writer.director.producer

Jay Zaretsky is a native of New York City who splits his time between Venice Beach and Joshua Tree. Jay first began writing his first feature film, Asher, when he was fifteen riding the A train to class at the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts where he studied fine art and drama. 

In New York, Jay pursued journalism, interning at The New Yorker, writing music reviews for several notable publications, and programming the Tribeca Talks series at the Tribeca Film Festival. Upon moving to California Jay contributed creatively to the first two seasons of FX's Justified.

Jay was the staff writer at Prettybird for a year and half and then went on to freelance, writing copy, developing concepts, and treatment writing for dozens of different outfits and directors: Apple, Beats X Dre, Cierto Tequila, Furlined, Daniels, Anthony Mandler, Alma Har’el, Darren Aronofsky, MJZ, RSA, Tool, Smuggler, Psyop, Chromista, Stink, Farm League, The Mill, Anonymous Content, Framestore, the list goes on. For these companies and their roster of directors/clients Jay collaborated on projects from every field; sports, automotive, beauty, lifestyle, and beyond.

His most recent works include the biopic of Teddy Pendergrass for Tyrese Gibson, the western, Marauder for XYZ Films, A Different Beyond directed by Matthew Libatique and produced by Darren Aronofsky, and Executive Producer of Joe Mensch’s Caviar.

Piano Man, Jay’s first outing as writer/director, was selected for the 2023, 27th LA Shorts International Film Festival, The San Jose International Short Film Festival, The Sound and Music Film Festival (Belgrade), Dances With Films NYC, and won Best Director and Best Lead Performance at The Red Rose International Film Festival.

Jay’s second film, a short art piece called A FORCE MOVES AGAINST YOU, premiered on Nowness.

When he’s not writing Jay can be found camped out in the corral with his horse Willow, but he’s rarely not writing.