Jacobus, a stuntman, martial artist, and actor, is a California-based professional with a rich and diverse career spanning over two decades. His journey in the film industry began in his hometown of Redding, California in 2001, when he co-founded The Stunt People, a collective of local martial artists and gymnasts who created short action comedies.
Initially, Jacobus was a gymnast and weightlifter, but he soon enlisted the help of his peers to develop his skills in martial arts and stunt work. When he moved to San Francisco in 2002 to pursue a degree in cinema at SFSU, he began formal martial arts training under the guidance of Andy Leung, who would later become a member of The Stunt People.
As Jacobus' team grew, so did their scope and ambition. They expanded to a team of over 30 members, and their 2002 film Teamwork 2 caught the attention of producer Jeff Centauri. This connection led to a collaboration with filmmaker Stephen Reedy on the short film Undercut in 2004, which showcased the team's unique blend of gymnastics, martial arts, and stunt expertise.
The success of Undercut brought producers Ro Sahebi and Cliff Tang to Jacobus' doorstep, and they offered him a budget to produce his feature film debut, Contour, which was released in 2006 and received numerous awards. This breakthrough film put The Stunt People on the map and established Jacobus as a rising talent in the industry.
In 2011, Jacobus tackled his second feature film effort, Death Grip, using a combination of crowd-funding and private equity. The film was distributed worldwide and caught the attention of veteran stuntman and producer Clayton Barber. Barber and Jacobus collaborated on several projects, including the short film Rope A Dope, which was an instant hit and led to Jacobus' role in ABCs of Death 2.
The team then produced Rope A Dope 2, a bigger and more ambitious project that showcased their skills on a small budget. Jacobus and Barber are currently developing more short films, while Jacobus continues to work full-time as an actor, stuntman, and stunt coordinator throughout California.
