Commissions & Other Projects

Education

2023-2027
Tufts University
BA, Film & Media Studies
Medford, MA, US

2019-2023
Shanghai American School Puxi
High school diploma
Shanghai, China

Employment

Freelance Photographer and Videographer
(since 2023)

Video Department Executive
Tufts Daily
(Jan 2025 - May2026)

Volunteer English & Math tutor for incarcerated individuals
The Petey Greene Program
(since 2024)

Educational Content Creation Intern Tufts Technology Services
(sep 2024 - dec 2024)

Film Festival Guest Reception
Shanghai International Film Festival
(jun 2024 & jun 2025)

Film Festival Planning
Filmmakers Collaborative
(apr 2024 - sep 2024)

Fine Dining Server
The Catered Affair
(since jun 2024)

Skills

Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Davinci Resolve, Microsoft Office

Types of videography: documentary shorts,narrative shorts, concert/event recording, and news reporting

Types of photography: portrait photography, event photography, artwork documentation, and street photography

Exhibitions & Awards

Land Sea and Sky Exhibition
Wick ford Art Association
(may 2024)

Finalist for Best Sci-fi, Best Experimental Film
All American Highschool Film Festival
(aug 2023)

Best Experimental Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best 7 Minute Film
Shanghai Student Film Festival

Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Editing
International Clash of Titans 48 Hour Film Challenge
(jan 2023)

Last Updated 24.10.31

JAKE REN 任笑语

PROFILE

I am currently a 3rd year student in the BA Film and Media Studies program at Tufts University, focusing on documentary filmmaking. I try to make things that are slow but won’t make you fall asleep.

Other than documentaries, I am also a freelance videographer and photographer who does event recordings, concert photography, and just about anything else I get asked to do and can. I also drum.

I was born in Minnesota, grew up in Shanghai, and am now based in the Greater Boston Area.

CONTACT

FILMS
PHOTOS
COMMISSIONS & OTHER PROJECTS

Off The Record — The Jackson Jills
Roles - Director, Editor, Audio Recordist
May 2025

On April 5, 2025, The Jackson Jills performed five songs in the Daily’s newsroom. They then joined Daily members for a conversation about the origins, rehearsals, and seniors of Tufts’ oldest all-femme a cappella group.

Off The Record: Molasses Disaster
Roles - Director, Editor, Audio Recordist
April 2025

On March 8, 2025, Molasses Disaster performed five songs in the Daily’s newsroom. The band then joined Daily members for a conversation about the origins of their musical journey and the relationship between their music and the people they love.

2025 School of the Museum of Fine Arts Open Studios
Roles - Photographer and Editor
Mar 2025

Photography coverage for the March 7th SMFA Open Studios, where graduate and undergrate art students in the greater Boston area got to explore each others’ studios, with media including painting, photography, ceramics, and many more!

(PS: If anyone has any clues about what that metal bird-dog creature is, please let me know.)

Party at The Sink: Inside Tufts' Only Student-Run Cafe
Role - Director & Editor
Mar 2025

A profile of Tufts' only student-run cafe, The Sink.

Tufts full-time lecturers rally for higher salaries during 2-day walkout
Role - Director & Editor
Feb 2025

Unionized full-time lecturers in the Tufts School of Arts and Sciences rallied on January 27th and 28th during a two-day walkout, following 10 months of negotiations with the Tufts administration.

Birds of a Feather opb. Billie Eilish
Role - Director, Editor, Audio Recordist
Mar 2025

Set-up used: 2 Sony A7sii, one zoom recorder connected to shotgun mic

No-No Boy Artist Talk
Role - Photographer, Editor
Mar 2024

An indoor concert + Q&A with the band No-No Boy at SMFA’s Mission Hill building.

Ten questions with a street performer
Role - Director & Editor
Dec 2023

On a rainless weekend morning above 40 degrees, you can usually find Roland Pearsall, director of institutional research at a small private college in Boston, lugging a cart with chords and amplifiers in one hand and a guitar case in another, about to start his day of street performance. We sat down with Roland and asked the questions you’ve (maybe) always had about a street performer.