Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker, author, and media strategist. He started his career interning at the fabled San Francisco punk rock collective Target Video which documented the West Coast punk scene including Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, The Cramps and Iggy Pop. He made four documentaries about the performance group Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) in the 1980s. After receiving his MFA at UCLA Film School, he directed numerous music videos including notoriously Happiness in Slavery for Nine Inch Nails.
His feature films Bomb It, Better Living Through Circuitry and Cleopatra’s Second Husband have all been released theatrically in the US and broadcast throughout the world, premiering at Tribeca, Sheffield, Full Frame, BFI London, Big Sky, Seattle, Rotterdam, the LA Film Festival, and more.
Jon’s experience releasing his documentary feature, Bomb It (2010) with a hybrid strategy was the inspiration for writing Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution in the Digital Era, the first step-by-step guide for filmmakers to distribute and market their films. He has been invited to speak at film festivals and organizations worldwide. Jon was the Senior Lab Leader at the IFP Filmmaker Labs for ten years from 2010-2019. He also co-wrote Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul.
Reiss is also a media strategist who helps filmmakers and companies navigate the new distribution and marketing landscape through his company 8 Above. He has worked with and consulted for IFP, Paramount Studios, the Sundance Institute, Screen Australia, Film Independent, Creative Scotland and numerous film schools and festivals.