William DeJessa is an award winning, Philadelphia based Cinematographer. William is a multi disciplined filmmaker known for his unique vision, technical expertise, and collaborative filmmaking. His cinematography combines a technical approach with an intuitive understanding of each shot. Williams passion is to create visually captivating and deeply emotional experiences for his audience. 

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, William discovered his passion for storytelling at an early age and began creating short films with his childhood friends. He went on to study film and video production, graduated with a bachelors of the arts from Temple University in 2010 and continued to hone his craft in the Philadelphia area.

During his near two decade career William’s cinematography has received numerous awards and accolades for projects ranging from films and television to commercials and Music Videos. In 2015 William’s first feature film was nominated for the "Best Debut Cinematographer" award at Camerimage.  

In 2011 William began work at QVC as a lighting technician and rose to the position of Assistant Lighting Director by the time of his departure. This was an invaluable experience to William as it gave him experience and exposure to studio lighting in a broadcast production environment. William left his full time position at QVC in 2015 to pursue his career as a freelance filmmaker. 

In 2017 William co-founded Rittenhouse Filmworks and was the Studio Director until its closing in 2025. Rittenhouse Filmworks was a premiere film studio and soundstage in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the years the studio had solidified its role as a staple in the local film scene and hosted productions for some of the biggest companies in the industry.

In 2017 William also formed his production company Tribe Productions LLC. Tribe is a full service company with a focus of providing specialty crew, camera, and lighting equipment to other companies and agencies. Tribe has worked with a growing list of major media companies and supported productions across the country. 

In 2018 William began pursuing steadicam operating and in 2024 William officially joined the IATSE Local 600 Union as an Operator.

In 2024 William and a group of friends set out to make their mark on the industry in a different way and launched the Wellsboro Film Festival. WFF is an international short film festival focused on bringing filmmakers from around the globe to the quaint rural town of Wellsboro PA. This festival, unlike others, positions itself more as a networking retreat with real prizes awarded to the patronizing filmmakers. In the two years since launching the festival, WFF has hosted several Oscar-contending short films and is continuing strong into the future. 

William has always been committed to giving back to the community that helped shape him and his career. William often offers hands-on learning experiences and internships to local rising talents through his production company and industry connections. William has been a mentor to many aspiring filmmakers and continues to strive to be a positive influence in the industry today.

IMDB: 
http://www.imdb.me/williamdejessa

Instagram: @wild.d.dop