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2008 Olympics: My First Time Sat Night!
10 August 2008

I’m happy to announce that our uplifting documentary series My First Time will be on Saturday in NY and LA at 7pm on NBC, featuring the 2008 Olympics. We follow 3 athletes through their last 6 weeks of preparation before going to Beijing. We travelled extensively over the last few weeks and shot almost every single day for the entirety of the production. We went to Ft.Benning GA, San Jose, Queretaro Mexico, San Diego, and Colorado Spring Colorado to capture our heartfelt stories and our characters’ intense training.

Jesse and Fencing Champion Tim Morehouse

Here is some copy from NBCOlympics.com O Zone:

“The 2008 Summer Olympic Games were quickly approaching and LX.TV wanted to see the Olympics through the eyes of those experiencing it firsthand.

Three first-time Olympians let our cameras into their lives as they prepared to compete among the most talented athletes in the world. You can catch My 1st Time at 7pm this Saturday, but in the meantime, let us introduce you to Tim Morehouse, Sandra Fong, and Kate Barber.

It’s been a long road to Beijing for champion fencer Tim Morehouse. Tim’s story is one of perseverance, in his dedication to his sport, as well as teaching at inner-city schools. In addition to inspiring his students, Tim strives to build a name for his sport.

At 18, Sandra Fong is one of the youngest women to go to the Olympics for riflery. And while The Upper East Side native may seem like an unlikely shooter, she’s had her aim set on the Olympics since her father taught her the sport almost ten years ago. Indeed, riflery runs in the Fong family – both of Sandra’s sisters have their share of shooting accolades. When this first-time Olympian returns from Beijing, she’ll embark on another life journey – her freshman year at Princeton University.

The Olympic journey is rocky for 31-year-old Kate Barber, the eldest member of the U.S. Field Hockey Team. As the team dealt with painful loss and separation from relatives, Kate emerged as a maternal figure and the team bonded together as a family — weaving an against-all-odds story that will make Olympic victory that much sweeter.

Follow along as Tim, Sandra and Kate tell their stories and give us a glimpse of what it’s really like to go for the gold. The Olympic dream may mean something different to each of them, but they are all united in this journey of a lifetime. ”

You can watch the show Saturday in NY and LA on NBC at 7pm, and always after the show at www.lxtv.com/myfirsttime .

Also if you are in SF or Seattle over the next week please let me know! Ill be in SF from Sat to Thursday and then ill be in Seattle until monday.

Thanks for watching!

-Jesse

Update:The early ratings are in and looks like over half a million people in NY watched, the strongest rated LX.TV show ever! LX gets the gold!


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I Do!
28 June 2008

Here’s a clip of our new show on NBC - I Do! A how to guide for all that is Luxe over-the-top weddings. It’s now on 4 New York at 7pm on Saturdays, but check your local listings.


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New Show - My First Time
6 May 2008



I am happy to announce that our new show My First Time: The Tribeca Film Festival will be airing on WNBC TONIGHT (Saturday) at 7pm and again at 1am after SNL. We follow 3 first time filmmakers to the Tribeca Film Festival who are looking to break into the film business with their hearts on their sleeves.

Our Characters Are:

Justin Meeks from Austin Texas who shot his movie The WIldman of the Navidad for next to nothing stealing workers from his dads steel company to work on his film. He’s out to break into the movie business with his homage to 70’s horror flicks.

Lolis Elie from New Orleans Louisiana who has a movie called Faubourg Treme about how the civil rights movement started in the 6th ward 100 years before Martin Luther King. Lolis is working to get the message to NY that New Orleans is irreplaceable and important… and is in dire need of help.

Nina Paley - Who created a feature length animation over 5 years in her 350 square foot Hells Kitchen apartment. Her film Sita Sings the Blues is about an ancient indian epic, and her own story about being dumped by her ex-husband over email. She’s out to get her film out to her home town of NYC and to see what the box office gods have to say about her movie.

