Jake Zortman began his career with a camera on his shoulder, capturing everything from the NFL sidelines to adventure documentaries, developing a knack for resourcefulness and shooting in challenging, fast-moving environments. Over time, his eye for composition and love of lighting as a storytelling tool led him into more complex, cinematic work. 

 

As a director of photography, Jake built a reputation for creating visually rich, emotionally grounded stories — shooting hundreds of commercials, promos, campaigns, and specialty projects for major studios, networks, and global brands. He founded BackFocus, a cinematography-focused production company, where he combined creative vision with a deep technical skillset. Building his business around high-end short-form content allowed him to stay on the leading edge of camera and lighting technology, while prioritizing life at home with his two young sons — a choice that allowed him to balance creative ambition with being a present father and husband.

​​

His years of on-set experience give him the ability to see every nut and bolt it will take to bring what's on the page to the screen. Alongside his work as a director of photography and director, Jake produced hundreds of short-form projects, co-produced and served as DP on two documentary projects — QT8: The First Eight, and the four-part documentary series, Tim Burton: Life in the Line, which premiered at Tribeca in 2024.

 

Jake's core pursuit is storytelling. In 2024, he published his debut novel, The Rise of The Legends, a middle-grade adventure blending a thrilling narrative with STEM-inspired educational elements. The book has since grown into a transmedia world, inspiring literacy programs, summer camps, and new content in development.

 

His current projects, written as JB Zortman, include Kill Switch, a feature romance with a speculative twist, and a series pitch with a completed pilot, The Adam Chronicles.

​