Jason J. Dale
Jason is a New Jersey based filmmaker and storyteller who believes in hopeful tales, impossible projects, and the power of communities that refuse to give up on each other.
As the founder of Crazy Elk Productions, creator of the long-gestating dark comic feature Fight the Panda Syndicate, host of the literary podcast Hope is Kindled, and an advocate for families through his work in government, Jason’s life has been spent helping stories move from the page into the world, whether those stories live on film, in books, or in the everyday paperwork that shapes people’s lives.
A graduate of Lafayette College with a degree in Government & Law, and later of William Paterson University with a second degree in English Literature, Jason grew up believing that stories, whether found in books, films, or everyday life, have the power to change people.
His professional path led him into public service, where he has spent more than two decades serving the residents of Bergen County through roles in the Surrogate’s Court, the County Executive’s Office, and the Office of Congressman Steven R. Rothman. Whether educating families about probate, designing public information materials, or building communication systems that help people feel seen and supported, Jason approaches civic work with the same care and creativity he brings to filmmaking.
Alongside this service-driven career, Jason built a second world: a creative life centered on community and storytelling. Through Crazy Elk Productions, he wrote, directed, and led the decade-long odyssey of Fight the Panda Syndicate, a project powered by more than 450 collaborators across eight states. Jason’s artistic work also includes the development of new cinematic worlds, literary projects, and the reflective, hope-driven podcast Hope Is Kindled, which he shares with his sons.
Crazy Elk Productions & Independent Film
Crazy Elk Productions began with a simple dream: a community of friends and artists making work together, laughing, experimenting, and discovering what they were capable of when they gave a thousand percent to something new. That dream became the feature film Fight the Panda Syndicate and a long list of shorts, experiments, and stories still to come.
Jason co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and edited Fight the Panda Syndicate, a dark comic adventure about interdimensional sorcerers, hitmen, and ordinary New Jersey contractors pulled into a war they never asked for. Over years of work and hundreds of shoot days, he oversaw casting, location scouting, production design, and the kind of on-the-fly problem solving that only exists on no-budget independent sets.
Along the way he collaborated with legendary wrestling superstar King Kong Bundy, Swedish composer Glen Gabriel, and more than four hundred fifty cast and crew across eight states. He directed action sequences in machine shops and basements, quiet character moments in restaurants and hotel corridors, and surreal confrontations in fortresses built from scratch.
Crazy Elk has always been bigger than one film. It’s a banner for future stories: genre-bending projects with heart, dark humor, and a stubborn streak of hope. Whether the next adventure is another feature, a web series, or a cartoon starring the Crazy Elk himself, Jason’s goal is the same, to tell stories that matter to the people who make them and to the people who find them.
On Set & In the Trenches
Jason’s happiest places usually involve:
- Directing actors through emotionally charged scenes at 3 a.m.
- Collaborative Writing
- Storyboarding action and finding ways to make small spaces feel epic.
- Editing late into the night, chasing the version of a scene that finally sings.
Hope Is Kindled & Storytelling Beyond the Screen
Film is only one part of Jason’s storytelling life. As host and writer of the literary podcast Hope is Kindled, he explores classic and modern works of literature through the lens of self-discovery, faith, and the stubborn belief that stories can anchor people in difficult times.
Hope is Kindled is a long-running, deeply personal project. Each episode focuses on one or more works of literature, weaving together literary analysis, history, psychology, and stories from Jason’s own life with his sons.
The show is equal parts classroom, campfire, and late-night kitchen table conversation. Jason draws connections between Dostoevsky and Dylan, Doctor Who and Dumas, The Muppets and Marcus Aurelius, always circling back to one core idea: hope is not naïve; it is hard-won, stubborn, and worth protecting.
Beyond the podcast, Jason writes essays, field guides, and reflections designed to help young readers and families navigate big ideas with courage and kindness.
Selected Ongoing Projects
- Hope is Kindled – long-form literary podcast and field guide for readers of all ages.
- Revenge of the Panda Syndicate – a sequel to Fight the Panda Syndicate, deep in production ...
- Crazy Elk – Coming Soon...
