Jared Raab is a Canadian writer and cinematographer, best known for his collaborations with Matt Johnson on the television series Nirvanna the Band the Show and the films BlackBerry, Operation Avalanche, The Dirties, and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie.
Early life and education Originally from Millbrook, Ontario, Raab studied film at York University."University film project shown at Cinema 379". Peterborough Examiner, June 22, 2005.
Career Raab made a number of short films before breaking through to wider attention with his 2011 short The Revenge Plot, which won the Fan Favorite award at the 2011 RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition.Melissa Leong, "'I thought our cinema was insular.Boy was I wrong'; RBC prize announces top emerging talent". National Post, September 8, 2011. For a number of years thereafter he was a director of music videosBen Rayner, "Colin Medley, Jared Raab - Music Video Directors". Toronto Star, January 2, 2011. for artists such as Born Ruffians, Arkells, Ohbijou, Diamond Rings, PS I Love You, Snailhouse, Young Rival and Fast Romantics. He received two Prism Prize nominations as a director of music videos, in 2017 for July Talk's "Picturing Love""Prism Prize Reveals 2017's Top 10 Finalists". Exclaim!, April 4, 2017. and in 2021 for Andy Shauf's "Clove Cigarette".Alex Nino Gheciu, "These Are the Top 20 Canadian Music Videos Nominated for the 2021 Prism Prize". Complex, April 29, 2021.
He was cinematographer on Matt Johnson's films The DirtiesJames Adams, "A bravura debut for an up-and-coming Canadian". The Globe and Mail, October 4, 2013. and Operation AvalancheCalum Marsh, "Matt Johnson's space odyssey: How the Toronto director tricked NASA into helping him film his Sundance-bound epic". The Globe and Mail, January 1, 2016. prior to Johnson and Jay McCarrol creating Nirvanna the Band the Show, for which Raab was both a cinematographer and one of the writers.
He is a two-time Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Writing in a Comedy Series for Nirvanna the Band the Show, receiving nods at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018 for "The Bean" and at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019 for "The Book",Brent Furdyk, "2019 Canadian Screen Awards: Complete List Of Winners From Televised Gala". ET Canada, March 31, 2019. and a nominee for Best Direction in a Documentary Series at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022 for This Is Pop.Brent Furdyk, "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, ‘Sort Of’ & ‘Scarborough’ Lead The Pack". ET Canada, February 15, 2022.
He won the award for Best Cinematography at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, for BlackBerry.Connie Thiessen, "Canadian Screen Awards winners: Cinematic Arts". Broadcast Dialogue, May 30, 2024.
In 2025, Raab was credited as cinematographer for Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. The film began principal photography in 2023 and premiered in 2025 at SXSW.
Filmography
Acting YearTitleRoleNotes2009SpywareBoy #22016Operation AvalancheHimself2017–2018Nirvanna the Band the Show8 episodes2025Nirvanna the Band the Show the MovieJared
Behind-the-scenes YearTitleCinematographerDirectorWriterProducerNotes2007–2010Nirvana the Band the Show11 episodes; also camera operator (1 episode)2013The Dirties2016Operation Avalanche2017–2018Nirvanna the Band the Show2020–2022Cursed Films2021For Heaven's SakeThis Is Pop2 episodes; also visual effects artistV/H/S/94Segment: "Storm Drain"2022We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel)6 episodes2023BlackBerryAlso camera operator2024Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story2025Nirvanna the Band the Show the MovieMiddle LifeAlso visual effects2026The Betrayers
Music videos YearTitleSongArtist2010"What To Say"Born RuffiansDirector"Nova-Leigh"2011"Whistleblower"Arkells"Niagara"Ohbijou"Sudden Dark Truths"Marine DreamsDirector and producer2012"I'm Just Me"Diamond RingsDirector"Saskatoon"PS I Love YouDirector and cinematographer2013"I Never Woke Up"Snailhouse"For from Me"DecadesDirector2014"Hot Tonight"Tokyo Police ClubDirector and cinematographer"Come to Light"ArkellsDirector2015"Death of Gold"Spencer BurtonCinematographer"Things You Want"Find the OthersDirector and cinematographer"Don't Live Up"Born RuffiansDirector2016"Beck + Call"July Talk"Picturing Love"2017"Dreams Tonite"AlvvaysCinematographer2021"C-Thru"SuunsDirector2022"I Am Water"July TalkDirector and cinematographer References
External links