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David Zellner

David Zellner

Actor, director, writer and producer, also editor · Born January 1, 1974 (52) · Greeley, Colorado, Stati Uniti

David Zellner is an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He lives and works in Austin, Texas. He started his career by studying at the University of Texas film school and then staged exclusively Independent feature films and short films. He always works together with his younger brother Nathan Zellner under the name Zellner Bros

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1974 (52)
From
Greeley, Colorado, Stati Uniti
Works as
Actor, director, writer and producer, also editor
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 44 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 65 days to Oct 28Up 11% in 30 days

What are David Zellner's films like?

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

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
35%
Bonds
26%
Society
12%
Power
12%
Survival
12%
Morality
2%
Ideas
2%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 3 · Wry 2 · Earnest 7

Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 3 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 3

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

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 5 · 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 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 3

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

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 9

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Shadow
1 of 3
Herald
1 of 3
Hero
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
9
Tense
7
Melancholic
6
Contemplative
3
Bittersweet
4
Other
6

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous8
  • Cyclical1

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 David Zellner's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Zellner'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

44 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page.

  • Alpha Gang(2026)

    Director · Producer · Writer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Mother Mary(2026)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sasquatch Sunset(2024)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Curse(2023)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Some of Our Stallions(2021)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Art of Self-Defense(2019)

    Executive Producer · as Henry

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Support the Girls(2018)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Damsel(2018)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Parson Henry

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Also Starring Austin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Ghostbox Cowboy(2018)

    Executive Producer · Story · as Jimmy Van Horn

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Person to Person(2017)

    as Kent

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Black Something (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • There(2014)

    as Thrill

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter(2014)

    Director · Screenplay · as Policeman

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Faults(2014)

    as Restaurant Manager

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Love & Air Sex(2013)

    as Cab Driver

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Computer Chess(2013)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Ain't Them Bodies Saints(2013)

    as Zellner

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Tug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Geno

  • Kid-Thing(2012)

    Director · Screenplay · as Caleb

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Dignity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Lamb

  • Slacker 2011 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Kid with Soda #1

  • Sasquatch Birth Journal 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Rooster Teeth Shorts: Volume Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as The Businessman

  • Shit Year(2010)

    as Hal Ashland

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Beeswax(2009)

    as Scott

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Baghead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Festival Goer

  • Goliath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer · Actor

  • Pardon My Downfall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Actor

  • Untitled (Thanks. Get in...) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as The Star

  • Aftermath On Meadowlark Lane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Screenplay · as Mariachi Brother #1

  • Redemptitude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · Screenplay · as Preacher

  • PANICS (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 4 episodes · as Frank

  • Who Is On First? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Foxy and the Weight of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Screenplay · as Despicable young man

  • Flotsam/Jetsam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Quasar Hernandez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Writer

  • Dear Pillow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Phone Man #1

  • The Virile Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Rummy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · as Sam

  • This Is John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Editor

  • Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · as Officer

  • The Curve(1998)

    as Deadhead #1

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Plastic Utopia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Screenplay · as James

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles from 1997 to 2026; peak year 2019.

Biggest box office

The Art of Self-Defense (2019)

$2.4M worldwide

Highest rated

The Art of Self-Defense (2019)

Midcredits 69th

Film career

19972026

Peak 2019 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting32 of 44: 18 only acting, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thDirecting20 of 44: 4 only directing, 16 with another role · typical Midcredits score38thWriting14 of 44: 0 only writing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score42ndProducing5 of 44: 0 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score32ndEditing2 of 44: 1 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew3 of 44: 3 only other crew, 0 with another role

44 titles, 18 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 12 of them.

By decade

1990s2 · 2 acting · 1 crew2000s17 · 12 acting · 12 crew2010s20 · 16 acting · 9 crew2020s5 · 2 acting · 4 crew

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do David Zellner's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 20 titles are Mixed.

  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Some of Our Stallions (2021)

94th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Faults (2014)

Midcredits 73rd · 62% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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.

Is David Zellner's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 71 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 56 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 31 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does David Zellner work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Zellner's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nathan Zellner shares the most, 7.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles