Andrew Jenks

Jenks said of the pitch process 'It was me and my two friends - 21 years old, telling ESPN, the 'Worldwide Leader in Sports' that this was a story that had to be told -that it was their duty. I think we left every meeting unsure if we were acting our age, or just showcasing our passion'. Due to a dispute between ESPN and the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization over rights of baseball footage the film was removed from United States availability until 2020.

Season 2 of “World of Jenks” expanded to hour long episodes and continued to be a ratings hit. MSN remarked, "’Jenks -- like Chad, Kaylin and D-Real -- has overcome the odds and consistently triumphed in its timeslot.”

In 2019, Jenks began hosting the podcast Gangster Capitalism, the first C13Originals podcast produced by Cadence13.

Jenks founded the all All-American High School Film Festival. The annual event is held at the AMC Theaters in Times Square, New York City, the largest movie theater in the United States. The festival has given over $1,00,000 in scholarships and prizes, hosted over 30 universities for the largest arts college fair in the country, and partnered with AT&T for an anti-bullying initiative. The festival was inspired after 10 years of Jenks’ high school film festival. The 2018 festival had over 2,000 submissions from over 30 countries with judges such as Kristen Stewart, John Oliver, and James Earl Jones. The 2019 festival is slated for October 3–8.

In October 2017, Jenks debuted as writer and narrator of the documentary podcast What Really Happened from Seven Bucks Productions, with executive producers Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia. The podcast is described as a rogue investigation into pop culture history.

In 2016, Jenks co-created and executive produced the MTV Series, "Unlocking the Truth". The docu-series followed Ryan Ferguson as he investigated three cases believed to have resulted in wrongful convictions. It is believed that the series led to the release of Kalvin Michael Smith. Jenks noted that, "This show starts and ends with Ryan Ferguson. He is a natural leader, a guy with zero self-pity for what he has been put through and instead has a unique instinct to wake up every morning and help others."

Jenks sold and developed a half hour comedy titled “The Motivational Speaker” to HBO in 2016. The project remains in development with HBO and Pretty Matches, the Sarah Jessica Parker production company.

In 2015, CNN Films released “All American Family”, a short film Jenks’ company produced and he directed. The film chronicles an all-Deaf high school championship football team. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and Los Angeles Film Festival and won Best Short Film at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Rich Eisen said the film was, "Friday Night Lights” like I haven't seen before." The deaf community lauded the film for capturing an accurate perspective of their life.

Jenks premiered his latest feature documentary titled dream/killer at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, his most acclaimed film since ROOM 335. The New York Times said the film “elicits incredulity, frustration and astonishment…fast-paced and frightening.”, the Village Voice calling it a "Must-See Wrongful-Conviction Doc ‘dream/killer’ Indicts a System.", and Rolling Stone saying, “Fans of Serial and The Jinx, meet your new favorite film.” While in production, Jenks made head waves in the legal community after filming Ryan Ferguson in prison giving a plea straight to camera. After nearly 10 years, Ferguson's conviction was vacated. Jenks however indicated, the film is bittersweet, "I wanted to make sure that people knew this was not going to be a happy ending. Because it isn’t."

In 2015, Jenks sold a spec script to ABC Studios, titled “Sam”. He said after covering the 2012 election for MTV, he believed “education would prove to be America’s greatest weakness. It will catch up with us. And this is coming from me, certainly no genius. I haven’t even graduated college”. “Sam” follows a quirky teacher kicked out of several public high schools for eccentric teaching methods, left with one last chance to teach with his best friend at an elite private school in New York City. ABC Family developed the script and passed on the project after the pilot stage.

In 2015, E! News reported that Jenks was dating actress Brittany Snow.

In May 2014, ESPN released the 30 for 30 short "Posterized", a look into former NBA center Shawn Bradley. Bradley is mostly remembered for two things—being one of the tallest players to ever play in the NBA and for being on the wrong end of a lot of great dunks. Through interviews with Jeff Van Gundy and Shawn Bradley, the film shows the media attention he gained while a player and then focuses on Bradley's life after basketball.

In 2014, ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 Shorts series took home an Emmy for Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program.

Jenks is the creator of It's About a Girl, a magic realism YouTube web series premiered July 9, 2013. He plays a man who pursues the girl of his dreams, played by Taryn Southern. Tubefilter praised the series for seeking a connection between dreams and reality and preferring symbolism and emotions over dialogue.

On his podcast, What Really Happened?, produced by Dwayne Johnson, Andrew revealed he "battles chronic depression everyday", adding in an interview with Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen that he prefers to call it Dysthymia. He said that while at MTV he was embarrassed by the disorder and had turned down an offer to speak at the 2013 National Conference on Mental Health at the White House. Andrew said it was one of his biggest regrets of his career.

Jenks was the face MTV's 2012 election coverage, both producing and hosting. He interviewed or asked questions to nearly all of the candidates, including Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama.

Jenks had advocated on behalf of prisoners wrongfully incarcerated. In 2011, he called for the release of Ryan Ferguson. He later advocated for the release of Kalvin Michael Smith who was released after 20 years in prison.

In January 2010, MTV signed Jenks to do a documentary-series titled World of Jenks. Jenks claimed his inspiration behind World of Jenks was that "I [Andrew] also want to tell the stories of my generation. I want to be a filmmaker that is able to capture what my generation thinks, how they act and what they ultimately stand for." In each episode, Andrew will move in with a new stranger to experience a week in their life, from random people, such as a homeless woman, a man with autism, a rapper, MMA fighter, a professional poker player, an NFL cheerleader, a female-fronted band, etc. The series premiered September 12, 2010, on MTV. Kid Cudi allowed this show to use his song 'Soundtrack 2 My Life' as its theme song.

Jenks attended New York University Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out after his sophomore year. During a 2008 interview, he was asked about his reported IQ of 155, in the top .1%, but he declined to answer.

At 19 years old, Jenks moved into an assisted living facility, starring, directing, and producing the feature film Andrew Jenks, Room 335. While a sophomore at New York University, HBO bought the rights to the film and released the documentary on January 15, 2008. The film premiered in Australia and Europe. The film received mostly positive reviews, Variety calling it 'a lovely and genuine account of generational understanding'. Andrew Jenks, Room 335 is an example of a participatory documentary. Jenks' connection to his subjects makes an impact on him as well as them.

During a 2008 interview, an interviewer asked about his reported IQ of 155, in the top .1%, but he declined to answer.

Andrew Jenks (born March 5, 1986) is an American filmmaker.