---
name: "Michael Patrick Jann"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-patrick-jann"
fi1m_id: "michael-patrick-jann"
imdb_id: "nm0417794"
tmdb_id: 59412
wikidata_id: "Q3308437"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "15 May 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "director"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-12T04:01:55.642209+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael Patrick Jann

## Identity

Michael Patrick Jann

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-patrick-jann
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-patrick-jann
- **IMDb ID:** nm0417794
- **TMDB ID:** 59412
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3308437
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Jann, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3308437, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0417794/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59412

Director. Born 15 May 1970 in Albany - New York - USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 15 May 1970, Albany - New York - USA
- **Active:** 2007–2019
- **Frequently works with:** [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://film.one/person/jay-chandrasekhar.md), [Jon Pollack](https://film.one/person/jon-pollack.md), [Steven Tsuchida](https://film.one/person/steven-k-tsuchida.md), [Steve Pink](https://film.one/person/steve-pink.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as director, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 84 (2), 2010s 74 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 79 to 71 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Comedy 4, Action & Adventure 1, Crime 1, Drama 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Patrick_Jann, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3308437, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0417794/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59412

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Flight of the Conchords*](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords.md) (84)
- **Hulu:** [*Community*](https://film.one/tv/community.md) (83)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Michael Patrick Jann

> Michael Patrick Jann has a good instinct for ensemble comedy, particularly when the performers keep a straight face. We recommend that side of his work, with a reservation about how long the story can take between jokes.

In *Flight of the Conchords* (2007), the songs make Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement's deadpan performances funnier. We laughed most at those numbers, where the musical comedy gives their restrained delivery more to work with. Jann directed one episode, which matters when deciding how much of the programme's success to credit to him. We cannot attribute its tone to him alone, but the series is a good example of the ensemble comedy he has repeatedly worked in.

His early work put him among the performers: on the sketch series *The State* (1993–1995), he was both a cast member and a director. He and David Wain directed most episodes. His feature debut, *Drop Dead Gorgeous* (1999), took him into beauty-pageant satire and the mockumentary form. The documentary approach suits his interest in allowing characters to behave without the director passing judgement on them. His wish to treat the characters sincerely did not stop some critics finding the film mean-spirited.

With *Flight of the Conchords*, our reservation is about pace. The ordinary plots sometimes leave too much waiting between songs, a weakness that matters even when the performers are this agreeable. We recommend the series, but its success does not mean every pause is rewarding. Jann's recurring work with sketch and improvisational ensembles makes sense in this setting: he is working with performers whose delivery does much of the comic work, and the songs give that delivery a welcome purpose.

He returned to features with the horror-western *Organ Trail* (2023), followed by *Alma and the Wolf* (2025). The latter mixes psychological horror with several other horror forms, continuing his interest in changes of tone. It makes a description of him as simply a comedy specialist rather less useful. For a first encounter, we would still choose the songs and the deadpan company of *Flight of the Conchords*.

## Biography

Michael Patrick Jann is an American actor, comedian, writer and director. Born on 15 May 1970 in Albany, New York, he attended New York University and joined the comedy troupe that became The State. He was a cast member on the MTV sketch series *The State* (1993–1995) and directed many of its sketches.

Jann directed the feature film *Drop Dead Gorgeous* (1999). He has directed episodes of numerous television series, including *Flight of the Conchords* (2007), *Reno 911!*, *Little Britain USA*, *Community* and *The Good Doctor*. He co-wrote the film *Let's Go to Prison* (2006).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Angie Tribeca* (2016), Fi1m 66, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/angie-tribeca.md)
- *Crazy Ex-Girlfriend* (2015), Fi1m 82, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/crazy-ex-girlfriend.md)
- *Community* (2009), Fi1m 83, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/community.md)
- *Flight of the Conchords* (2007), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords.md)

## Complete filmography (39)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Alma & the Wolf* (2025), Director, Producer
- *The Spiderwick Chronicles* (2024), series, Director
- *Organ Trail* (2023), Producer, Director
- *Wayne* (2019), series, Director
- *Alex, Inc.* (2018), series, Director
- *Kevin (Probably) Saves the World* (2017), series, Director
- *Ghosted* (2017), series, Director
- *The Good Doctor* (2017), series, Director
- *Atypical* (2017), series, Director
- *Powerless* (2017), series, Executive Producer
- *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency* (2016), series, Director
- *Angie Tribeca* (2016), series, Director — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/angie-tribeca.md)
- *Crazy Ex-Girlfriend* (2015), series, Director — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/crazy-ex-girlfriend.md)
- *Kevin from Work* (2015), series, Director
- *The Last Man on Earth* (2015), series, Director
- *A to Z* (2014), series, Director, Executive Producer
- *Growing Up Fisher* (2014), series, Director
- *Us & Them* (2014), series, Director
- *The Michael J. Fox Show* (2013), series, Director
- *The Goldbergs* (2013), series, Director
- *Alpha House* (2013), series, Director
- *How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)* (2013), series, Director
- *Friends with Benefits* (2011), series, Director
- *Happy Endings* (2011), series, Director
- *Community* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/community.md)
- *Childrens Hospital* (2008), series, Director
- *Little Britain USA* (2008), series, Executive Producer
- *Reaper* (2007), series, Director
- *Flight of the Conchords* (2007), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords.md)
- *Notes from the Underbelly* (2007), series, Director
- *Reno 911!: Miami* (2007), as Tattoo Shop Owner #1
- *Let's Go to Prison* (2006), Writer
- *Emily's Reasons Why Not* (2006), series, Director
- *Reno 911!* (2003), series, Camera Man, Director
- *Drop Dead Gorgeous* (1999), Director
- *The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special* (1995), as Various
- *The State* (1994), series, as Various Characters
- *The Waiters* (1993), Actor
- *Mantivities*, Director

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-patrick-jann