About

Known credits:
302
Birthday:
1933-05-25
Place of birth:
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Website:
Click here

Ken Jacobs

Overview

A pioneer of the American film avant-garde of the 1960s and '70s, Ken Jacobs is a central figure in post-war experimental cinema. From his first films of the late 1950s to his recent experiments with digital video, his investigations and innovations have influenced countless artists.

A New Yorker by birth, Jacobs graduated from City University to find himself in the midst of the downtown art scene of the 1960s, which included artists Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol, beat writers Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac; and the experimental theater troupes of Trisha Brown and Yvonne Rainer. Although Jacobs had studied painting with Hans Hoffman, he quickly gravitated to film, finding kindred spirits in radical filmmakers such as Jonas Mekas and Hollis Frampton. An early friendship with Jack Smith yielded several collaborations, including the seminal underground films Blonde Cobra (which Jonas Mekas dubbed "the masterpiece of Baudelairean cinema") and Little Stabs at Happiness, as well as a Provincetown beach-based live show, The Human Wreckage Review.

Known for

Acting
2025 Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse Actor Self N/A
N/A
2023 Art-House America: Austin Film Society Actor Self N/A
N/A
2022 Please Leave a Message: Anthology Film Archives Voicemails Through the Ages Actor N/A
N/A
2022 Fragments of Paradise Actor Self 58
Average
2016 Reminiscences of Jonas Mekas Actor N/A
N/A
2013 Diaries, Notes, and Sketches Actor Self 59
Average
2013 What Is Cinema? Actor Self 58
Average
2013 The Eternal Courtship Actor N/A
N/A
2012 Emma's Dilemma Actor Himself 59
Average
2011 Sleepless Nights Stories Actor Self 58
Average
2011 Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film Actor Himself 59
Average
2011 Cinematic Correspondences: Jonas Mekas - J.L. Guerin Actor Himself 59
Average
2010 Santos Dumont: Pré-Cineasta? Actor Himself 59
Average
2010 Lavender Actor Self N/A
N/A
2008 Momma's Man Actor Dad 58
Average
2007 365 Day Project Actor 58
Average
2007 Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis Actor Self 58
Average
2004 Star Spangled to Death Actor Oscar Friendly / Ringmaster / Janitor 59
Average
2003 Nervous Ken Actor N/A
N/A
2002 Shorts From the Underground Actor himself N/A
N/A
2000 As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty Actor Self 60
Fair
1997 Birth of a Nation Actor Self 58
Average
1994 Jonas in the Desert Actor Self 59
Average
1991 Quartet Number One Actor 59
Average
1986 He Stands in a Desert Counting the Seconds of His Life Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
1985 Home Movies 1971-81 Actor N/A
N/A
1976 Lost, Lost, Lost Actor Self 59
Average
1973 Horizons Actor 59
Average
1968 Huge Pupils Actor Himself N/A
N/A
1967 Bill's Hat Actor N/A
N/A
1963 Blonde Cobra Actor 56
Average
1962 Scotch Tape Actor 58
Average

