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Mark Jacobs is an award-winning film and television director, cinematographer and videographer with more than 35 years of success in feature documentary, commercial, music video, news, doc/reality and competition reality productions.  Mark's most noted for "Jesse's Story," the 2009 documentary he wrote and directed revealing how a young athlete, his promising career cut short by a surfing accident, bravely adjusts to his new life as a quadriplegic. "Jesse's Story" captured prestigious Jury and Audience Awards for Best Documentary Motion Picture at the Beverly Hills, Malibu, Las Vegas and San Diego film festivals. Mark has directed more than 50 television docudramas, competition reality shows and pilots. Most notable projects that Mark has directed and been the director of photographer for are Rob and Big, Biggest Loser, Two Corey's, Kitchen Nightmares, Breaking Bonaduce, The Great Christmas Light Fight and numerous others. Before transitioning to television, feature, commercial and documentary film making, Mark established his storytelling skills during almost three decades as an broadcast journalist. As a news director, reporter, chief photojournalist and editor, Mark learned how to expertly lead teams of professionals under daily deadline pressures to a common goal.
Mark's work has been recognized by his peers as a broadcast journalist, commercial director & director of photography, feature documentary producer and director with over 50 industry honors to include; 2 Edward R. Murrow, 4 Telly, 23 NATAS Emmy's, 13 Society of Professional Journalists, 33 United Press International and Associated Press, numerous National Press Photographer Association awards.   Mark's love of mentoring and bringing up new leaders in the industry is what fuels his love of the community he is a part of. 

 
  The Great Christmas Light Fight
Competition Reality Show
ABC-Disney (Director)

Ellen "180"
​2019
Christmas Doc
NBC-Universal (Director DGA)

 NBA and Other Things
2019
Documentary
Bright Bay Creative (Director of Photography)
 
Nick Cannon Project
Pilot
2019
Fox (Director of Photography)

Phenomenex
2019
Documentary Short Film
Zzyzx Films (Executive Producer/Director)

Mob The Father
2018
Documentary
A&E (Director/Supervising Producer)

Angel Brinks
2018
Docu/Drama (Pilot)
WE/AMC (Director/Director of Photography)

The Brightside with Michael Palascak
2018
Scripted Variety Comedy (Pilot)
E / Matador Content (Director)

Zombies Cast Party
2018
Scripted Kids Variety Stage Special (Live to Tape)
Disney Studios / Whalerock (Director)

Beverly Trillbillies
2018
Docu/Drama (Pilot)
Viacom / Vh1 (Director of Photography)

Game of Clones
2018
Docu/Drama
Viacom / MTV (Director/Director of Photography)

The Great Christmas Light Fight
2018
Competition Reality Show
ABC / Freemantle (Director of Photography)
 
Faces of the Future
2017
Documentary Feature "Short"
Zzyzx Films / Think Again (Producer/Director)

Eayana and Jasmine
2017
Documentary Feature "Short"
Zzyzx Films / Illumination foundation (Producer/Director)

The Great Christmas Light Fight
2017
Competition Reality Show
ABC / Freemantle (Director of Photography)

Scared Famous
2017
Reality
MTV / Renegade 83 (Director)

The Challenge
2017
Pod Buster
MTV / Universal Studios (Director)

Iman and Teana
2017 (Pilot)
Docu/Drama 
Vh1 (Director of Photography)
 
Squad Wars
2017
Scripted Reality Competition 
Buzzfeed / YouTube RED (Director)

1st Year Med
2017
Docu/Drama (Pilot)
​Done & Done
Lionsgate (Director)

Hellevator Season 2
2017
Reality Competition 
GSN (Director of Photography - ICG)

My Crazy Ex
2016
Scripted 
Lifetime (Director of Photography)

Shoot Around
2016
Commercial 
ESPN Stringking (Director)

Betrayed
2016
Scripted Recreation
Discovery (Director)

Geeking Out With Kevin Smith
2016
Variety Scripted/Talk Series
AMC (Director of Photography)

Hellevator Season 2
2015
Reality Competition Series
GSN (Director of Photography - ICG)

Knock Knock Live
2015
Reality Surprise Series
FOX (Director - DGA)

Skin Wars: Paintbrush
2015
Reality Competions (Pilot) 
GSN (Director of Photography)

Hellevator
2015
Reality Competition Pilot
GSN (Director of Photography)

Family Therapy
2015
Reality Therapy Pilot 
Vh1 (Director)

Famously Single
2015
Reality Therapy Pilot 
Vh1 (Director)

Framework
2015
Reality Competition Series
Spike (Director of Photography)
Breadwinners
2015
Reality (Pilot)
Spike (Director)

Pink Collared Criminals
2015
Scripted Re-creation (Pilot)
Kevin Spacey/Dana Brunetti - (Director)

Coaching Bad
2015
Reality Therapy Series
Spike (Director)
 
Ink Shrinks
2015
Reality Therapy (Pilot)
Spike (Director)

Beast of the Bayou 
2014 / 2015
Scripted Series
Discovery (Director / Director of Photography)

Trouble in Paradise
2014
Reality )Pilot) 
Spike (Director of Photography)

Lucky Dog
2014
Reality Series 
CBS (Director)

Basketball Wives Miami
2014
Reality Finale Series 
Vh1 (Consulting Producer)

