Jonas Elrod is a southern writer and director who has always had a deep appreciation for the power of story as a means of bringing about positive change. Growing up in Georgia, he was deeply influenced by the stories told on porches late at night, which often featured fallen heroes, misfit love, and spiritual redemption. This appreciation for personal truth and deeper meaning has been a guiding principle for his work in both fiction and non-fiction.
Elrod began his career in film working with the award-winning production company Rockhard Films, where he worked on projects for clients such as Nike, Jay-Z, and ESPN. After several years of working in production, he transitioned into directing, and has since worked with clients such as Converse, Smirnoff, and Spike Lee.
In 2014, Elrod's first documentary feature, Wake Up, premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The film follows Elrod's personal spiritual journey, which began after he experienced a series of unexplainable events, including seeing spirits, hearing voices, and having visions. Despite undergoing a series of medical tests and receiving a clean bill of health, Elrod was determined to understand what was happening to him, and set out on a mission to meet with religious leaders, fringe scientists, and modern-day mystics.
Wake Up quickly gained a large following and went on to become the premier episode for the Emmy-award winning Super Soul Sunday on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The film was also paired with an interview by Oprah Winfrey herself.
In recent years, Elrod has been working on a new series for OWN, titled In Deep Shift with Jonas Elrod. The series is an unflinching look at the spiritual journey, and follows Elrod as he travels across the country, seeking out stories of people who have experienced a significant breakdown, but have then found redemption and purpose through a spiritual breakthrough. The series has received widespread critical acclaim, and has featured guests such as Ted Talk alum Maysoon Zayid, NFL football great Vince Young, and singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette.
Elrod is currently working on his debut narrative film, which is set to begin filming in the fall of 2016.
