In 2000, Jon Else released Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ Ring Cycle, which won the Filmmakers Trophy at Sundance, and that year’s National Emmy^® for Best Documentary.

He has photographed hundreds of documentaries for PBS, the BBC, ABC, MTV, and HBO, including Who Are the DeBolts? (1977, Academy Award^® winner), Paramount/MTV’s feature Tupac Resurrection (2003, Academy Award^® nomination), and Barbara Kopple’s recent documentary on rapper MC Hammer, as well as dozens of music videos and concert films.

He received his B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and currently heads the documentary program at Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. He also directs UCB’s experimental Center for New Documentary.

Else was a MacArthur Fellow from 1988 to 1993, and has won four National Emmys^® (for writing, producing, directing, and cinematography), several Columbia-DuPonts, Polk Awards, and Peabody Awards as well as several Academy Award^® nominations, and the Prix Italia.

Jon Else – Writer/Director/Producer