Gary Johnstone
Series Producer – Director – Exec Producer
+44 (0)7774 254426
gary@garyjohnstone.com
Factual/Documentary/DramaDoc with experience in feature film, TV drama and
most recently 3D TV and cinema work. Has worked extensively in Arts, Science and
History programming. Worked directly for US and UK broadcasters as Executive
Producer, Showrunner, Series Producer and Director/Producer, Self-Shooter.
GENIUS presented by Stephen Hawking – six part series for Nat Geo and PBS about
the big questions in science and cosmology. Director/Producer. Bigger Bang TV
FINDING JESUS: Fact Fake or Forgery - Six part drama doc about Jesus for CNN and
UK broadcaster. Wrote and Directed two episodes. Nutopia TV
RICHARD III/RESURRECTING RICHARD – C4 and PBS Secrets of the Dead. Special
follow up to the discovery of Richard III, on the work behind the scenes to discover
how he looked and lived. Director and Cameraman. DSP
HASSELHOFF vs. the Berlin Wall – Special for Nat Geo on the fall of the Berlin Wall
presented by a man with an unlikely connection. Wrote and Directed. DSP
NAZI MEGASTRUCTURES – 6 part series for Nat Geo, PBS and More 4 on Hitler’s
superweapons. Directed drama for four of the episodes. DSP
ALIEN DEEP – 6 part series in 3D and 2D for National Geographic with deep ocean
explorer Dr. Robert Ballard. Aired Oct 2012. Director and Series Producer. WINNER
BLUE OCEAN AWARD 2012. TELLYS AWARD 2012. Nat Geo TV
WHO WAS JESUS? – 3 part drama documentary series on the archeology of Bible.
Discovery Channel, Executive Producer. Renegade TV.
THE QUEEN IN 3D – C4 The discovery, restoration and refilming of the Queen’s
Coronation in 3D in 1953 – Channel 4 UK, Executive Producer. Renegade TV.
INSIDE INCREDIBLE BODIES – 4 part series on the amazing biomechanics of the
differently able for Discovery Channel, Executive Producer. Renegade TV.
ALASKA DOGS – one off special for Animal Planet, Executive Producer. Renegade TV.
STEPHEN HAWKING: MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE – Channel Four/Discovery 2x1hr.
Director/Producer. IWC.
JUDGMENT DAY: INTELLIGENT DESIGN ON TRIAL – 2hr drama documentary for PBS
on the Dover Creationism trial. WINNER – 2008 PEABODY AWARD. WINNER AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION for the ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AWARD 2008, Director/Producer.
SANCTUM – 3D Feature film project with James Cameron. Development Director.
Lightstorm.
E=MC2/EINSTEIN’S BIG IDEA– PBS and C4 2hr drama adaptation of David Bodanis’
bestselling book of the same name. The biography of the world’s most famous
equation told through the lives of those who lived and died in its discovery. Starring
Aidan McArdle, Shirley Henderson, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Anton Lesser, Emily Woof.
Writer, Director/Producer. DSP
DAMBUSTERS - C4 and DISCOVERY UK 2x90min on the legendary WW2 Air Raid.
Dramatic doc, CGI and contemporary crews and scientists put through the raid of 60
years ago. Writer, Director/Producer. Tigress Productions
JAMES CAMERON'S EXPEDITION TO BISMARCK - DISCOVERY Drama Doc Co-director
with James Cameron. Two hour special on Cameron's massive two submarine visit to
Germany's greatest ever warship. Directed documentary and dramatic
reconstructions. Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmy’s including best director.
Earthship Productions.
THE BATTLE OF HOOD AND BISMARCK - C4/PBS 2x90 min drama docs about the
men, the ships and the expedition to find the wrecks. UK Audience 4.2m WINNER:
MARITIME MEDIA AWARD 2002 Writer, Director/Producer. ITV Productions
MOB LAW – C4/FEATURE DOC The inside story on Oscar Goodman Mob Lawyer and
the man the FBI tried to frame as the consigliere of the Las Vegas Mafia. Winner NEW
YORK DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, LAS VEGAS FILM FESTIVAL, INTERNATIONAL
DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL.
REEL SECRETS - C4 Series of three programmes on film theory by American
Screenwriter, Robert McKee. Writer, Director/Producer.
