DON'T BE SHY

Short Film / Coming of Age

On the verge of a threesome, a wild surprise turns Noah’s evening from seductive fantasy to real life nightmare. Based on a true story.

Starring Zak Takowsky, Ali Fumiko Whitney (Netflix’s Find Me Falling), and Sydney Taylor. Casting by Felicia Fasano ("Better Things", "Crazy Ex Girlfriend"). Music by GRAMMY-nominated artist Andrew Bird.

*Official Selection - L.A. Shorts International Film Festival. Premiered on Short Frame to 1M+ views in 90 days.

Written, Directed & Edited by Laurence Harlan Jacobs

Produced by Jessica Nicole Jacobs & Laurence Harlan Jacobs

Story by Laurence Harlan Jacobs & Jessica Nicole Jacobs

Starring Zak Takowsky, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Sydney Taylor

Cinematographer - Gabe Simpson

Co-Producer - Michael David Scott

Associate Producer - Lorenzo DeCampos

Wardrobe - Whitney Warner

First AC - Steven Neel

Gaffer - Charles Schaeffer

Key Grip - Ken Prieto

Intimacy Consultant - Kedren Werner

Art Direction Consultant - Debra Jacobs

Hair and Makeup - Patrikk Johnson

Behind the Scenes & Stills - Jeremy Zelikovic

Production Sound - Marcos Butron Jr.

Production Assistant - Andrew Tanenbaum

Production Assistant - Ashley Tanenbaum

Location Manager - Fran Ginsberg

Location Coordinator - Ben Holcenberg

Colorist and Creative Consultant - Nico Navia

VFX Artist - Dustin Foster

Post Sound Mixer - Brad Gilderman

Re-Recording Mixer - Jacob Johnston

Music Featuring: Pacific, Andrew Bird, and Sig Howler

Special Thanks:

Jesse Allis, Daniel Amerman, Hank Antosz, Daniel Arkin, Scott Brook-Mayer, Adam Brook-Mayer, Julie Cohn, Dean Collins, Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi, Joshua Adam Fu, Fran Ginsberg, Julie Ginsberg, Samantha Hertz, Brooks R. Jones, Kevin Joseph, Luke Klompien, Karen Kloack, Kimberly Kottwitz, Frankie Lopez, Patrick Murray, Felix Neumann, Jessica Pugh, Taylor Rowley, Zachary Spiegel, Ethan Stern, Justin Stokes, Meg Sunzeri, Andrea Troolin, Lauren Wilkins, Jeremy Zelikovic, The Benjamin Family, The Jacobs Family, and Oliver Sunley @ Short Frame

Filmed on location in Santa Monica, California.

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (Character Vignettes)

Music Video / Vignette Series

Originally, our music video started with a long narrative sequence. It featured vignettes that set up the character’s backstories. Even though these were cut from the final, we wanted to repurpose them and showcase their beauty. Here’s Evan (Jack Quaid) working on the farm, Alice (Erin Moriarty) eating supper, and Julia (Sasha Frolova) getting ready to leave her childhood home.

Directed and Edited by Laurence Jacobs
Starring Sasha Frolova, Jack Quaid, and Erin Moriarty
Written and Produced by Laurence Jacobs & Luke Klompien
Cinematography by Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi
Production Design by Meg Sunzeri
Co-Producer: Nate Dyk
Wardrobe Stylist + Handler: Whitney Farrer
Colorist: Bryan Smaller
First Assistant Camera: Sydney Resel
Makeup Artist: Melissa Oteri
Sound Mixer/Boom Op: Jeremy Flikkema
Sound Designer: Ryan Pawlak
Voice of Radio DJ: Ryan Wilson
Production Assistant: Matthew McLeod
Production Assistant: Nate Duffy
Label: Sig Sigworth, Mason Williams, Kay Anderson, Josh Berman, Andrew Woloz, Mark Copeland, Chris Clough, Brooks Jones, Stephanie Kika, Maureen Bacon, and Mary Hogan

Invictus

Narrative / Monologue

The first installment in my MONOLOGUE series, this is a poem by British poet William Ernest Henley. When I think about his words, I feel true resilience at its finest. In the darkest most hopeless moments, all we have is ourself and the raw power of optimism and dignity.

