John Cramer

Director & Strategic Storyteller | Co-Founder @ Make Your Show | Expert in High-Engagement Short-Form Content (50K+ Views)

New York, New York, United States

About

A highly creative and discerning visual storyteller with a multifaceted background spanning film production, performance, and education. I combine hands-on expertise in directing, cinematography, and editing with a methodical, assessment-driven approach. A unique lens shaped by my M.A.T. and experience in teaching. This approach is rooted in a lifelong learner's curiosity and a DIY builder's mindset. Self-taught in the tools of the trade, I am constantly deconstructing visual stories to understand their mechanics. I focus on the enduring principles of the craft—light, composition, performance, and rhythm—which I've learned through a mix of study, practice, and observation. My teaching experience sharpens my ability to assess work against these principles with consistency and articulate clear paths for improvement. I'm less concerned with gaming algorithms and more dedicated to understanding the human response: what captures attention, builds connection, and makes a viewer feel something. As a director and co-founder at Make Your Show, I oversee all aspects of visual execution, from lighting and composition to pacing and final edit, for our short films and digital series. I also apply this same strategic and creative framework to independent projects, such as a short-form educational series on home electrification, which generated 50,000+ views and 2,000+ engagements within five months through trend analysis and rapid creative optimization.

Experience

  • Co-Founder at Make Your Show
    Sep 2018 - Present · 7 yrs 10 mos

    Writer, Director, Producer of digital series, short films, commercial, and corporate content.

  • Voice-Over Artist at CESD
    May 2014 - Present · 12 yrs 2 mos

  • sag-aftra at SAG-AFTRA
    May 2014 - Present · 12 yrs 2 mos

  • Actor, Voiceover at www.JohnThomasCramer.com
    2006 - Present · 20 yrs 6 mos