Directing
2023 Up the Illusion Directing Director N/A
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2023 Writhing City Directing Director N/A
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2023 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Directing Director N/A
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2023 From Introduction to Orson Welles’s Falstaff: Chimes at Midnight Directing Director N/A
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2023 Other Urban Lives Directing Director N/A
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2023 Book of Eternalisms 1-6 Directing Director N/A
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2023 Tourists of the Familiar 15 Directing Director N/A
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2023 Tourists of the Familiar 1 Directing Director N/A
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2023 Tourists of the Familiar 10 Directing Director N/A
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2023 Spasm Directing Director N/A
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2023 Tourists of the Familiar 20 Directing Director N/A
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2023 Whims of Twenty Twenty-Three Directing Director N/A
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2023 Tourists of the Familiar 5 Directing Director N/A
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2022 Real Action Figures Directing Director N/A
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2022 When Timofeev Moves Everything Moves Directing Director N/A
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2022 Sergei Eisenstein Embossed Directing Director N/A
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2022 Buster Keaton Embossed Directing Director N/A
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2022 Things to Come Directing Director N/A
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2022 One Dozen Roses Directing Director N/A
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2022 America Let's Her Hair Down 1905 Directing Director N/A
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2021 Eternal Beach Directing Director N/A
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2021 Abstract Eternalism Directing Director N/A
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2021 Double Wow Directing Director N/A
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2021 XCXHXEXRXRXIXEXSX Directing Director N/A
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2021 Adventures of Cookie Truck Directing Director N/A
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2021 A Small Misunderstanding Directing Director N/A
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2021 Aspiring To Music Directing Director N/A
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2021 Cartoonish 1-10 Directing Director N/A
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2021 Hoffman Student Directing Director N/A
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2020 Movie That Invites Pausing Directing Director N/A
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2020 Transparent Apartments Directing Director N/A
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2020 Storefront Directing Director N/A
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2020 Spiky Directing Director N/A
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2020 Municipal Building Passage Directing Director N/A
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2020 Clouds and Trees Directing Director N/A
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2020 Bandit Directing Director N/A
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2020 Hubble II Directing Director N/A
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2020 Whirlpool Directing Director N/A
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2020 Halley’s Comet Directing Director N/A
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2020 Spaceworks Directing Director N/A
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2020 Water Balloon Directing Director N/A
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2020 Another Day in Days of Yore Directing Director N/A
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2020 Garage Wall Directing Director N/A
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2020 Period Piece Directing Director N/A
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2020 Street Commerce II Directing Director N/A
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2020 Street Commerce Directing Director N/A
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2020 Resting Merchant Directing Director N/A
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2020 Neon Sign Directing Director N/A
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2020 Flowers and Bike Directing Director N/A
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2020 Broadway Buildings II Directing Director N/A
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2020 Broadway Buildings III Directing Director N/A
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2020 Chinese New Years Directing Director N/A
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2020 Chinese New Years II Directing Director N/A
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2020 Brick Building with Red and Green Windows Directing Director N/A
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2020 Duck Directing Director N/A
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2020 Broadway Building Directing Director N/A
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2020 Fire Escape Directing Director N/A
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2020 Lazy City Directing Director N/A
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2020 Natural Collage Directing Director N/A
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2020 Reading Society Directing Director N/A
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2020 Waiting Room Window Directing Director N/A
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2020 DeKooning Passed Directing Director N/A
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2020 Sleeping American Directing Director N/A
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2020 Friendly Building Directing Director N/A
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2020 Working Girls (short) Directing Director N/A
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2020 Roots of Manhattan Directing Director N/A
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2020 Doyer Street Directing Director N/A
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2020 Bison Directing Director N/A
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2020 City Foliage Directing Director N/A
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2020 Bargains Directing Director N/A
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2020 Barber Directing Director N/A
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2020 Facade with Face Directing Director N/A
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2020 Foliage in Moving Car Window Directing Director N/A
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2020 RECIPROCAL Directing Director N/A
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2020 Ken and Flo Directing Director N/A
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2020 Red Green Directing Director N/A
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2020 PAINTED POSTER Directing Director N/A
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2020 Rain Clouds Directing Director 59
Average
2020 DR. TOOTHY Directing Director N/A
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2020 Rubble Directing Director N/A
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2019 CRUSH Directing Director N/A
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2019 PAPPY SEES 3D, TOO Directing Director N/A
