About Jonathan
Passionate about creating
Hey there! My name's Jonathan Thompson. I am a filmmaker currently pursuing a B.A. in Film, Television, and Media at the University of Michigan, with a sub-major in screenwriting and a minor in writing and computer science.
Background
The Journey
I have been editing content for over 6 years now. Starting by editing gaming montages of me and my friends, the more I edited, the more I wanted to make. Meanwhile, I started watching more media as well, discovering films and TV that span across genres and regions. It wasn't long after that I found myself wanting to make narrative content, and as I watched more and more films as time passed, I grew to love filmmaking as a result.
Creative Philosophy
I write every day and am constantly looking for new ways to express my creativity - both on the page and on the screen. One of the most important things to me is the human connection. The ways humans interact with each other, the way we can work together (or not) and lift each other up are at the root of this. Every time I'm thinking of something new to create, no matter how big or small the idea is, the human connection is always embedded in principle.
Technical Development
Throughout the years I've grown diverse in my editing skills as a self-taught individual. Knowing what audio tracks to use, layering multiple sound effects on top of each other for a more immersive listening experience, building a narrative, establishing a steady pace, color-grading, and audio & graphic design are all concepts I've learned and have been able to apply in my work.
Experience
Professional Work
I have edited professional advertisements for clients across several major social media platforms (such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube) with Rising Tide Interactive alongside their creative team.
Academic Work
I have written and edited multiple short films on the U of M campus, some for my own personal/educational projects and others for student organizations. I've written script coverages, stage plays, edited audio-visual essays, and directed a short film for courses in U of M's film department as well. I just recently completed two major screenplays over the course of the Winter 2025 term - an original feature-length screenplay and an hour-long drama spec script for the series Gen V.
Personal
This Website
I coded this website from scratch. No CMS or other frameworks were used. I wrote this using plain old HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. So expect bugs and lots of jank. The code/commit history for this website can be found on my GitHub repo.
The Walking Dead Enthusiast
I am an avid The Walking Dead (TWD) fan. I am always down to discuss the show and its amazing themes and characters (especially Rick). If you want to hear more about my TWD obsession, view my blog posts about it here.
Availability
Currently Available
My goal is to always be in a position of creating things. I'm interested in any roles related to writing, editing, and directing. I am currently available and you can contact me here.
Skills
Editing
Post
Development
Grading
Solving
Management
Coverage