Jon Else

Professor and North Gate Chair in Journalism
510-642-7392  |   Send E-Mail

Jon Else produced and directed the documentaries “The Day After Trinity: J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb,” “Yosemite: The Fate of Heaven,” “A Job at Ford’s” part of the PBS series “The Great Depression,” “Cadillac Desert: Water and the Transformation of Nature,” “Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ Ring Cycle,” and “Open Outcry.” He was series producer and cinematographer for “Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years.” Else served as cinematographer on documentaries for PBS, BBC, ABC, MTV and HBO, including the BBC/PBS “History of Rock and Roll,” the Paramount/MTV feature documentary “Tupac: Resurrection” and “Afghanistan: Hell of a Nation,” and numerous commercials and music videos. His feature documentary, "Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic" premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Else was a MacArthur Fellow and has won four National Emmys, several Alfred I. DuPont and Peabody awards, the Prix Italia, the Sundance Special Jury Prize and Sundance Filmmaker's Trophy, as well as several Academy Award Nominations. Else received his bachelor's degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley and his master's degree in communication from Stanford University.

Published Stories & Highlights:

The Museum of Attempted Suicide

The San Francisco Chronicle

For The San Francisco Chronicle, Professor Jon Else considers the legacy of atomic testing ruins at the Nevada Test Site.

Around Kabul by Submarine

The San Francisco Chronicle

For The San Francisco Chronicle, Professor Jon Else covers a visit to Kabul in which he worked on a documentary about Afghanistan's new constitution.

Tupac: Resurrection

New York Times Movies

For New York Times Movies, Professor Jon Else covers a documentary on which he served as director of photoraphy.

The Man Who Gave Us the Bomb

San Francisco Chronicle

In an article that originally was published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Professor Jon Else writes on the man who invented the atomic bomb.

Other Works:

The San Francisco Chronicle's piece on John Else  Read more...

PBS's piece on John Else  Read more...

The Independent Television Service on John Else  Read more...

Courses Taught by Jon Else:

Fall 2002: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Fall 2002

Fall 2002: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2002

Spring 2003: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2003

Spring 2003: J298 History of Documentary - Spring 2003

Spring 2003: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2003

Fall 2003: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2003

Fall 2003: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2003

Spring 2004: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2004

Spring 2004: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2004

Spring 2004: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2004

Fall 2004: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2004

Fall 2004: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2004

Spring 1999: J298 History of Documentary Film - Spring 1999

Spring 1999: J298 Advanced Documentary - Spring 1999

Fall 1999: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 1999

Spring 2000: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Spring 2000

Spring 2000: J298 History of Documentary Film - Spring 2000

Spring 2000: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2000

Fall 2000: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Fall 2000

Fall 2000: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2000

Spring 2001: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Spring 2001

Spring 2001: J298 History of Documentary - Spring 2001

Spring 2001: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2001

Fall 2001: J294 Master's Project Tutorial - Fall 2001

Fall 2001: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2001

Spring 2002: J298 History of Documentary - Spring 2002

Spring 2002: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2002

Spring 2005: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2005

Spring 2005: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2005

Spring 2005: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2005

Fall 2005: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2005

Spring 2006: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2006

Spring 2006: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2006

Spring 2006: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2006

Fall 2006: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2006

Fall 2006: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2006

Spring 2007: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2007

Spring 2007: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2007

Spring 2007: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2007

Fall 2007: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2007

Fall 2007: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2007

Spring 2008: J219 Videography - Spring 2008

Spring 2008: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2008

Spring 2008: J284 Documentary Production-Thesis Lab - Spring 2008

Spring 2008: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2008

Fall 2008: J219 Videography - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J219 Picture and Sound - Fall 2008

Fall 2008: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2008

Spring 2009: J284 Documentary Production-Thesis Lab - Spring 2009

Spring 2009: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2009

Spring 2009: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2009

Fall 2009: J219 Videography - Fall 2009

Fall 2009: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2009

Fall 2009: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2009

Spring 2010: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2010

Spring 2010: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2010

Spring 2010: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Spring 2010

Fall 2010: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2010

Fall 2010: J219 Videography - Fall 2010

Fall 2010: J294 Master's Project Seminar - Fall 2010

Spring 2012: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2012

Spring 2012: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2012

Fall 2012: J219 Videography - Fall 2012

Fall 2012: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2012

Spring 2013: J286 History of Documentary - Spring 2013

Spring 2013: J284 Documentary Production - Spring 2013

Fall 2013: J284 Documentary Production - Fall 2013

Fall 2013: J219 Videography - Fall 2013