Jason Matzner realized he wanted to be a filmmaker while watching a Wesleyan University screening of Bernardo
Bertolucci’s “Il Conformiste.” Shortly thereafter, Jason joined the Wesleyan film program, earning a B.A. in Film Studies and Art. He supplemented this with additional work in film production at NYU’s Tisch
School of the Arts.
Jason began his professional career by directing music videos. He has shot
videos and live concerts for national artists in the rock, alternative, hip-hop, and
electronic genres. Jason has also directed commercials, PSAs, and promos,
including a Telly award-winning spot for the Newport Beach Film Festival.
In 2006, Jason’s first feature film DREAMLAND premiered at the 2006 Sundance
Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by Sony. A coming-of-age drama
starring Agnes Bruckner, Kelli Garner, Justin Long, John Corbett, and Gina
Gershon, DREAMLAND was honored at film festivals worldwide, including the
Deauville Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, Seattle Film Festival, Flanders Film
Festival and many others. The film earned Jason a Best Director award at the
Method Fest Film Festival, as well Best Female Lead for Bruckner and Garner,
and Best Supporting Actor for Corbett.
Most recently, Jason has completed two fashion films for Maya Reynold’s avant-
garde menswear line MB999.
At the same time, Jason has pursued a career in feature development. He
has worked since 1998 as a story analyst for Universal Pictures, where he has
developed major motion pictures such as THE BOURNE IDENTITY franchise,
JARHEAD, 8 MILE, GREEN ZONE, and TOWER HEIST, amongst many others.
Jason is also a musician and a fine-art still photographer.