Shot, Directed, Edited by Laurence Harlan Jacobs

Performed by Luke Klompien

Words by William Ernest Henley

GAZE

Narrative / Monologue

Part 3 of my MONOLOGUE series. This vignette captures the hidden truth behind our personas. What happens when you’re two drinks in and you “see” a person for the first time? No mask, no walls up— a new face emerges and you gaze.

Written, Directed, and Edited by Laurence Harlan Jacobs

Starring Kate Noel

Music by Andrew Bird

Special Thanks: Victoria Roe

CONNIE & SLY: a hypnotic dance film about two amateur thieves

Narrative / Short

After their getaway goes wrong, two thieves (sisters Connie & Sly) set off a nearby car alarm. The siren pulls them into a trance-like state, making them perform a wild, hypnotic dance around the vehicle.

Choreographed by Whyteberg (Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak), starring Charissa Kroeger (St. Vincent, Chappell Roan), this genre-bending film features original music by Bobak Lotfipour (THE GREEN KNIGHT, KING COAL).

*Official Selection - Short Frame 2026

Written, Directed, and Edited by Laurence Jacobs

Produced by Laurence Jacobs & Jessica Jacobs

Starring Laura Berg and Charissa Kroeger

With Luke Klompien and Bob Arkin

Choreography by Whyteberg

Cinematography by Ian Coad

Original Music by Bobak Lotfipour

Co-Producer - Jeremy Zelikovic

First A.C. James Nagel

Art Direction by Gracie Whyte, Laura Berg, and Laurence Jacobs

Color by Nico Navia

Sound Design by Nick Mihalevich

Sound Mix by Seth Presant

Production Sound by Ryan Pawlak

Production Assistants - Dan Amerman and Prena Dadlani

Meditation Voice - Nia Andrews

Artwork by Sage LaMonica

Special Thanks to Dan Amerman, Aaron Arkin, Robyn Baltuch, Khalan Bridges, Julie Cohn, Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi, Josh Fu, Debbie Jacobs, Jess Laub, Luke Klompien, Aaron Mitchell, Patrick Murray, Ryan Pawlak, Kate Phillips, Marta Pozzan, Jake Sawyer, Meg Sunzeri, Stephanni Zeeck, and our Benjamin/Jacobs family :)

SIRENS IN SUN VALLEY

Making Of / Short Doc

A behind-the-scenes look into filmmaking process for the genre-bending short CONNIE & SLY. From choreography and rehearsals to completing the film remotely during the pandemic, this doc features exclusive interviews with the cast and creative team.

FEATURING:

Laurence Jacobs - Writer/Director

Laura Berg - Choreographer / "Connie"

Charissa Kroeger - "Sly"

Gracie Whyte - Choreographer

Bobak Lotfipour - Music Composer

Jessica Jacobs - Producer

Ian Coad - Cinematographer

Rehearsal Footage and Photography by Jeremy Zelikovic

On-Set Footage by Prena Dadlani

Additional Music by Bobak Lotfipour

Additional Cinematography by Ian Coad

When You're Little

Narrative / Short

The second film in my MONOLOGUE series, this vignette captures how we remember places differently as we get older. The environments around us don’t change much. It’s more so our perspectives that do.

Written, Directed, Shot & Edited by Laurence Jacobs

Starring Luke Klompien

Music by J.S. Bach, performed by Eliot Bailen

Special Thanks: Daniel Amerman, Daniel Bailen

Life in Text.

Short Film / Relationship Drama

A brokenhearted 20-something relives a lost relationship as he explores the physical space created by his ex-girlfriend's text messages. Starring Alexandra Daddario ("True Detective", Baywatch) and Tyler Ritter ("The McCarthy's", "Arrow").

*Featured on Slash Film, Bustle, Just Jared,Complex, and Film School Rejects.

