Kess Broekman-Dattner

“I connected with Jon Bregel at a time when I was really struggling to find my footing as an import in an established industry in a new country. 

Under his gentle questioning and supportive guidance, I was able to articulate my strengths and position myself internally and externally to really dive into forging my path in ways that ditched the small voices of doubt and got me sitting in my unique skills as a creative director. Beyond the practical structure of his mentoring, he turned out to be a genuinely attentive and supportive voice and someone I felt instantly safe with confiding doubts and dreaming big pictures. Not to mention we found an easy simpatico that absolutely came from his judgement free demeanor and deeply supportive nature. 

Thanks to his work building a hugely successful production company, he’s also wildly discerning; so in that sense I can see his work as a mentor finding voices that not only need the help, but will flourish beyond it, bringing value and ambition to the industry.  I can’t wait to see who he helps leap off next.” 

Kess Broekman-Dattner, Creative Director & Director - KessBD.com

Josh Carrasquillo

“The commercial advertising industry is a complex landscape filled with many unknowns to film production vendors. There is a system with multiple layers that requires experience and understanding of how all the gears work to bring a project to life. Jon was instrumental in helping me gain perspective of these complexities and coaching me to focus on my strengths to be more competitive in this market. His knowledge of the process is vast and his understanding of how the game works will certainly help you gain a clearer picture of where you should direct your efforts.”

Josh Carrasquillo, EP, Director & Partner at Taproot Pictures

Ryan Sanderson

“I knew from the first intake questionnaire form that this coaching experience with Jon would be immensely valuable and transformative in my filmmaking journey. Jon’s approach gave me a chance to slow down and really discover why I’m a filmmaker and what I’m looking for in filmmaking. He places a big emphasis on process. And with that he truly made this experience not only valuable but enjoyable. We talked a lot about what wellness looks like for me inside and outside of the industry. And I just really felt Jon genuinely wanted me not only to succeed in achieving my goals, but to enjoy the journey from a place of wellness. I can honestly say that with Jon’s accountability and creative insight, my short film I was working on became so much more emotionally charged, and I finished the film while staying healthy holistically. There are so many seemingly small things that I have taken away from this coaching experience that have made the biggest difference in my daily journey as a filmmaker. I’d recommend Jon’s coaching to anyone who wants to grow as a filmmaker while becoming healthier and happier at the same time.” 

Ryan Sanderson, Cinematographer @ RyanDandersonDP.com

Dominic DiMaria

“Coaching with Jon/Variable was a heavy dose of wisdom and perspective about how to engage sustainably in a hyper-competitive and strangely elusive market. His simple questions derived from deep experience helped me set my targets and communicate my values in my own words so my results could be in service of my own unique journey and vision for my career.

The standards were high, the inquiries were poignant, and the results were the best year I had ever done in terms of revenue and creative risk taking. I Couldn’t speak more highly of Jon as a coach and human being.”

Dominic DiMaria, Founder & Artist in Chief @ Soul Matter

Taylor MacDonald

“I had the great pleasure of going through the coaching program with Jon in 2019 after meeting him at the Film and Music Conference by Music Bed. Jon coached me through career decisions and more importantly he helped me instill daily practices that improve my overall way of life. From scheduling my daily tasks to gratitude journaling, I learned things through Jon’s program that I still implement in my life today. Our conversations never shied away from mental health and the importance of taking care of our mental as well as our psychical body. This idea inspired me to explore some of my own past with mental illness on screen in a short film I produced shortly after working with Jon.”

Taylor Macdonald, Director @ TaylorMacdonald.com

Steve Hoover

“I connected with Variable at a critical point where I was feeling alone and confused in my career. Fortunately, I found friends at Variable and built relationships that extended beyond the company name. Jon and I went on to establish a co-directing venture that was built on mutual respect, understanding, and support. We were able to navigate the challenges and oftentimes, the frustrations of this competitive field. Jon has always been more interested in my well-being as a friend than what project I might be working on at the time. In an industry saturated with self-promotion, it’s refreshing and important to know that there are people out there who are interested in more than themselves.”

Steve Hoover, Director, IMDB

Lloyd Lee Choi

“My time working with Variable was instrumental in jump-starting my filmmaking career, just as I was starting out in the commercial world. Jon supported me as a director with grace and patience as I started working on bigger projects - instilling such a solid foundation not just in the filmmaking process, but also how to inspire and spark meaningful collaboration. With Variable, traveling around the world together, I learned that this collaboration, and the experience in the creation - is the soul of filmmaking.”

Lloyd Lee Choi, Director @ DivisionSeven 

Jose Medina

“Jon was extremely helpful and he was very open about his directing and creative process as well as his shooting techniques. The coaching was very comprehensive and detailed.  It has helped me approach every phase of directing more efficiently.”

  Jose L. Medina, Director/Designer/Animator @ www.JLuisM.com

Ryan Sherwood

“When I had the opportunity to be coached by Jon, I was beyond excited. It was a big deal to talk with and receive personal advice from someone I've looked up to as a filmmaker for several years. Getting a peek behind the curtain of some of my favorite pieces was a lot of fun. My experience with Jon was outstanding and I'd highly recommend it to any other directors or producers looking to level up. This is definitely not a silver bullet to become a great filmmaker (sorry everyone haha )...but this is the real way to grow as a filmmaker; in a holistic and sustainable way. 

I really appreciate that in addition to the concrete filmmaking-related advice, I got a lot of unexpected advice about how to manage burnout/sustainability. Hearing from Jonathan about the level of burnout commonly found at the higher tiers of commercial filmmaking helped me to put my own aspirations in perspective. Overall, I feel my coaching experience made me a much more well-rounded filmmaker and am so grateful for the opportunity.”

Ryan Sherwood, Producer at Steer Forward

Matt Robertson

“I was fortunate to connect with Jon during a period where I was feeling stalled in terms of both my creativity and productivity. During our sessions together, he provided me with some powerful tools and inspiration. Jon has great empathy and a remarkable perspective that I think would be invaluable to filmmakers at all stages of their careers. Years later I still consult him and am glad to consider him a friend!” -

Matt Robertson, Director & Co-Founder at Maker NYC