J'ACCUSE CITIZEN KANE - C4 Presented by Robert McKee. WINNER OF BAFTA, HUW
WHELDON AWARD FOR BEST ARTS PROGRAMME. Writer, Director/Producer. Fulmar
TV
J'ACCUSE VAN GOGH - C4. Nomination (Short List of Three) - Best Arts Programme
at the ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY AWARDS 1991. Winner of Bronze Medal at New
York Film Festival, Best Arts Programme. Writer, Director/Producer. Fulmar TV
ANATOMY OF DISGUST - C4 3 part series on the psychology, politics and art of
disgust. Writer, Director/Producer. Optomen.
GREAT BANK ROBBERIES - ITV 50min drama doc on the Art of the Bank Robber,
following the story of three master criminals. UK Audience 6.6m. Seventh Arts.
CATASTROPHE - C4 – PBS Secrets of the Dead. 2x50min expedition to find a lost
volcano. Writer, Director/Producer. 3BM
THE RIDDLE OF POMPEII - C4/PBS One-off drama doc special on new revelations
about the most famous victim of Vesuvius. UK Audience 3.7m Writer,
Director/Producer. Optomen
TRUTH ABOUT KILLING – 2 x 50 min presented by Grub Smith about the reality of
man’s behaviour in battle. Writer, Director/Producer.
THE CYBORG COMETH - C4. A 50 minute Equinox Science film on Cyborgs and
Cyborg culture. Writer, Director/Producer.
SINK THE TIRPITZ – History Channel and C5 UK – dramatized documentary about
the ship Churchill dubbed the Beast. Executive Producer.
SEX BC - C4/TLC Three part series on male-female relationships before the Old
Testament. Writer, Director/Producer.
LUSITANIA – 90 min drama for BBC/DISCOVERY about WW1 sinking of huge ocean
liner by a German U-boat. Scriptwriter.
THE DYING OF THE LIGHT - C4. A collaborative work with international poets,
including Brian Patten and Hugo Williams, on age and death. Writer,
Director/Producer.
METROPOLIS - C4. A 50 minute film for "Encounters" - a vision of the world's oldest
megacity. Nominated OKOMEDIA 1994, International Film Festival. Writer,
Director/Producer.
FLY NAVY - C4 An Equinox about the world's most dangerous weapon and the
people who operate it - the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier - USS Theodore
Roosevelt. "The best programme of its kind I have ever seen" - John Naughton, The
Observer Writer, Director/Producer.
HIGH ANXIETY - C4/DISCOVERY US 50 minute Equinox documentary on lifts, their
technology and the people who use and abuse them. Writer, Director/Producer.
MY FAIR HUGH - C4 A 30 minute comedy in which a loud-mouthed movie critic is
transformed into Hugh Grant, the movie star. Writer, Director/Producer.
MICKEY ROURKE FOR A DAY - C4 A 30 minute comedy in which a bored suburban
male tries to become an anti-hero for a day and fails. Writer, Director/Producer.
SO YOU WANNA BE A GANGSTER? - C4 Comedy about a mild-mannered journalist,
Joe Queenan, who dreams of being a gangster. Writer, Director/Producer.
DOG IT'S YOU - DISCOVERY/ C4 50 minute, big budget special on the psychology of
our best friend. Writer, Director/Producer.
IF I WERE PRIME MINISTER - JENNY ECLAIR - C4 A 30 minute dramatised
documentary starring award- winning comedienne. Writer, Director/Producer.
HIDDEN HANDS - C4 A four part, 50 minute series on the influences behind modern
art. Writer, Director/Producer episode on Art under Vichy.
FIT FOR LIFE - C4 A programme on the social effects of epilepsy for the "People
First" series. Winner BMA Silver Award. Writer, Director/Producer.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES - C4 Series of six programmes on the social history of
Classic Motorcycles. Shot on 16mm in USA, Italy and UK.
J'ACCUSE CHRISTIAN DIOR - C4 Presented by Colin McDowell. Writer,
Director/Producer.
EDUCATION: University of Edinburgh, MA (Hons) Psychology. Royal College of Art,
MA (Postgraduate) Cultural History.
SKILLS: German, French, fully qualified Technical Diver, Motorcycles, Climbing.