Jett Garrison is an American transgender writer, director, and producer. He is known for directing on the Amazon Prime Video sitcom Clean Slate (2025), produced by Norman Lear, and for his work as a writer and producer on the Amazon Prime Video series Gen V (2023–2025). His short film Checkout (2006) won a Academy of Television Arts & Sciences award (Emmy), and his short film Jo FM (2005) received a Student Academy Award nomination. (OSCAR)
Early life and education Garrison grew up in Austin, Texas. After being discharged from the United States Air Force for being queer, he returned to Austin, where he worked as a commercial radio and music DJ/VJ at several stations including KVRX, 101X, KGSR, and The Austin Music Network.Jett Garrison biography. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1760765/bio/
He later enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, a Master of Arts in Media Studies with a focus in gender and sexuality, and a Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing.
Career
Early film work (2004–2009)
Garrison began his filmmaking career directing short films while at the University of Texas at Austin. His 2004 short Standing Up, a narrative/experimental film about a young queer punk befriended by an eccentric older woman at a surreal Texas bus stop, won the Special Jury Award at the Bologna International Women's Film Festival and was broadcast on LOGO TV.
His 2005 short Jo FM, a suspense-drama about an obsessed fan who kidnaps a radio DJ, received a Student Academy Award nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The film was broadcast on LOGO TV and distributed internationally through CFMDC (Canada) and BILKDRAFT (Germany).
His 2006 short Checkout, a comedy about a man and woman competing for the affection of the same woman at a grocery store, won an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences award (Emmy)Checkout. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences College Television Awards, 2007. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001139/2007/1/ and the Members' Choice Award from PlanetOut. It was distributed internationally through CFMDC (Canada) and BILKDRAFT (Germany).
Garrison also directed Prizewhores (2002), a feature documentary about a radio subculture, which premiered at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival and was broadcast on KLRU television in Austin, Texas."PrizeWhores." Variety, April 2002. https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/prizewhores-1200548723/ "For the Love of Crap: PrizeWhores Explores Radio Subculture." Austin Chronicle, October 19, 2001. https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2001-10-19/83395/ PrizeWhores film listing. Austin Chronicle, October 19, 2001. https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2001-10-19/141460/
Film Independent and industry recognition (2009–2018)
After relocating to Los Angeles, Garrison was selected for Film Independent's Project Involve directing program (2009), a fellowship supporting emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities.Jett Garrison profile. Film Independent. https://www.filmindependent.org/talent/jett-garrison/ His work through the program was sponsored by NBCUniversal and was featured in Vanity Fair.Jett Garrison speaker profile. SXSW. https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/speakers/2198261 He was subsequently invited to participate in Sony's Diverse Directors Program and Ryan Murphy's Half Initiative Directing Program.Jett Garrison mentee profile. Half Initiative. https://www.halfinitiative.com/mentees
These Thems and digital series work (2019)
In 2019, Garrison directed Season 1 of These Thems, a seven-episode comedic digital series following the lives of four queer friends in New York City, created by and starring Gretchen Wylder. The series was noted by GLAAD as one of the "Top Trans Creatives and Stories to Watch in 2019.""New web series 'These Thems' explores the queer spectrum through comedy." Washington Blade, February 26, 2020. https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/02/21/new-web-series-these-thems-explores-the-queer-spectrum-through-comedy/ It screened at multiple film festivals including Toronto's Inside Out, Atlanta's Out on Film, and Los Angeles' Outfest, and was distributed on Open Television (OTV).
Garrison won the Best Director Award at the Chicago Pride Film Festival for the series, which also received a Best Series Jury Award at the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (NCGLFF) and a Best Comedy award.
