Jesse Barrett-Mills
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jesse Barrett-Mills | |
| Born | May 2, 1984 Salem, Massachusetts, USA |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Director, Producer, Writer, and Actor |
| Website http://www.barrettmills.com/ |
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Jesse Barrett-Mills (born May 2, 1984) is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer.
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[edit] Biography
Jesse Barrett-Mills was born in Salem, Massachusetts). He was raised in Amherst, Massachusetts and received his high school degree from Northfield Mount Hermon School, where he began to experiment in filmmaking. It was during his term abroad in Ireland that he began to shoot his first documentary, Belfast: The Sad Reality. Upon graduation, he went on to attend Case Western Reserve University and received a B.A. in English and Sociology in 2006.
He has also studied film at the International Film and Television Workshops and the California Institute of the Arts, where he is currently working on his M.F.A. in Film Directing.
[edit] Early Career
His work in film began when he was only 17 years old. At the time he was living in war-torn Belfast, Northern Ireland for a term-abroad studies program. While in Belfast, he was inspired by the conflicts and tensions between the Catholic and Christian factions and produced his first documentary, Belfast: The Sad Reality, where he followed around a Black Taxi Driver and discussed the history of the religious conflict and possible means to a peaceful resolution.
The summer after his freshman year at Case he went on to direct and produce his second documentary, When The Rabbit Stops Dancing. This film is about the Choctaw Native American Tribe in Mississippi and how they have gone from one of the poorest areas of the country to becoming one of the most powerful nations in the United States. After this piece he continued work on many other projects serving as a Cinematographer, Gaffer, Boom Operator, etc. Jesse continued to direct films while pursuing his undergraduate degree, including the film “Ohio: The Next Florida”, a film looking at the 30 days leading up to the 2004 Presidential Election and the pivotal role that the state of Ohio played in deciding the presidency.[1]
[edit] 7 Men
His most recent project, 7 Men has won many prestigious awards at film festivals across the United States. Most recently, the film has won awards at both the New York Film and Video Festival and the Berkeley Film Festival. It is the story of seven diverse college students from all around the world and the stories that have shaped how they view themselves and society.[2]
[edit] Future Productions
He has also planned out his next four productions, including the development of his first feature length screenplay.
"The Finer Things" is the story of three childhood best friends who decide shortly after graduating from college to re-unite and travel across country to meet up with another old friend who is returning from the war in Iraq. They hope that their experience together during the trip will re-kindle their lost friendship and help each one of them discover what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Over the course of the trip they learn that their friend was just killed in Iraq before returning to the states. They, however, decide to continue with their journey anyways. Through this experience they not only re-establish their friendship with each other but also discover what they feel they want to do with the rest of their lives.
[edit] Selected Filmography
- Belfast: The Sad Reality (2002)
- When The Rabbit Stops Dancing (2003)
- Ohio: The Next Florida (2005)
- The Tsunami Song (2005)
- 7 Men (2005)
- Stevie (2007)
- Vida En Fuego (2007)
- Killing Me Softly (2008) Pre-Production
- The Finer Things (2009) Announced
[edit] Trivia
In the summer of 2007 Jesse attended the Maine Media Workshops as a course director and teachers assistant. While there he made many new friends and taught the students everything from how to load film to how to get free pizza. As all the students would agree he was the best teachers assistant ever.[citation needed]
Jesse played wide receiver on his college football team.
