My current Project Title:

K'ina kil: The Slaver's Son

I describe myself as a

I'm an SFF Filmmaker

My areas of expertise include:

director

About me - current project:

Jack Kohler is a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe. He is the Executive Producer of the non-Profit Media Organization 'On Native Ground.' Jack is also the Media Coordinator and Media instructor for the United Auburn Indian Community. He teaches music, drama, theater, film and traditional songs.  Last year Jack created a trilogy of original musicals, all based on the 'Bigfoot' legend, that were performed as part of the school curriculum.
Before that he worked for the American Indian Film Institute mentoring students on reservations and rancherias on how to make films. He has been an independent producer for Native American Public Telecommunications, now Vision Maker Media, since 2000. Jack graduated from Stanford University with a Civil Engineering degree. He became a member of the Actor’s Equity in 1995 and became a SAG actor by acting in Greg Sarris’s “Grand Avenue.” He was the lead in the AEA production of “Tecumseh” for 5 summers before he began producing films. He won the Eagle Spirit award from the American Indian Film Festival in 2006. He co-produced “California’s Lost Tribes” which was aired nationally on PBS and which received a CINE Award in 2006. He produced “River of Renewal” which won Best Documentary Feature at the American Indian Film Festival and which has aired over 2000 times on PBS stations nationwide. He co-directed, co-wrote and edited the feature film “Behind the Door of a Secret Girl” which has 14 awards to date. Jack also worked in developing a substance abuse prevention interactive CD/Rom, an HIV prevention series for teens and worked with UC Davis on producing an emergency preparedness infomercial for Native American organizations in 2008. Jack's original series "On Native Ground Youth Reports" began airing Oct 23, 2012 on the FNX channel. Ten episodes have aired to date. The show highlights native role models and offers native youth a place to become great broadcast journalists.
When Jack is not teaching then he is volunteering for the non-profit tribal organization 'On Native Ground,’ which he founded in 2006, mentoring youth in becoming strong public speakers, critical thinkers, and how to become broadcast journalists and film makers.
This past November, 2013, Jack’s short film “K’ina kil” was filmed and is being edited for film festivals and to help garner funds for filming the entire feature film script or possible series.
During last summer, 2013, Jack created and lend a group of five mentors to organize the State Fair Film Crew at the California State Fair. For 18 days they worked with 44 high school and college students and were able to produce 106 different shoots and 53 two to five minute videos that promoted the State Fair. This vocational training program was recognized by the International Association of Fairs and Expositions and won an award at the Las Vegas annual convention.

Laurels, awards and other accomplishments:

Best Native American Television Show "On Native Ground" - Native American Journalists Association 2014
Eagle Spirit Award - American Indian Film Institute
Best Feature Documentary "River of Renewal" - American Indian Film Festival & Native Video Film Festival, East Coast
Best Native Feature Narrative - "Behind the Door of a Secret Girl" - Film Festival of Colorado, Sacramento International Film Festival, Eugene International Film Festival, Cowichan Aboriginal International Film Festival, Trail Dance Film Festival, Costa Rica International Film Festival, Yosemite Film Festival, NFFTY, Skyfest, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Best Shorts Film Festival
Best Male Actor, "Joseph's War Pony"
Best Short Film Script, "Joseph's War Pony"

My home region is:

Capital Region