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Jessa Zarubica
Director (Freelance)
Professional Background
Jessa Zarubica is a highly accomplished third-generation native of Los Angeles, where she has built an impressive career as a writer, director, producer, and showrunner. With a flair for creating content that is not only diverse and adventurous but also carries an enchanting element of magic, Zarubica has made a name for herself in an industry that thrives on innovation. From a young age, she showcased her exceptional talent, selling her first script at just seventeen. By the age of nineteen, she had successfully launched her first production company, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey through the film, television, and new media landscapes.
Over the years, Zarubica has sold more than a dozen scripts and developed a variety of digital and television shows for prestigious companies such as Amazon, Hulu, Roku, and pocket.watch. In 2017, while working with pocket.watch as a senior producer, she discovered a particular passion for creating high-quality content targeted toward children. During her time there, she played a pivotal role in developing, writing, directing, and managing an extensive range of series, branded content, and commercials.
Education and Achievements
Jessa’s education at Highland Hall, a Waldorf School, laid the foundation for her artistic sensibilities and creative approach to storytelling. This unique educational background has certainly influenced her diverse narrative style and her persistent drive to explore innovative storytelling avenues.
Zarubica's career took a unique turn when she adapted to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the early months of lockdown, she filmed her romantic comedy feature film "Six Feet Apart," which attracted considerable attention from outlets like The Hollywood Reporter for its innovative remote production. In April 2020, Zarubica further expanded her portfolio by selling her action-adventure script "Wolf-ish" to ABE, for which she is also slated to direct the feature film set to begin production in fall 2022, as mentioned in Variety.
Most recently, Jessa has taken on the roles of executive producer and writer for the digital series "Wags to Riches," collaborating with Million Stories and Pollution Studios. She is also gearing up for pre-production on the family drama feature film "Spitfire," which she co-wrote and will direct in the fall of 2021, starring well-known actors Malcolm McDowell and Jamie Lynn Sigler.
Personal Interests
Beyond her professional ventures, Zarubica is deeply committed to mentoring young women in the industry, providing guidance and support to the next generation of female filmmakers and writers. In her downtime, you may find her reading young adult novels, a genre she holds close to her heart, or dancing in her living room with her beloved rescue dog, Hope. Jessa's love for storytelling is complemented by her passion for cultivating empowering relationships with aspiring creatives, ensuring that her impact on the industry will be felt for years to come.
