Jesse Dana is a cinematographer and filmmaker whose work explores the space between observation and empathy — where documentary objectivity meets narrative truth. The projects he has lensed have received national News and Documentary Emmy nominations, a Peabody Award, and premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, and Cannes.
Drawing and painting long before he ever held a camera, Jesse first turned to art as a refuge from chaos outside his control. Over time, image-making became both a way to be seen and a way to bear witness for others. Now twenty years into his career, his practice has evolved into a quiet act of restoration — helping others to be seen with the same honesty and care he once sought for himself.
Whether filming in the intimacy of recovery circles at San Quentin Prison or with people whose lives have shaped history, Jesse approaches each frame as an opportunity to redefine the stories that shape us — building new histories in collaboration with those in front of and behind the lens.