BIO

Jeni Jones

Jeni Jones has worked in the entertainment industry for over 30 years, as a professional, award-winning director, screenwriter, playwright, actor, dancer, rapper, producer, editor, martial artist, and radio host. Jeni has spent her entire life seamlessly navigating behind the camera & in front of it, as well as performing on stages of all sizes. Jeni earned her BA in Theatre Directing & English Literature from Fordham University in NYC & her MFA in Film Directing from CalArts.

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Throughout her film & T.V. career, Jeni has worked behind the scenes as a production & development executive at several notable companies such as Starz Media, The Film Department & Exclusive Media, during which time she has been credited for her creative contributions to numerous feature films including LAW ABIDING CITIZEN starring Jamie Foxx & Gerard Butler, END OF WATCH with Jake Gyllenhaal, SNITCH with Dwayne Johnson, PARKLAND alongside Tom Hanks’ Playtone, John Carney’s music-driven film BEGIN AGAIN, Golden Globe-nominated RUSH starring Chris Hemsworth (to name a few - credits avail on IMDB).

As an independent filmmaker, her films have played at & received recognition from festivals such as Cannes, Rotterdam & Sundance. She is a Samuel Beckett enthusiast and has directed plays by Samuel Beckett including WAITING FOR GODOT and KRAPP'S LAST TAPE. Her direction of the stageplay WOMEN ON THE VERGE earned the production an NAACP Award and sold-out run in 2019. She also directed the award-winning short film CLUB RAT$, which premiered at the Oscar-qualifying L.A. Shorts & Chelsea Film Festivals & was used to raise money & awareness for RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).

The film has gone on to play numerous festivals & to win multiple awards. 

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Jeni is an accomplished playwright & screenwriter, who has been brought on board to consult on & write original screenplays for indie producers. She is the co-creator of original music-driven T.V. Shows, as well as the screenwriter of multiple original feature films currently in development.

Her production company, PLANK PRODUCTIONS has a slate of films in development. (See IMDB)

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Jeni is a rapper, singer, music producer & recording artist who performs frequently & whose music & music videos can be found on all platforms. She released her first album GAHALLA in 2023. She has performed as a solo MC at Thopfest, SXSW, and on stages of all sizes in NY & LA. 

She produces & hosts a weekly, nationally syndicated underground hiphop Radio show called JENI FROM THE BEACH.

As a martial artist, Jeni has traveled to China to train with the Shaolin monks & holds a blackbelt in Wushu.

Lastly, Jeni is a trained professional dancer, teacher, martial artist & choreographer. A classically trained dancer, she is well versed in the jazz styles of Luigi, Fosse, Horton & her mentors are Christine Baltes & Hama. She is most recently a member of two dance companies: Jazz Spectrum Dance Company & Women of Worth. As a musical theatre performer, she's trained with Tony Award winners Ann Reinking, Joel Grey & Tommy Tune & attended the prestigious Broadway Theatre Project. She has performed at large venues like the O.C. Performing Arts Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, & Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Most recently she performed Jazz solos at the Arizona Dance Festival '22, LA Jazz Dance Alliance '23, and the IE Dance Festival '23.

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She starred in the 2020 production of VERACITY at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood, CA, for which she won an acting award, and has a role in the feature film HEAVEN'S REVENGE.

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In 2024 Jeni directs FIBONACCI ASCENDING at the Whitefire Solofest and Hollywood Fringe Festival. 

She will also be directing and performing works by Samuel Beckett in 2024, including NOT I and ROCKABY. 

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