine with that" or "Hey, whats with this cabin thats been raided still have every grip eye hook in the world" or my favorite "I'm sorry, why is your girlfriend even in this movie as shes only had 5 lines and is F'in pointless?" FIN
Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! (2017)
Eessh
As before, its a well done doc by a talented filmmaker that makes you hate everything about the situation food is currently in.
Errors of the Human Body (2012)
Found a script
Feels like someone found the 2/4's part of the script in the woods somewhere but didnt have the rest- decided to make the movie anyway and got lost.
Locke (2013)
Incredible
Dirty Pretty Things was one of the first movies that i remember seeing without knowing anything about and was highly surprised, this one is by the same writer and gives the same strong story. My only issues with this was that in other movies of the same tone i felt more involved as there was some kind of "this needs to happen" (Buried for example) where as this one just focuses on dialog the entire time, well acted and written- but ive never been a fan of theater style no-stop talking so this kinda lost me in that sense. Other then that, kudos to the DP for making a ever changing and somehow interesting experience with shooting a guy in a car for 90 mins.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Worth the work
Hands down Gunn is one of the best writer/directors out there, though i went into this with every "ugh, fine- I'll see it" any was really surprised. So over and could give a care less about Marvel movies these days, the last one i remember liking was X2, but this seems more of a legit film then a fan job. Kudos goes to just about every aspect (including many that are sorely horrid these days) - directing, writing, acting, CG, makeup, and story. Let me just tag makeup and practical FX again, as whoever did those need to be doing everything ever.
The Expendables 3 (2014)
Such a waste
There is zero redeeming qualities to this movie. Its almost like watching a Lifetime drama about how legit actors can agree on such a pointless, horrid written, and uncareable script you can get. Like serious actors, that can read, still say- "yep, looks good to me". The worst green screen shots of 1992 (if we were in 92), a DP who cant shoot and focus to save his life, and a Director who cant even see that he just cast MMA rejects that cant even deliver lines much less be entertaining (Ronda Rousey). Scenes that are placed for no reason, and then end for the same. One liner dialog that is repeated, thats right- REPEATED through the movie as if to say- "Idk, give another chopper line Arnold- maybe nobody will notice". I give one star to Sly for starting this off as a good concept and then for whatever reason giving it to the studio to destroy worse with each sequel. So sad kids, so sad.
Die Wand (2012)
Was it worth it
Where it is a unique and original story, it feels like they couldn't really sum up the character into anything- which makes you feel like you just watched 2 hours of what will continue to be 2 hours forever. again, good concept- but kinda time wasteful. :/
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Better then it should be
Anyone managing for me to care about a superhero movie, much less a Captain America movie deserves kudos. well played live action, actual fight and car scenes that were more Bond then Marvel, and some twists.
Django Unchained (2012)
Same overuse of dialog and runtime
I was over DiCaprio in the 90s, Waltz seems way out of place and kinda feels like hes dumbing down his acting for the role, Foxx plays the same thing, Jackson actually does a decent job as something other then a "F the white man" character....oh wait... As with most Tarantino movies im forced to sit through this can best be described as a 90 min movie stretched to 2.45 because he cant write any scene that involves less then 3 pages of dialog- even if its just a gunfight. The only positive i'll give this is the practical use of blood, for that it gets a star in itself.
Ex Machina (2014)
Worth it
One of those movies that has the start to be something, but just stays at the start for most of the film. Come the end you really dont care to much about the result and any bells/whistles that happen are what you thought in the first place so its not much of a surprise. Remarkably well done effects and lighting though.
Comet (2014)
Different
Very different and unique. didnt follow the storyline entirely nor did i connect with the characters or really understand the premise but was still entertained and thought that it was original and thought provoking. kudos weird movie.
Starry Eyes (2014)
A long wait for not much
It should not take a hour into a 90 min movie for something to happen, in any movie, especially in a "horror" film. This thing was closer to a Lifetime mini series then it was to anything worth recommending.
Interstellar (2014)
A self serving pat
Nolan and Nolan attempt to out stroke off each other by making a movie that just twists so many times and explains nothing that you seriously have to wonder "why". And then realize that with unlimited money and ego you can make whatever you want for nobody but yourself. There are so many forced performances, lines, edits, flashbacks/forwards/backs, and timeline overlaps that you wonder if actors where just given sides on the day and told "trust me, i'll throw it all together and it wont make sense- Isn't that cool!!??". No Nolan, no.
Asura (2016)
Stick it out
There are 3 types of Korean films: Revenge, Cop, Political. this one starts as the 3rd, turns into the second and gloriously ends on the 1st featuring the whos who of everything. also featuring on of the top cinematographers today, amazing.