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Jon Else

Jon Else

Cinematographer, director, producer and writer, also actor · Born January 1, 1944 (82) · Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Jon H. Else is an American documentary filmmaker and professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. He directs the documentary program.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1944 (82)
From
Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Cinematographer, director, producer and writer, also actor
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 37 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 24% in 30 days

What are Jon Else's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
29%
Self
19%
Morality
19%
Power
13%
Ideas
13%
Survival
4%
Bonds
3%
Community3 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 3 · Dark 4

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 9 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
7
Hopeful
7
Tense
7
Melancholic
5
Warm
3
Other
4

How their films linger

Thought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous4
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jon Else's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jon Else's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

37 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest(2025)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Land of Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • The Chinese Exclusion Act(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Fruitvale Station(2013)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Island President(2011)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Last Call at the Oasis(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Soundtrack for a Revolution(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Unabomber: The Secret History (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Camera Operator

  • The Rape of Europa(2006)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Shellmound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Creative Consultant

  • Tupac: Resurrection(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Open Outcry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • Sing Faster: The Stagehands' Ring Cycle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • Bird by Bird with Annie(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Irish in America: Long Journey Home(1998)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Cadillac Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • The Great Depression (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • The Great Depression: A Job at Ford's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Faerie Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Creative Consultant

  • Yosemite: The Fate of Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • Neil Young & Crazy Horse - In a Rusted Out Garage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Camera Operator

  • National Geographic Explorer(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Disposable Heroes: The Other Side of Football (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer

  • The Times of Harvey Milk(1984)

    Additional Camera

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Day After Trinity(1980)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Self - Interviewer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Golden Honeymoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Cardiac Arrest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Journeys from Berlin/1971 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Writer

  • Stepping Out: The Debolts Grow Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • Who Are the DeBolts? and Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • I'm a Fool(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Off the Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • Seconds to Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Associate Producer · Camera Operator · Writer

  • Arthur and Lillie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · Producer

  • Circle of Recovery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 30 titles, 29 of them dated from 1975 to 2021.

Biggest box office

Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

$7.8M worldwide

Highest rated

Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Bird by Bird with Annie (1999)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing13 of 30: 3 only directing, 10 with another roleWriting10 of 30: 1 only writing, 9 with another roleProducing11 of 30: 1 only producing, 10 with another roleCinematography16 of 30: 8 only cinematography, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thOther crew7 of 30: 5 only other crew, 2 with another role

30 titles, 12 with more than one role — cinematography and directing overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1970s6 · crew1980s10 · crew1990s5 · crew2000s4 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Jon Else's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 91st percentile, the median of all 12; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 87th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 15 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · cinematographer

The Irish in America: Long Journey Home (1998)

94th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 67/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 55. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Jon Else work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jon Else's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Buddy Squires shares the most, 3.

Writers

Composers and cinematographers

Producers