Jason Cantu

Jason Cantu is a traveling director/cinematographer in the Midwest, and has over 25 years of experience, having shot advertising for national brands, music videos for dozens of celebrities, shows for Fremantle Media; amongst others, theatrically released films and other independents and shorts. I am proficient in running crews, rigging, lighting, and commanding sets in every type of situation you could imagine. I work all over the states and have crews in several markets including NY, Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, Dallas, Kansas City, Santa Fe, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. I've worked in a lot of places and have come to know many people in my experiences. A little about me.... I attended the prestigious Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI, Alma mater to Walt Disney), In the early 90's. I studied Installation and performance art with the conceptual idea of transforming spaces through the projection of filmed content. I also studied experimental film and rouge techniques for filming. KCAI is a fine arts school, and didn't teach or promote technical education; It was only about the art. In order to round my education, I interned under several Midwest production companies, learning technical production. Through internships in Dallas/KC at Videopost, Gilbert Grip and Lighting, Bednarz Films, Props of Texas, Studios At Las Colinas, and HD Vision, I began learning big production techniques. This lead to several freelance jobs that have taken me all over the globe, filming productions for various national and regional clients. My art education; (at Walt Disney's Alma Mater; KCAI), and production design background, with Props of Texas, has also allowed me the knowledge and know how to create dynamic sets and art direction on many of my music videos. This experience also, has allowed me to understand how important the texture, and feel of a location can make or break your projects look and feel. I like to be involved with several of the visual decisions that impact the overall look of how we will capture the story and scenes. Through lighting instruments and stage sets, I designed most of my project environments. Using specialty lights and automation I have created several aesthetically dynamic scenes; as well as I have physically built and art directed many of the sets seen in my work. I think this is a huge asset to my craft as a cinematographer. To continue... I spent the first five years of my career as an Avid editor. I dabbled in camera operation, gripping, and rigging during this time. After leaving my editing post I concentrated on camera operation, with a focus on all the jobs that make up the filming production staff. Over this time, I learned to rig like a key grip, light like a true gaffer, and understand the language of camera movement, like a cinematographer. Since 2005, I have worked as a Cinematographer. I've worked on Tele-Novella's (NBC Universal), Game Show's (Fremantle), Pilots (Fremantle), Music Videos (Strange Music), Feature Films (National release in 1500 theaters, Sci Fi, independent releases, and pilots), national and regional commercials (see list of commercial clients at my website). In 2013 I became a contract creative director for the number one independent music label Strange Music in the U.S. I worked with Tech N9ne and many famous hip hop artist of our time (Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, T.I., Twista, T-Pain, Problem, Rittz, and etc.). I also helped Strange Music build an in-house production staff and a sound stage that is operation in Kansas City, Missouri. During this time, I also was a director and cinematographer, pairing also, with other directors in creating commercials in the agency world. I have many national and regional brands on my resume. I stepped down from my contract position at Strange Music in 2018, to pursue more commercial and film work. This brings me to today. If you look at my website, and my resume, you can see that I have been involved with hundreds of projects in the last 25 year, and am constantly on the look out for new creative endeavors. In addition to my years of experience, I also have a full service production company, specializing in the filming of productions. I own cameras, cinema lenses, 30' jib, Steadicam, dolly, Danna dolly, car mounts, specialty rigging, drones, 3 ton grip truck, HMI lighting up to 12k, Tungsten lighting up to 10k, Tons of RGB LED lighting, and everything necessary to complete almost any idea you come up with! I take the below the line, and line producing out of the picture; and as I own the company, can help you with the tightest of budgets. Most productions I just drive my truck to the city, setup, and work! Don't be afraid of the Midwest location. I work in your town to, and am two days from anywhere, by design. Look at all the work pages, as I shoot a lot of different projects, and this will help paint a picture of my creative sensibilities.