Jody Eldred filmmaker Producer/Director/cameraman and writer Jody Eldred is a 35-year veteran of documentaries and TV news. A Director’s Guild of America Best Director Nominee for Documentary he produced and directed, “The China Experience: Beyond the Wall”, he also received an Emmy in 2004 for his work on the ABC News "Nightline" series, "The Iraq War: Fox 2/5". He has shot and directed hundreds of documentaries and news stories around the world for ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, the BBC, and National Geographic, including programs such as 20/20, PrimeTime Live, Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, 48 Hours, PBS’ Frontline, Oprah, and The Tonight Show. His work also includes high definition and video shoots for CBS' "JAG", "NCIS", “NCIS: Los Angeles”, and NBC's "Medium". In 2005, Harvest House Publishers printed his first book, "Changed Lives: Miracles of The Passion", based on a TV special by the same name which he created and executive produced on Mel Gibson’s, “The Passion of The Christ”.

Jody worked as director of photography on the CBS/Paramount TV primetime scripted comedy, “Dash 4 Cash”. Produced by Kelsey Grammer’s company and directed by Betty Thomas, this reality-show spoof inaugurates the first use of XDCAM HD into the rarified air of primetime network programming. He directed and shot the pilot for “Military Miracles” for The History Channel, and produced and directed four short documentaries for Sony using their new XDCAM EX at an airshow in Columbus, Ohio, with fifty legendary P-51 Mustang pilots. He recently DP’d a theatrical documentary in HD on the 36-hour “Hood To Coast” relay race, covering 17,000 runners over 197 miles from Mt. Hood to the Oregon coast (with about 20 crews.)

Jody served as D.P. on the U.S. unit for the British smash hit comedy feature film, “Nativity!”. Shot with the F900R, its fall 2010 DVD release in the UK was outsold only by “Toy Story 3”.

Though he works primarily in secular TV and film, he also works extensively in the faith-based marketplace, producing video projects for WorldVision, The Foursquare Church, The Christian Research Institute, Jewish Voice Ministries, and Pastor Jack Hayford.

He has also directed hundreds of hours of live and live-to-tape TV, from dance to fashion, specials, comedies, drama, and religious programs.

Jody is a frequent speaker and lecturer at conferences, workshops, and film and journalism schools across America including USC and UCLA. He has appeared on many national and international television programs, ranging from Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, and Scarborough Country, to The 700 Club with Pat Robertson and Hour of Power.

His expertise has also resulted in his selection as a judge in several well-known TV and Film competitions, including the Directors Guild of America Awards, the 168 Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the Angelus Student Film Awards, which many agree is the most prestigious student film competition in the world.

Sony Electronics regularly sends Jody to the Sundance Film Festival and NAB where he makes presentations to tens of thousands of people on the latest high definition camera systems and workflow. His work has been featured in virtually every trade magazine in the marketplace. His documentary shoots in Israel, Italy, Spain, France, Hawaii, and Ethiopia have tested some of Sony's most popular Hi Def cameras, the XDCAM HD and EX, and Sony’s latest entries into HD cinematography, the large-sensor F3 and FS-100.

He’s been doing presentations across the country and in Europe on his findings, in concert with Apple’s Final Cut Pro. He recently directed and DP’d a video with legendary keyboardist Herbie Hancock for Apple’s new live performance software.

With the advent and popularity of 3D filmmaking, Sony has also utilized Jody to test and demo two of their newest professional one-piece 3D cameras: the NX3D1 and the TD300. His 3D underwater footage from St. Lucia, West Indies, and stunning 3D wildlife in Grand Teton National Park was shown at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival in October 2011.

Experienced in multiple camera formats and working regularly in documentaries and dramatic films, he owns the Sony F900R CineAlta, the F350 XDCAM HD, the Z1U, A1U, the XDCAM EX1 and EX3, the Sony MC-1 HD POV camera, and of course several GoPro Heroes.

His formal educational background includes a BA degree in Sociology, and graduate work in psychotherapy/counseling, both of which have proven to be useful and instructive in the many professional hats he wears.

An Eagle Scout, US Army-qualified expert marksman, SCUBA Divemaster, graduate of the Bob Bondurant Grand Prix Racing School, and a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (under Ultimate Fighting champion Royce Gracie), Jody is currently developing several feature film and television projects. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.

See also:
Jody's IMDb page
Jody's Sony page