Zeke Rodrigues Thomas and Jarrett Sleeper are the co-founders and creative minds behind Mindjam Media. Hi, nice to meet you! We’re a couple of delightful weirdos who love to make art. Sure, we’re award-winning writers and producers (thank you Webby’s, Signal, and I Heart Radio!), but we didn’t meet at some industry networking event or even on set. We met on a dirty, sweaty, gym mat, beating each other up. (Seriously! Don’t worry, it was a Jiu Jitsu class.) After training in MMA together for a number of years, we realized we could make each other laugh just as easily as we could throw kicks at each other's faces. That chance encounter led to a creative partnership that has spanned over a decade.
From early viral video success under our Murderbot Productions Youtube Channel (How to Pick Up a Girl at the Gym, Typical CrossFit Workout, just to name a few), to working on scripted projects with Legendary and Paramount, we’ve certainly come a long way.
Officially founded in 2018, Mindjam Media has worked on a number of projects for Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures, including: Don’t Go Alone, Super League’s Minecraft City Champs, Annie vs Hayley, Make My Nickelodeon Dreams Come True, and Throw Back with Nickelodeon, just to name a few.
Most recently, we produced season three of Avatar: Braving the Elements hosted by Janet Varney and Dante Basco. The 40 episode award winning video podcast (aka multi-cam talk show) has topped the charts, winning a Webby Award for Best Video Podcast (People’s Voice), and two Signal Awards for best video podcast (Listener’s Choice and a Silver Medal for Critics Choice).
In 2023 we expanded our expertise to include digital media consulting where we worked to make creators’ lives easier and deliver methods to help them scale their media businesses to heights they’d never imagined.
About Mindjam
Meet Zeke and Jarrett
Meet Zeke
Zeke Rodrigues Thomas is a Brazilian-American producer/writer, creative executive, and stand-up comic from Hermosa Beach, CA.
He graduated from Boston College where he majored in International Studies and was part of the first class of creators to become a part of the YouTube Space LA.
In his previous life he worked as a commercial actor, a personal trainer, and even competed as a mixed martial artist (to little acclaim). Recently, Zeke’s worked on both scripted and unscripted shows for Nickelodeon digital, directed and produced video podcasts for comics and science communicators alike, and has even ventured into the world of esports.
Zeke served on the Board of Delegates of the Producers Guild of America's New Media Council for 3 years and has been a member of SAG-AFTRA since 2012
He's currently producing season three of Avatar Braving the Elements video podcast for Nickelodeon and serving as Chief Content Officer for interactive broadcaster and YouTube top creator Emily D Baker.
As CEO and co-founder of Mindjam Media, Zeke has worked on content for: Justice Studios, Nickelodeon, Avatar Studios, Skybound Entertainment, Legendary Pictures, DEFY Media, Marvel, American Public Media, EA Sports, and ViacomCBS/Paramount+, and is responsible for over 1 Billion worldwide views and has had content licensed to television in 6 countries.
Meet Jarrett
Jarrett Sleeper is a creator and producer living in Los Angeles and that will be the last part of this which I write in third person because I really don’t like that aspect of doing a bio. I understand I am attempting to accomplish three things with a bio 1) describe things I am capable of professionally 2) provide some experiential references which engender a sense of professional credibility and 3) demonstrate I am normal. I have already failed at 3 so we will forego any of that pretending and get to the point.
I’m going to start with 2, providing credibility references. Here are some entities with which I have been professionally associated: Google, YouTube, New Form Digital, Defy Media, Panasonic, BlackBoxTV, Rockstar Games, Showtime, Verizon, Legendary Pictures, Skybound Entertainment, Lookingglass Theatre, South Coast Repertory, A Noise Within, Disney, ABC, NBC, MTV, Complex, Paper Mag, The New Yorker, Nickelodeon, Avatar Studios, and Ologies with Alie Ward.
Now back to 1, what do I do: I am a producer of audio and video podcasts as well as a wide variety of video content, particularly short form internet friendly content. I am also an actor on stage, film, tv, and internet apps with over 20 years experience, a pop culture host, a podcast host, and I have written in various mediums including a book of poetry. I also create avant streetwear at jbstink.com, have been a whole animal butcher, and am a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
And I have really bad superpower ADHD.
I look forward to working with you.
Awards & Rankings
Avatar Braving the Elements: Silver Medal, Critics Choice - Best Video Podcast
Avatar Braving the Elements: Listener's Choice - Best Video Podcast
Ologies: Science Podcast of the Year 2022
Avatar Braving the Elements: People's Voice in TV & Film - Best Episode 2024
"Soft Targets": Black List Recommended
"Karate City": Semi-Finalist, Comedy Pilot Script, Austin Film Festival
