JJ SMITH
WOMEN LIFERS
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
Women Lifers: Pennsylvania's Women Serving Life Without Parole is an award-winning documentary that explores the lives of women serving life sentences in a Pennsylvania prison. Through intimate interviews, striking animation, and expert insight, the film challenges the justice system’s treatment of women caught in harsh sentencing laws.
Winner of two awards notably winner of the Royal Television Society Award for Best Short Form.
WHILE THEY WATCHED: THE FALL OF NORTH KOREA
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
While They Watched (2015) is a haunting, near-future–framed documentary that examines how the world might interpret and judge North Korea once its regime has collapsed. By imagining a post–regime-collapse scenario, the film uses hindsight to question the moral responsibilities and roles international audiences and media played during the oppressive period . Through this speculative lens, it challenges viewers to reflect on their own complacency and prompts a deeper dialogue on global complicity and ethical accountability.
The film has won over 12 awards and has secured distribution in more than 100 countries in 13 languages, now available on platforms such as Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
UK’S SCARIEST DEBT COLLECTOR
Archive Producer Jake J. Smith
A gripping documentary that follows the infamous and unflinching figure at the heart of Britain’s debt collection underworld. Known for his intimidating presence and no-nonsense methods, he claims to do the job no one else will - recovering money where the system fails. As the film peels back the layers, it explores the fine line between fear, justice, and exploitation in the shadowy world of cash, confrontation, and consequence.
THE PEOPLE’S KITCHEN
Producer, Self-Shooting Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
The People’s Kitchen is a documentary that follows social entrepreneur Steve Wilson and his team as they work to turn a grassroots volunteer kitchen into a sustainable, community-run enterprise. The film captures the challenges and triumphs of building a movement focused on dignity, food justice, and local empowerment.
It won an award at the Devizes Film Festival, was screened at the BFI, and gained UK distribution on The Community Channel.
VERA GRAVES: THE SKYDIVING GRANNIE
Producer/Self-Shooting Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
A heartwarming and inspiring short documentary about an 82-year-old activist who takes to the skies for a cause close to home. When her local bus service faces closure, Vera Graves decides to make a stand - in the most unexpected way—by jumping out of a plane to raise awareness and funds. Blending humour, courage and community spirit, the film captures one woman’s fearless fight to keep her village connected.
BARE KNUCKLE
Archive Producer Jake J. Smith
Bare Knuckle is a raw and visceral documentary produced for VICE, diving deep into the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing in the UK. Gritty, unfiltered and brutally honest, the film follows fighters who risk it all - physically and emotionally -for pride, reputation, and survival. Beyond the blood and bruises, Bare Knuckle explores the lives, motivations and struggles of those at the heart of this controversial subculture.
TALKING LGBT+: A FILM ABOUT LOVE, STRUGGLE & CHANGE
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
Talking LGBT+ is a thought-provoking documentary that charts a century of LGBTQ+ history and diversity in Bristol. It blends personal stories, cultural memories, and interviews with a wide range of voices—from drag artists and graffiti creators to young activists and the Deaf community - offering a vibrant portrait of the city’s queer life . Through its engaging storytelling, the film celebrates progress, highlights ongoing struggles, and brings local LGBTQ+ experiences into sharp, human focus.
INKED MAGAZINE: TATTOOS AND SUSPENSION
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
A striking short documentary filmed in Philadelphia, that dives deep into the world of extreme body art and the subculture surrounding it. Commissioned by Inked Magazine, the film explores the artistry, pain, and ritual behind tattooing and body suspension, capturing raw and intimate moments from those who push the limits of self-expression. Through vivid visuals and personal stories, it offers a window into a community where ink, identity, and transformation go hand in hand.
DAVID ICKE AND THE LIZARD APOCALYPSE
Archive Producer Jake J. Smith
David Icke and the Lizard Apocalypse is a provocative and darkly comic documentary that explores the controversial world of conspiracy theorist David Icke. Blending satire with genuine investigation, the film follows Icke’s rise from sports broadcaster to global cult figure, known for his belief that reptilian shape-shifters secretly control the world. Through interviews, archival footage and surreal moments, it examines the blurred line between free speech, fringe belief, and mass influence.
KRAMPUS - AUSTRIAN TOURISM BOARD
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
Krampus – Austrian Tourism Board is a short documentary by Jake J. Smith that explores the misunderstood Alpine tradition of Krampus. While often seen as scary, the film reveals it to be a joyful, family-centred celebration rooted in folklore. Through interviews and festive footage, it highlights how this unique tradition brings communities together each winter.
SEVERN: THE POISONING OF BRITAINS AMAZON
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
Severn: The Poisoning of Britain’s Amazon is a compelling investigative film by Jake J. Smith, produced for The Ends Report. It exposes the alarming levels of pollution in the River Severn - often dubbed "Britain’s Amazon"- by examining how industry and wastewater practices have contaminated this vital waterway. The documentary combines expert interviews, on-site exploration, and personal stories to highlight both the scale of the environmental crisis and the grassroots efforts fighting to restore the river’s health. According to Ends Report, it prompted engaged responses and was the most-watched film in the series.
STOLEN CHILDHOODS: SLAVERY ON LAKE VOLTA
Producer/Director & Supervising Editor: Jake J. Smith
Stolen Childhoods: Slavery on Lake Volta is a powerful documentary that follows Alfred, a former child slave in Ghana, as he begins a new chapter at school in Accra. The film features interviews with slave masters, trafficked children, NGO workers, family members, and those working to challenge the exploitation on Lake Volta.
TEENAGE EXORCISTS
Archive Producer: Jake J. Smith
A bold and eye-opening documentary that follows three American teenage girls travelling the world to cast out demons. Trained in spiritual warfare and armed with crosses and conviction, they believe they are on a mission to battle evil. Blending faith, spectacle, and controversy, the film explores the collision of youth, religion, and modern-day exorcism—raising questions about belief, influence, and the power of persuasion.
DJ DEREK: THE UNLIKELY REGGAE LEGEND
A captivating documentary chronicling the life of Derek Serpell‑Morris - a former accountant from Bristol who, in his 70s, became a national cult figure spinning reggae, ska, rocksteady and soul records. Known affectionately as “Britain’s oldest DJ,” he was celebrated for MCing in Jamaican patois and performing at top festivals like Glastonbury and WOMAD .
The film traces his unique journey: from a skiffle-playing accountant discovering Jamaican sound systems in the 1960s, to becoming a fixture in Bristol's Caribbean community and later a legend embraced by artists like Don Letts and Massive Attack a tribute to one man’s passion for music, community, and cultural connection and a celebration of how an unlikely hero united generations through sound.
