My name is Jonathan Wayne, and yes, I’m aware that there was once a famous cowboy actor with a very similar name! And for most of the years that I endured those jokes, I wasn’t even into film yet! Perhaps this whole interest of mine is some kind of deep-rooted Stockholm Syndrome.
Psychoanalysis aside, I’m currently studying history at Cornell University. To me, our collective past is a giant, messy database of human experiences that I get to dig through and translate into my own storytelling. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than taking a heavy, profound idea and twisting it into something absurd, through a script or even a witty cartoon. I’m a firm believer that if you can make someone laugh at the ridiculousness of life—like, say, a sentient dinner fork with social intelligence—you’ve found a way to connect with them. My work is essentially a mix of "wait, what?" moments and a deep-seated belief that stories are the best way to bring people together.
I founded Kosher Cuts, Cornell's Jewish film festival, which I built from a scratch into an annually recurring event. Beyond campus, I worked at Transfax Film Productions in Tel Aviv, assisting with distribution strategy and on-set logistics, and at the startup Wakka AI, where I produced commercials for VC investor presentations. Currently, I’m working as a Generative AI Producer, where I transform illustrations from psychology books into narrative commercials. Across all these projects, I handle the technical side as well, from script adaptation and cinematography to enforcing professional delivery standards. And let it be known, I’m quite addicted to the thrill of inspiration, and will never shy away from an ambitious project!
