Jacob Aaron Estes

• Name — Jacob Aaron Estes • Born — September 6, 1972 • Birthplace — Tulare County, California, U.S. • Occupation — Screenwriter, film director • Known for — Mean Creek • Spouse — Gretchen Lieberum

Estes was a theatre major at the University of California, Santa Cruz. After that, he went to film school at AFI. Estes also attended the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, which produced two of his plays, Free Lessons and Mean Creek. Estes turned Mean Creek into a screenplay, which became his feature film debut as writer and director in 2004. In his first offering as writer-director, he gained critical acclaim, receiving nominations at various film festivals and winning the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award. His second film as writer/director came with the 2011 film The Details, which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and stars Tobey Maguire, Laura Linney, Ray Liotta, Dennis Haysbert, Kerry Washington, and Elizabeth Banks. In 2019, Estes co-wrote and directed the Blumhouse thriller Don't Let Go starring David Oyelowo and Storm Reid.

Estes is married to musician Gretchen Lieberum.

• Year — Film — Director — Writer — Producer — Notes • 2001 — Summoning — Short film • 2004 — Mean Creek — John Cassavetes Award winner • 2005 — Nearing Grace • 2011 — The Details • 2014 — 7 Minutes • 2015 — Bromance — Special thanks • 2017 — Rings — Co-wrote with David Loucka and Akiva Goldsman • 2019 — Don't Let Go • 2022 — He's Watching