Imitaste
2013
Reality Cooking (Pilot)
Food Network (Director)
The Glee Project
2011
Reality Music/Dance Competition Series
NBC, Ryan Murphy, Oxygen (Director)

Football Wives
2010
Reality Series
Vh1 (Director)

Loved To Death
2010
Reality (Pilot) 
Animal Planet (Director)
 
Dad Camp
2010
Reality Therapy Series
Vh1 (Director)

The OCD Project
2010
Reality Therapy Series 
Vh1 (Director)

Paris Hiltons My BFF
 2009
Reality Competition Series
MTV (Director)

Kitchen Nightmares
2009
Reality Cooking Series
Fox (Director)

L.A. Shrink
2009
Reality Therapy Pilot
Vh1 (Director)

The Phone
2009
Reality Competition Series 
MTV (Director / DP)
Is She Really Going Out With Him
2009
Reality Pilot 
MTV (Director / DP)

90210
2009
Scripted Drama Series
CW (Second Unit Director)

I want to work for Diddy
2008 
Reality Competition Series 
Vh1 (Director / DP)
 
Obsessed
2008
Reality Therapy 
A&E (Director/Supervising Producer)

The Group
2008
Reality Therapy Pilot
WE (Director / DP)

The Two Corey’s
2008
Reality Therapy Series 
A&E (Director / DP)

Shoot To Kill
2008
Reality Competition Series 
Vh1 (Director / DP)

Anchorwoman
2007
Reality/Scripted Series 
Fox (Director / DP)

Good in the Hood
2007
Reality (Pilot)
A&E (Director / DP)
Rob & Big
2006
Reality Comedy Series
MTV (Director/DP)

Adventures in Hollyhood
2006
Reality (Pilot)
MTV (Director/DP)

Breaking Bonaduce
2004 / 2005
Reality Therapy Series
Vh1 (Director / DP)
 
Built for Speed
2004
Reality Competition (Pilot)
MTV (Director / DP)

Rachel Ray
2004
Reality Cooking Series
Show KingWorld (Director / DP)

Biggest Loser: Special Edition
2005
Reality Competition Series
NBC (Director)

It Girls
2004
Reality (Pilot)
Vh1 (Director / DP)

The Gift
2004
Reality Therapy Series
NBC (Director / DP)

A New You
2004
Reality (Pilot)
Fox (Director / DP)
Supergroup
2005
Reality Series 
Vh1 (Director of Photography)

Walk a Week
​2005
Reality Therapy (Pilot) 
A&E (Director of Photography)

Fly Fishing the World 
Sports Variety Series 
ESPN (Director of Photography)

Fly Fishing America 
Sports Variety Series 
ESPN (Director of Photography)

The World of Televisa International
Scripted Presentation 
Televisa International
(Executive Producer/Director)

Fox Rox 
Music Variety Series 
Fox (Creator/Executive Producer/Director)

Sam the Cooking Guy
Reality Cooking Series 
Fox (Creator/Executive Producer/Director)

Inside Entertainment 
Entertainment Variety Series
Fox (Executive Producer/Director)

San Diego Music Awards 
Live Multi-Cam Awards Broadcast 
Fox (Executive Producer/Director)

Summer Fun 
Variety Special
CBS (Producer/Director/Director of Photography)

Commercials
 
Shoot Around
Long/Short Form 
ESPN / String Kings (Director/DP)

HONDA Civic Tour 
Long Form Concert 
Honda USA (Drone Operator/Cinematographer)

Who Is Fiilex / LED/ CRI 
Corporate Shorts (3) 
Fiilex Lighting (Executive Producer/Director)

“A Pirates Tale”
Theatrical Scripted Presentation 
Kingston Technologies (Producer/Director)

New York, NY Hotel
World Release Commercials (6)
Encore Productions (Producer/Director)

Stratosphere Hotel
World Release Commercials (6)
Encore Productions (Producer/Director)

“Honeymoon in Vegas” Prime Time Promos: Will Smith/L.L. Cool J
Network Promotional Campaign 
NBC (Director/Director of Photography)
 
Documentary
Swaziland
Short Film
Zzyzx Films(Executive Producer/Director)

Mission Angels
Feature Documentary 
Zzyzx Films (Executive Producer/Director)

Being on Board 
Feature Documentary
Zzyzx Films (Executive Producer/Director)

Jesse’s Story 
Feature Documentary - Multiple Festival Opener and Winner
Zzyzx Films (Executive Producer/Director)

South by Southwest: Austin Music Festival
Television Documentary
FOX (Executive Producer/Director)

Life Lessons: 2001, 2002, 2003 
“Your Life Your Choice” 1&2
“Building Bridges”
“Generation Stress”
“Truth & Consequences”
“A Dose of Reality”
“The Human Genome”
Multiple One-Hour Bi-Lingual Documentaries
FOX (Executive Producer/Director)

The Exxon Valdes Disaster: “After the Spill” 
Television Documentary
PBS (Director of Photography)

Music Video
 Vamonos
2017
Artist - Generatioin Recovery
Zzyzx Films (Director/Director of Photography)
 
Rock n Roll Dog
2016
Artist - Masque
Zzyzx Films (Director/Director of Photography)
 
Viva Las Vegas
1992
ZZ Top
Warner Brothers (Key Grip)
 
 Big Log
1983
Robert Plant
Capital Records (Key Grip)
 
 
www.zzyzxfilms.com
mark.13@mac.com
310.283.1748