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2019 Failure Directing Director N/A
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2019 Sebastian and Jonas Leaving the Party Directing Director N/A
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2019 Things to Come Directing Director N/A
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2019 MOVING ROAD Directing Director N/A
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2019 Figures I - V Directing Director N/A
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2019 THE WHOLE SHEBANG Directing Director N/A
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2019 Chaos Is Order Misunderstood Directing Director N/A
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2019 Above the Rain Directing Director N/A
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2019 The Sky Socialist: The Environs Directing Director N/A
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2019 Joan Mitchell: Departures Directing Director N/A
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2019 Once Upon a Planet Directing Director N/A
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2019 Details of Pollock's White Light Directing Director N/A
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2019 Dimsum and Dragons Directing Director N/A
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2019 Nervous Magic Lantern: 3D for One or Two Naked Eyes Directing Director N/A
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2019 Cartoon Directing Director N/A
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2018 The Moments: Evening Boat Ride Directing Director N/A
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2017 Swee’pea’s Favorite Eternalisms Directing Director N/A
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2017 Shelley Duvall is Olive Oyl Directing Director N/A
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2017 Along the Elevated Directing Director N/A
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2017 Get Up and Go Directing Director N/A
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2017 A Spin Through Night City Directing Director N/A
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2017 Ulysses in the Subway Directing Director N/A
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2017 Windbreaker Directing Director N/A
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2016 Reichstag 9/11 Directing Director N/A
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2016 Mosco Street 2 Directing Director N/A
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2016 Mosco Street 3: Attack of The Perfect Camera (Fuji W3) Directing Director N/A
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2016 Molten Landscape Directing Director N/A
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2016 Lurking Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ken Jacobs / Tom Chiu of Flux Quartet @ The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ken Jacobs / Victoria Keddie @ The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ken Jacobs / Ghosts Of The Holy Ghost Spermic Brotherhood @ The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
N/A
2016 Ken Jacobs / Rick Reed & Tara Bhattacharya @ The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ken Jacobs / Robert Poss @The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ken Jacobs / diNMachine @ The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ken Jacobs / JG Thirlwell @ The Nervous Magic Lantern Festival Directing Director N/A
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2016 Hydroelectric Dam Directing Director N/A
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2016 I'm Telling You Directing Director N/A
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2015 Empty Seats Directing Director N/A
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2015 Batchellor’s Dog and Beach Directing Director N/A
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2015 Afternoon Tide Directing Director N/A
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2015 Zazie Learns About Money Directing Director N/A
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2015 Aimless Sightseeing, Seoul Directing Director N/A
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2015 Chrysalis Directing Director N/A
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2015 Cyclops Observes the Celestial Bodies Directing Director N/A
N/A
2015 The Lackadaisical Speed of Light Directing Director N/A
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2014 Wire Fence Directing Director N/A
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2014 Canopy Directing Director 58
Average
2014 Celestial Bodies Directing Director N/A
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2014 Pygmalion Cubed Directing Director N/A
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2014 The Guests Directing Director 59
Average
2014 Popeye Sees 3-D Directing Director N/A
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2013 Joys of Waiting for the Broadway Bus #1 Directing Director N/A
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2013 Joys of Waiting for the Broadway Bus #4 Directing Director N/A
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2013 A Primer in Sky Socialism Directing Director N/A
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2013 Joys of Waiting for the Broadway Bus #2 Directing Director N/A
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2013 Joys of Waiting for the Broadway Bus #3 Directing Director N/A
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2012 Blankets for Indians Directing Director N/A
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2012 Street Vendor Directing Director N/A
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2012 20 Little Films Directing Director N/A
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2011 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero Directing Director 58
Average
2011 Seeking the Monkey King Directing Director 59
Average
2011 The Pushcarts Leave Eternity Street Directing Director N/A
N/A
2011 America at War, The Home Front: Film Opening Directing Director N/A
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2011 Revolving Door Directing Director N/A
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2011 Turbulent Waters Directing Director 59
Average
2011 The Roses Directing Director N/A
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2011 The Green Wave Directing Director N/A
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2011 Another Occupation Directing Director N/A
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2011 Cyclopean 3D: Life with a Beautiful Woman Directing Director N/A
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2011 DAY AND NIGHT Directing Director N/A
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2010 A Loft Directing Director N/A
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2010 Sensoriums at Sea: Toothy Two Directing Director N/A
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2010 Sensoriums at Sea: Dr. Toothy's New Entranceway Directing Director N/A
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2010 Fair And White: Parts I, II, III and Extra Directing Director N/A
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2010 The Near-Collision Directing Director N/A
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2009 Jonas Mekas in Kodachrome Days Directing Director 59
Average
2009 Excerpt From THE SKY SOCIALIST Stratified Directing Director N/A
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2009 Walkway Directing Director N/A
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2009 Brook Directing Director N/A
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2009 Brain Operations Directing Director N/A