In the same year, Garrison directed the pilot for Polygonerz, a digital series for Amazon Prime Video about married game developers who create a game designed to help players find their soulmate.Polygonerz pilot. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8390332/
Writing career (2021–present)
Garrison is a member of the Writers Guild of America, West."Paradigm Talent Agency Hires, Promotes." Deadline Hollywood, March 2023. https://deadline.com/2023/03/paradigm-talent-agency-hires-one-ups-two-to-agents-1235300904/ He served as Consulting Producer on Season 1 and Executive Story Editor on Season 2 of Gen V (2023–2024), the Amazon Prime Video spin-off of The Boys, working as an on-set writer/producer. Actor Derek Luh, who appeared in the series, has cited Garrison as instrumental to his portrayal of bigender character Jordan Li.Derek Luh interview. The Hollywood Reporter, September 2024. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/gen-v-star-derek-luh-jordan-season-2-interview-1236386003/ Showrunner Michele Fazekas has also spoken about Garrison's contributions to trans representation on the show.Michele Fazekas interview. The Hollywood Reporter, September 2024. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/gen-v-season-2-the-boys-season-4-recap-1236372794/
Garrison also staffed on The CW's reboot of The 4400 (2021–2022), again serving as an on-set writer/producer.4400 full cast and crew. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9319770/fullcredits/"Harlem's Renaissance Man." 4400. CBS Detroit, November 16, 2021. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/harlems-renaissance-man-4400/
His original feature screenplay Quick Quick Slow was selected for the 2022 GLAAD List, a partnership between GLAAD and The Black List recognizing the best unproduced LGBTQ-inclusive screenplays of the year."The GLAAD List: Best Unproduced LGBTQ Screenplays of 2022 Unveiled." Variety, 2022. https://variety.com/2022/film/news/glaad-black-list-2022-screenplays-margot-robbie-1235236322/"GLAAD & The Black List Unveil 2022 GLAAD List Of Best Unproduced LGBTQ-Inclusive Scripts." Deadline Hollywood, April 2022. https://deadline.com/2022/04/glaad-the-black-list-unveil-2022-glaad-list-of-best-lgbtq-inclusive-scripts-1235006676/ The script was also a finalist in Outfest's Screenwriting Lab.
Clean Slate (2025)
Garrison directed Episodes 5 of Clean Slate, an eight-episode half-hour sitcom that premiered on Amazon Prime Video on February 6, 2025. The series was co-created by and starred Laverne Cox and George Wallace, and was executive produced by Norman Lear via his Act III Productions. It was one of the last series produced by Lear before his death in 2023. The series received an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Clean Slate: Season 1. Rotten Tomatoes. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/clean_slate/s01
Filmography
As director
Year Title Format Notes 2002 Prizewhores Documentary feature Premiered at SXSW; broadcast on KLRU 2004 Standing Up Short film Special Jury Award, Bologna International Women's Film Festival 2005 Jo FM Short film Student Academy Award nomination 2006 Checkout Short film College Television Award (Emmy) winner 2007 The Ticket Short film 2007 Vital Signs Short film Audience Favorite, McAllen Film & Arts Festival 2008 The Funeral Singer Short film Premiered at SXSW and Austin Film Festival 2009 Three Minutes Short film Sponsored by Banana Republic, Vanity Fair, NBCUniversal 2019 These Thems (Season 1) Digital series Best Director, Chicago Pride Film Festival 2019 Polygonerz (pilot) Digital series Amazon Prime Video 2022 The Golden Boys Short film 2022 Agents of Change Short film 2025 Clean Slate (eps. 5) Television Amazon Prime Video; EP: Norman Lear
As writer/producer
Year Title Role Network 2021–2022 The 4400 Staff writer / on-set writer-producer The CW 2023–2024 Gen V Consulting Producer (S1); Executive Story Editor (S2) Amazon Prime Video
Awards and recognition
Year Award Work Result 2004 Special Jury Award — Bologna International Women's Film Festival Standing Up Won 2005 Student Academy Award nomination Jo FM Nominated 2006 Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation (Emmy) Checkout Won 2006 Members' Choice Award — PlanetOut Checkout Won 2007 Audience Favorite — McAllen Film & Arts Festival Vital Signs Won 2019 Best Director — Chicago Pride Film Festival These Thems Won 2019 Best Series (Jury Award) — NCGLFF These Thems Won 2022 GLAAD List / The Black List Quick Quick Slow (screenplay) Selected
See also List of transgender film and television directors
References
External links Jett Garrison at IMDb Jett Garrison at Film Independent