Biographie
At just 5 years old, Jason Baffa was inspired by his cousin, Christopher Baffa ASC, who was creating an 8mm stop-motion film for school. This experience sparked his realization that filmmaking is an art form he wanted to be part of, leading to a lifelong career in cinema.
Early on, Baffa spent summers at Todd AO Sound, learning from two-time Academy Award-winning Sound Mixer Chris Jenkins. He then secured full-time work at New World Entertainment, managing properties for Fox, ABC, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, and Marvel Comics.
His passion for surfing led him to produce Bluetorch TV for Fox Sports, delivering over 250 hours of action sports programming.
Eager to return to film, Baffa self-produced his first indie feature, "Singlefin: Yellow" (2004). This 16mm cult classic redefined the surf film genre by focusing on a single surfboard's journey rather than the surfers themselves, quickly earning him recognition within the surfing subculture. Yahoo News described it as "the perfect armchair traveler."
His next project, "One California Day" (2007), co-directed and shot on Super 16mm with Mark Jeremias, is widely regarded as "one of the best surf films of our modern times" (Surfer Magazine).
Baffa then shifted towards directing commercials while developing another feature film. His passion project "Bella Vita" (2014), which follows a California surfer reconnecting with his Italian heritage—a reflection of Baffa’s own ancestry—was shot on 35mm and received critical acclaim. The London Arts News praised it as "visually stunning." It premiered at the prestigious San Sebastian Film Festival and won awards including Best Documentary and Best Cinematography at the Highland Park International Film Festival, Best Documentary at La Costa, and Audience Choice Best Film at the Costa Rica Film Festival.
With a growing international fanbase for his surf documentaries, Baffa was invited to direct and shoot "Loopers: The Caddie's Long Walk" (2018). Narrated by Bill Murray, this film offers the first in-depth look into the secretive world of golf caddies and was produced by Jim Packer (Lionsgate), David Brookwell (Brookwell McNamara Entertainment), and Chris Brown (Gem Pictures).
"Loopers" premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (US) and Edinburgh (UK), winning Best Documentary at both the Newport Beach and Cleveland Film Festivals, and enjoyed a limited theatrical release. Golf Digest remarked that watching "Loopers" is "reminiscent of the BBC's 'Planet Earth' series, educating while aesthetically captivating."
Baffa’s films have had limited theatrical runs and worldwide distribution through DVD, VOD, and streaming platforms including Fox Sports, Globosat, Lionsgate, Netflix, Red Bull Media House, and The Golf Channel.
Outside of feature filmmaking, he works as a commercial director and director of photography for major brands such as Acura, Anheuser-Busch, BMW, Ford, Jeep, MTV, Patagonia, and Toyota.
His current development slate includes documentary films, TV series, scripted projects, and managing personal ventures like ZIOBAFFA, an organic Italian wine brand.
Main website: jasonbaffafilms.com