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2009 Bob Fleischner Dying Directing Director N/A
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2009 What Happened on 23rd Street in 1901 Directing Director N/A
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2009 “Slow is Beauty”—Rodin Directing Director N/A
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2009 Berkeley To San Francisco Directing Director N/A
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2009 Hot Dogs At The Met Directing Director N/A
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2009 Gravity Is Tops Directing Director N/A
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2009 Ronald Gonzales, Sculptor Directing Director N/A
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2009 The Signing Directing Director N/A
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2009 The Day Was a Scorcher Directing Director N/A
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2008 Return to the Scene of the Crime Directing Director N/A
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2008 Amorous Interludes: His Favorite Wife Improved (or The Virtue Of Bad Reception) Directing Director N/A
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2008 The Discovery Directing Director 59
Average
2008 Alone at Last Directing Director N/A
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2008 Elbow Dance Directing Director N/A
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2008 The Scenic Route Directing Director N/A
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2008 Love Story Directing Director N/A
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2008 Anaglyph Tom (Tom with Puffy Cheeks) Directing Director 59
Average
2007 Nymph Directing Director N/A
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2007 Gift of Fire: Nineteen (Obscure) Frames That Changed The World Directing Director N/A
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2007 Hanky Panky January 1902 Directing Director N/A
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2007 We Are Charming Directing Director N/A
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2007 Popeye Sees 3-D, TOO Directing Director N/A
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2007 Mosco Street Rapture Directing Director N/A
N/A
2007 Titles Directing Director 59
Average
2007 Capitalism: Slavery Directing Director 58
Average
2007 Razzle Dazzle: The Lost World Directing Director 59
Average
2007 Nervous Lantern at Kill Your Timid Notion Festival Directing Director N/A
N/A
2007 New York Ghetto Fishmarket 1903 Directing Director 59
Average
2007 Capitalism: Child Labor Directing Director 59
Average
2006 Pushcarts of Eternity Street Directing Director N/A
N/A
2006 Two Wrenching Departures Directing Director 59
Average
2006 The Surging Sea of Humanity Directing Director N/A
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2005 Celestial Subway Lines/Salvaging Noise Directing Director 59
Average
2005 Le Prince: Leeds Bridge 1888 Directing Director N/A
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2005 Insistent Clamor Directing Director N/A
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2005 Ontic Antics Starring Laurel and Hardy: Bye Molly Directing Director N/A
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2005 Krypton Is Doomed Directing Director N/A
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2005 Spiral Nebula Directing Director N/A
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2005 Let There Be Whistle Blowers Directing Director N/A
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2004 Mountaineer Spinning Directing Director N/A
N/A
2004 Star Spangled to Death Directing Director 59
Average
2003 Keeping an Eye on Stan Directing Director N/A
N/A
2002 Circling Zero: Part One, We See Absence Directing Director N/A
N/A
2002 The Sky Socialist: Flight Directing Director N/A
N/A
2002 A Tom Tom Chaser Directing Director N/A
N/A
1999 New York Street-Trollys 1900 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1999 Flo Rounds a Corner Directing Director 59
Average
1996 Disorient Express Directing Director N/A
N/A
1996 The Georgetown Loop Directing Director 58
Average
1995 Looting For Rodney Directing Director N/A
N/A
1995 Make Light On Film Directing Director N/A
N/A
1994 Bitemporal Vision: The Sea Directing Director N/A
N/A
1991 Keaton's Cops Directing Director N/A
N/A
1991 Opening the Nineteenth Century: 1896 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1990 Chronometer Directing Director N/A
N/A
1986 The Alps and The Jews Directing Director N/A
N/A
1985 Perfect Film Directing Director 59
Average
1977 The Doctor's Dream Directing Director N/A
N/A
1977 Book of Splendors, Part Two, Book of Levers: Action at a Distance Directing Director N/A
N/A
1976 Spaghetti Aza Directing Director N/A
N/A
1975 Urban Peasants Directing Director N/A
N/A
1975 Jerry Takes A Back Seat, Then Passes Out Of The Picture Directing Director N/A
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1973 Changing Azazel Directing Director 59
Average
1970 Binghamton, My India Directing Director N/A
N/A
1969 Nissan Ariana Window Directing Director N/A
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1969 Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son Directing Director 58
Average
1969 Globe Directing Director N/A
N/A
1968 The Sky Socialist Directing Director N/A
N/A
1968 Soft Rain Directing Director N/A
N/A
1967 For Life, Against the War Directing Director 59
Average
1967 Airshaft Directing Director N/A
N/A
1965 Lisa and Joey in Connecticut Directing Director N/A
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1965 Naomi Is A Dream of Loveliness Directing Director N/A
N/A
1964 1st Window Directing Director N/A
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1964 Window Directing Director 58
Average
1964 We Stole Away Directing Director N/A
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1964 The Winter Footage Directing Director N/A
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1964 Winter Sky Directing Director N/A
N/A
1963 Little Stabs at Happiness Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Artie and Marty Rosenblatt’s Baby Pictures Directing Director N/A
N/A
1963 TV Plug Directing Director N/A
N/A
1963 Blonde Cobra Directing Director 56
Average
1962 Baud'larian Capers Directing Director N/A
N/A
1961 The Whirled Directing Director N/A
N/A
1961 The Death of P'town Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 Little Cobra Dance Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 Saturday Afternoon Blood Sacrifice Directing Director N/A
N/A
1955 Orchard Street Directing Director 59
Average

Writing
2015 Cyclops Observes the Celestial Bodies Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2011 The Pushcarts Leave Eternity Street Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2011 Another Occupation Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2009 The Day Was a Scorcher Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2005 Spiral Nebula Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2004 Star Spangled to Death Writing Writer 59
Average
1991 Opening the Nineteenth Century: 1896 Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1991 Keaton's Cops Writing Writer N/A
N/A

Production
2007 New York Ghetto Fishmarket 1903 Production Producer 59
Average
2005 Celestial Subway Lines/Salvaging Noise Production Producer 59
Average
1964 Window Production Producer 58
Average

Camera
2006 Monks of Cinema Camera Camera Operator N/A
N/A

Crew
2013 Joys of Waiting for the Broadway Bus #2 Crew Technical Supervisor N/A
N/A
2004 Star Spangled to Death Crew Cinematography 59
Average
1964 Window Crew Cinematography 58
Average

Editing
2021 XCXHXEXRXRXIXEXSX Editing Editor N/A
N/A
2010 A Loft Editing Editor N/A
N/A
2005 Celestial Subway Lines/Salvaging Noise Editing Editor 59
Average
2004 Star Spangled to Death Editing Editor 59
Average
1964 Window Editing Editor 58
Average