Laurence Harlan Jacobs

Documentary / Live Conversation

Filmed at the YouTube Space New York, this 1-hour special chronicles the 25th anniversary of R.E.M.’s glam-rock album Monster. Hosted by Adam Scott (“Severance”) & Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang Bang!), featuring founding members Michael Stipe and Mike Mills.

*Featured onuDiscoverMusic

Let Love Have The First Listen is an unprecedented look at GRAMMY & OSCAR-winning artist Common. Watch as he delves into his creative process and the self-examination that inspired his new record Let Love. A cross between Marvin Gaye and Radiohead, this intimate live experience (1 hour and 23 minutes) was filmed at the YouTube Space New York.

Documentary / Listening Experience

Filmed at the YouTube Space New York, this documentary explores the legendary Iggy Pop’s 2019 record FREE. Raw and vulnerable, Iggy takes us on a journey, track-by-track, into the origins of his highly thoughtful, creative process. This video continues the “ongoing Iggy Pop master class in doing things your own way” as mentioned by GQ.

*Featured on uDiscoverMusic

Short / Documentary

Filmed at Jim Henson studios over 48 hours, this mini-doc captures the improvisational recording of jazz/hip-hop artist Robert Glasper’s 2019 mixtape-record. Featuring legend Herbie Hancock, Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), YBN Cordae, Denzel Curry, and Yebba,

*Featured on Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan, Consequence of Sound, and UPROXX.

Music / Interview

For Santana’s explosive 2019 record Africa Speaks, I directed and produced this interview with legendary music producer Rick Rubin. Filmed in Malibu at his Shangri-La studio.

Short / Documentary

A making-of piece on George Harrison and Ravi Shankar’s album “Chants of India”. This features rare interviews, in addition to footage that Harrison shot himself in the ‘90s.

*Premiered on RollingStone

Short / Documentary

A profile piece on LA artist Danielle Garza (a.k.a Ellierex). This doc captures her specialized marble process in creating the cover for Jazz Dispensary's Soul Diesel: Volume 2. This video premiered on Record Store Day, and the album reached #4 on Billboard’s jazz chart.

Documentary / Trailer

A concert film about the trailblazing music of BIG STAR, this documentary features incredible performances and interviews from members of R.E.M., Wilco, Yo La Tengo, and more. We edited this original trailer to promote the live album Thank You, Friends: Big Star's THIRD Live... And More. Filmed at the Alex Theater in Glendale, CA.

Short / Documentary

I had the privilege of directing the first-ever documentary on the history of Concord Records. This was a storytelling feast, with archival footage, photos, and even an interview with the legendary Norman Lear! This project comes at the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz festival, which all started with one ambitious man who created a jazz label from inside his Buick car dealership. This endeavor led to amazing successes--the famous Ray Charles record "Genius Loves Company", signings of huge artists like Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Santana, Carole King, and more.

We edited this Making Of doc for Kristen’s album The Art of Elegance. Featuring behind the scenes footage of Kristen in-studio, the album features new renditions of George Gershwin, Burt Bacharach and other legendary artists.

Music / Interview Series

Filmed at Gibson LA, I directed this track-by-track series where legendary band The Zombies share stories behind their most beloved songs.

Short / Doc

Produced by Carmelo Anthony’s digital platform, I directed this mini-doc on astrology-based dating app ALIGN. We sat down with co-Founders Helen Grossman and Aliza Kelly Faragher to discuss their company’s origins, the storytelling behind the app's design, and how Align is making astrology accessible again.

Filmed at the Annenberg Space for Photography in LA, we sat down with Common to talk about J Dilla & his impact on hip-hop. Here Common explains why he chose to use a Dilla beat for his single "HER Love".

Short / Documentary

A short documentary on Storywork Children, a progressive program for preschools and families within Volunteers of America. Rooted in neuroscience and mindfulness, Storywork helps people realize their own stories, and how strength and resilience can be important tools in facing personal challenges. 

Commercial / Promo

This spot aired on Participant Media's TV channel Pivot as a campaign to commemorate Hurricane Katrina's 10th anniversary. This video, and subsequent others, examine the people and ideas driving New Orleans' recovery.

Client: Participant Media + TakePart