J.R. "Ruff" Ruffin is a NARRATIVE and DOCUMENTARY CINEMATOGRAPHER who specializes in capturing and telling the stories of people that usually go untold.  From Tennessee, but based in Los Angeles, Ruff has has had opportunities to direct, consult, film, and edit across the states.

​

Ruff got his start in filmmaking in 2010 when he was tasked with shooting short films on his university campus. He immediately fell in love with the art and begun to channel and focus his energy which ultimately created his passion for storytelling and amplifying voices and projects that resonate with him and his story. He received his B.S. in Advertising from The UNIVERSITY of TENNESSEE in 2014 and a year later, moved to NEW YORK CITY to start his career in the industry while also freelance filmmaking. In New York, he has had opportunities to work with companies such as VERIZON, NIKE, FACEBOOK, KENNETH COLE NY and document creatives across various mediums such as photographer MARK CLENNON and actor DYLLON BURNSIDE. (FX'S "POSE"). Before moving to L.A., he had opportunity to DP and direct multiple short film/story narratives - one of which was selected to screen at the Slim Cinema Vertical Film Festival ("The Race" 2019).

​

"So many beautiful black stories to be told, now let's work together to tell them. My camera is ready, are you? Time to go to work."

​

- Ruff