Written and Directed by Laurence Jacobs & Jessica Jacobs

Produced by Laurence Jacobs, Jessica Jacobs, and Catherine Wolf McGrath

Starring Tyler Ritter and Alexandra Daddario

Director of Photography – Nico Navia

Assistant Director – Marshall Rainey

Production Sound – Zachary Weil

Makeup Artist – Georgina Morales

Assistant Camera – L-Marie Anderson, Jasmine Chiong

Key Set Gaffer – Bennett Cerf, Daniella Nowitz

Grips – Daniel Kaumpunga, Vincent Valentin

Location Manager – Debra Jacobs

Script Supervisor – Michael Bina

PAs - Lucas Lerman and MaKenzie Schepman

Storyboards by Jason Michael Hall

POST

Editor and VFX Producer – Laurence Harlan Jacobs

VFX Artist – Jason A. Rico

Original Music by Blake Collins and Julian Javor

VFX Consultant – Jeremy Fisher

Sound Mix and Design by Anne Tolkkinen

Social Marketing Coordinator: Kelly Erickson

Special Thanks: Daniel Arkin, Jeff Boone, Ellen Cohn, Dean Collins, Mike Healey, Michael Krepack, Axel Lanzenberg, Jack Lechner, Logan Lerman, Matt McClurg, Streeter Phillips, Steven Prinz, Matthew Ryckman, The Jacobs Family and the Benjamin Family.

SHAZAM (Spec Commercial)

Short / Commercial

When a woman (Alexandra Daddario) discovers her neighbor (Daniel Amerman) is Shazaming her, she puts on a new song until the guy immediately copies her again. A constant, back-and-forth SHAZAM WAR ensues!

Directed and edited by Laurence Jacobs
Produced by Michael Bina and Laurence Jacobs
Assistant Director - Jessica Jacobs
Cinematographer - Axel Lanzenberg
Production Designer - Susannah Honey
Colorist - Laura Jansen
1st A.C. - Matthew Ryckman
Gaffer - Matt Bowman
Sound Mixer - Cameron Mosebrook
Production Assistant - Kyle Chords

ICE BREAKERS (Spec Commercial)

Short / Commercial

Toward the end of a date, a flirtatious exchange soon becomes the worst possible car malfunction of all time. Starring Alexandra Daddario ("The White Lotus”) and Daniel Amerman ("Arrested Development").

*Featured on Just Jared

Starring Alexandra Daddario and Daniel Amerman

Written and Directed by Laurence Harlan Jacobs

Produced by Jessica Jacobs

Cinematography - Nico Navia

Editor - Joseph Ettinger

Production Sound - Marcos Butron Jr.

Post Sound Mix - Erik Groysman

1st AD - Brett Takeshita

Gaffer - Bennet Cerf

1st AC - Jeremy Zelikovic

Script Supervisor - Matt Ryckman

Colorist - Laura Jansen

Production Assistant - Emily Finkelstein

Special Thanks - The Stark and Ward Family, The Jacobs and Benjamin Family, and Graham Wilson

Sh*t Juicers Say

Short / Comedy

This was the first-ever branded content piece for juice giant PRESSED.

Starring Erin Foster (Creator of Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This”) as she mocks juice culture in Los Angeles.

*Featured by The LA Times, Pop Sugar, and Glamour

Directed and Edited by Laurence Jacobs
Written and Produced by Hayden Slayter & Erin Foster
Cinematography by Nico Navia
Production Assistant by Brett Takeshita
Client - Pressed Juicery

Life in Text - Film Screening at El Cid

After working as a director’s assistant on the FANTASTIC FOUR (starring Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller), my sister Jess and I screened our short (LIFE IN TEXT) at the historic El Cid theatre in Silverlake.

Here is us introducing our film along with some photos of our friends and family.

Life in Text - Pitch Video

Short / Comedy

A pitch video featured on my IndieGogo fundraiser campaign for my 2013 short film Life in Text.

Directors+Producers // Jessica Jacobs and Laurence Jacobs
Cinematography // Axel Lanzenberg
Editing // Laurence Jacobs
Production Sound // Jeff Boone
Storyboards // Jason Hall

I Wish I Could See You

Narrative / Micro Short

This vignette is a reflection on nostalgia, isolation, and the interlocking relationship between our past & present.

Written, Directed, Shot & Edited by Laurence Jacobs

Performed by Daniel Amerman

Music by Bobak Lotfipour

Special Thanks: Luke Klompien

A Cure for the Mad

Short / Drama

In a dinky New York apartment, a jittery, heavily medicated 20-something desperately waits for his sister to bring home his medication.

Password: madness

Directed by // Laurence Jacobs
Starring // Matthew Thurm
Cinematography // Jake Sawyer & Laurence Jacobs
Film Editing // Laurence Jacobs
Assistant Director // Catrin Hedstrum