Its an honor to be able to tell a story about real people who make media that matter in a time slot that can use it! Thank you so much to everyone on the team who made show possible in a ridiculously short 3 weeks. You are f’ing rock stars. I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks. I hope you enjoy it!


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Open House NYC
6 June 2007

I’m currently shooting, and producing for the new LXTV project Open House NYC. We’re on at 8:30 Sunday mornings and then 1:30 sunday afternoons. You will see the exciting property bids, amazing homes, and some great home design and improvement tips. Check out the promo below to get a sneak peek and set your DVR’s!


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New Tony Vids
4 June 2007

A new section for broadway.com interviewing your favorite Tony nominees - and a look back on the past years opening night, and feature videos. If you are want to catch up on the thespian world in time for the Tonys this a great video resource. Click here to visit!


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New Article in the IC Quarterly
28 January 2007

New article on some of last years work on the ICQuartely. The article sites me with a producer credit on Splitting Hairs, which is inaccurate and is of course the ever-awesome Stone Roberts, but thanks for telling some of my tales!“At IC, Jesse Zook Mann ’02 and other students worked on a documentary about Ithaca’s Southside Community Center with former cinema professor Simon Tarr. Mann still finds neighborhoods intriguing as subject matter: “My primary focus,” he says, “is on community storytelling and making short fundraising documentaries for nonprofits.” Of the latter, he has shot about 10.

Last year Mann finished a 23-minute film on the Samish Indian Nation in Anacoutes, Washington, which in the 1970s had lost its recognition as an Indian nation—meaning that its members were stripped of their fishing rights, autonomous governance, and land rights—and was only recently re-recognized by the federal government. Members of the nation are dispersed throughout the United States, so the goal of the film was to tell the politically-charged story and introduce their culture to viewers.

Mann followed up the film with another on the cooking rituals of the Samish people. Fundraising trailers for nonprofits include Angels without Wings, on a successful gang rescue program in Allentown, Pennsylvania, that Mann is now working to make into his first feature-length film. He likes to do political and cultural docs, and the nonprofits for which he has worked reflect those interests: Long Island Free Space, a community center for radical politics that offers free education; and the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network.”read more here at ithaca.edu.


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New Broadway.com Videos
23 December 2006

Chorus Line and Legally Blonde
12 December 2006

Two new video blogs from Broadway’s best news source in the milky way galaxy. First a completed Chorus Line interview series with all 19 members of a chorus line. in total all of these submissions tally to 185,687 hours so be sure to check them all out!

Broadway.com: On The Line

And our last, and probably best video blog for a Broadway show, Going Blonde: The Road to Broadway. The blog will be a continually updated documentary covering Legally Blond the Musical’s journey from cast announcements to opening night.

Broadway.com: Going Blonde

More to come!

j


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ACL at Skywalker Ranch, and Sweeney Todd on the Bowery
8 September 2006


Been busy the last few months but a quick update and some links are in order. First a big thanks to Michael Cerveris and Meghan Ritchie for organizing the Sweeney Todd concert fundraiser for Broadway Cares - Equity Against AIDS. Michael was kind enough to invite me to create a series of video projections to accompany his band’s set. A few photos of the performance can be seen here.

Some fun new Broadway.com videos:

Chorus Line
From Skywalker Ranch, peek into the the recording session for the new Sony Masterworks recording of the upcoming Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. Link here.

Constantine
A private dance rehearsal for new Wedding Singer star Constantine Maroulis of American Idol fame (starting September 8). Link here.

Usher
A chat with Usher, Chicago’s newest leading man. Link here.

Christian Hoff
A behind-the-scenes peek at Jersey Boys, hosted by 2006 Tony Award winner Christian Hoff. Link here.

On the Scene: Kiki & Herb Talk Up Alive on Broadway Link here.


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Naked Broadway Stars!
26 June 2006

Marissa Jaret Winokur of Hairspray fame walked us through the sexy insanity that is Broadway Bares, featuring Broadways best bodies, Allan Cumming, and a song by Cyndi Lauper. Definitely the most fun I’ve had putting together a video at Broadway.com. Enjoy!

Broadway.com Presents Broadway Bares


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