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Jack Herbert Christal-Gattanella was born in Englewood, New Jersey, carrying both his mother's and father's surnames. As a child, he aspired to be an animator and was an enthusiastic fan of animated films and cartoons. However, after realizing his drawing skills were lacking, he developed a passion for movies of all kinds and began writing screenplays at age 15. During his teenage years and early twenties, he also wrote short fiction and poetry, alongside his initial ventures into short films and screenwriting.
Upon acceptance to William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, he dedicated his free time to creating short films and writing. As a member of the Student Film Association, he produced his own shorts and assisted with others' projects. His earliest independent shorts were Infidelio (2004) and Untitled Impound (2005), both shot with a single JVC camcorder. His influences included filmmakers Ingmar Bergman, Luis Buñuel, Martin Scorsese, and John Cassavetes, as well as sitcoms like Seinfeld (1989) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000).
In 2005, he met actor Zack Abramowitz, who became a frequent collaborator. Impressed by Zack’s last-minute role as "Junior Lawyer" Mel Klein in Untitled Impound, Jack later cast him in the surreal comedy short Harold Maxx (2006), initially a class project. Beyond directing Zack in his own films, Jack served as script supervisor on Zack’s debut as writer-director, Zack and Michael (2008), and worked as cameraman on the web series Losers. Together, they formed JackandZack Films, a collaboration focused on comedy shorts, beginning with Lines of Glory (2009), which has gained attention at film festivals.
After graduating in 2006, Gattanella continued concentrating on screenwriting across various genres including horror, sci-fi, drama, thriller, dark comedy, and police procedurals. He is preparing to direct his first feature film, Green Eyes, based on characters from his debut short Infidelio. He is supported by his wife, a Political Science professor, and his family, who frequently appear in cameo roles in his films.
