Jan was born in Hamburg and later grew up in the outskirts of Berlin. For the first few years of his life, he didn't know what that bulky black box in the living room was for. As with most things that are forbidden, he was intrigued. He grabbed the family’s camcorder and from then on produced his own films.
His first commercial work for an environmental non-profit aired on the big screen in local cinemas when he was a teenager. This, and growing up in the emerging DSLR filmmaker online culture, manifested his wish of pursuing a career as a director.
After high school, Jan worked in almost every position on set and simultaneously earned a university degree in Digital Media. He strongly believes understanding the fundamentals of each discipline is crucial for being a good director.
His films speak to the audience in an honest, naturalistic, sometimes almost-documentarian approach, always focused on bringing out fresh but true perspectives. He combines this approach with contemporary, cinematic visuals and a sharp eye for editing and rhythm.
His strong interest in topics related to social and human progress often reflects in his films. He loves to dig deeper into unknown territories and learn something along the way. It’s probably the best part about filmmaking.