Zachary Rist first began making Jackass films with his younger brother in Columbus, Ohio. At 12, he came across YouTube and discovered the wide variety of stories one can tell. Since then he has been making short comedies, skits, and films with his close friends. He studies Film & Television Production at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Even while attending school in Los Angeles he continues to create episodes for a web series starring him and his little sister, Emily, called Big Fat. His first film as a student at USC was F of X (2018) and he works as the segment director and editor for the school's television station, Trojan Vision, on the show Below the Line.