Jerry D. Ochoa

A lifelong lover of movies and music, Jerry Ochoa attended Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a violinist and the University of Texas at Austin and Austin Filmworks as a film student. By 2001, he was producing, directing and editing music videos and documentaries in Austin, TX. In 2003, he made his festival premiere as a director at SXSW. In the years since, Jerry's work as a writer, director and editor has appeared in dozens of festivals around the world, winning awards for directing, writing and acting. As a field producer, camera operator and camera assistant, he has worked for NBC, TLC, E! Entertainment, Discovery Health and the Austin Music Network.

Jerry joined award-winning instrumental ensemble Two Star Symphony in 2003 as a violinist and composer. With Two Star, Jerry toured the United States and Europe, including performances in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, London, and Bergen, Norway. Two Star Symphony has composed and performed original dance scores under commission from Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre, Whim W'Him, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, and others. They have received original film score commissions from Lionsgate Films, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and collaborated in live performances with Daniel Johnston, DJ Spooky, Amanda Palmer, and Fat Tony.

Jerry lives in Chicago, IL, where he performs with improv group Chunky Puppies and works as a freelance director, director of photography and camera operator.

Recognition and awards:

Fan Favorite Award, IndieBOOMFest 2018 Audience Award, Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Festival, 2018 Best Horror Short, Fright Night Theatre Film Festival, 2015 Best Writing (short film), Fantastic Cinema Festival, 2015 Best Music Video, Lions Head Film Festival, 2015 Best Music Video, 15 Minutes of Fame Festival 2015 Music Video of the Year, Houston Press, 2014 Judges Special Selection Award, Festival de Cine de Terror de Molins de Rei, 2014 Best Music Video, 15 Minutes of Fame Festival, 2014 Heimbinder Foundation Independent Performing Arts Grant ($10,000), 2014 Music Video of the Year, Houston Press, 2013 Inaugural Short Film Fund Grant ($5,000), Southwest Alternate Media Project, 2013 Best Vine Account, Houston Web Awards, 2013 $5,000+ raised (target exceeded) for music video "The Ninth Level", Indiegogo, 2013 Established Artist Grant ($10,000), Houston Arts Alliance, 2012 Top 100 Creatives of Houston, Houston Press, 2012 $7,000+ raised (target exceeded) for soundtrack record "Titus Andronicus", Indiegogo, 2011 Featured speaker & performer, TEDxHouston 2010 Breakout Action Star, Los Angeles Action on Film Festival, 2008