Page title Name
James Bates
Series Producer, Producer/Director
United Kingdom

James's Biography

I'm an experienced series producer and also an award-winning documentary producer/director.
I've made films for Channel 4, BBC1, BBC 2, Discovery, Arte, National Geographic and filmed everywhere from Papua New Guinea rainforests, to war-torn Sarajevo, via Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Iceland & Gaza.
I've worked with presenters ranging from Jon Snow to Muriel Gray and Bruce Dickinson (of Iron Maiden), but am equally happy in an ObDoc or presenter-free format. I'm experienced in dramatic reconstruction, major stunts and big budget CGI. I also shoot on Z1.
I enjoy taking responsibility for a whole projet, and pushing the creative envelope.

Employment History

Credits include: Channel 4, BBC1, BBC 2, Discovery, Arte, National Geographic and Channel 5

2009 Head of Development Kowalski TV (Simon Howley)

2008 BREAKING POINT (Series Producer) 6x60
Discovery Channel International. Major new massive engineering / stunt series, pushing huge machines - houses boats and fuel tankers to the breaking point.
Dragonfly / Firefly Productions ( Exec Producer Simon Howley)

2007 MUMMY FORENSICS (Series Producer) 6x60
History Channel. New series - C21 forensic science unravels the 1000 year old mysteries of mummies
Firefly Productions (Comm Ed Rod Caird / Richard Melman, Exec Producer Simon Howley)

2006/7 MEGASTRUCTURES (Series Producer/Director)
National Geographic/Channel 5
3x60 mins. Third series of popular engineering show. Darlow Smithson Productions. Commissioning Editor Robi Dutta

2006 WORLD'S TOUGHEST TRIBES - LOGGERS (Producer/Director)
Discovery 60 mins. Ben Anderson tries the dangerous life of a Canadian lumberjack. Ricochet Digital, Exec Patrick Holland

2005/6 SPIRITS IN EXILE - SECRETS OF VOODOO (Producer/Director)
60 mins. Brazil's unknown African religions including witchcraft, possession and unique observational sequences of a secret 5-week initiation. Fulcrum TV. Exec Richard Belfield

2005 MEGASTRUCTURES - THE WORLD'S TALLEST BRIDGE (Producer/Director)
National Geographic/Channel 5
60 mins. The construction challenges of Norman Foster's Millau Viaduct. Darlow Smithson Productions. Commissioning Editor Justine Kershaw, Exec Tom Brisley.

2004/5 EXTREMES - SILK ROAD/GOBI (Producer/Director)
Channel 4 I hour on super 16mm - Nick Middleton explores the Gobi desert at -40 degrees. KEO Films. (Commissiong Editor Charles Furneaux, Exec Zam Baring.)

2004 FLYING HEAVY METAL (Series Producer/Director)
Discovery 5x30 mins. Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson gets high piloting his way through the history of the passenger jet.
Ricochet Digital Commissioning Editor Emma Read, Exec Nick Southgate)

2002/3 TEN YEARS YOUNGER (Series Director)
Discovery (Europe and US) 5 x I hour on the science of staying young. 5 individuals in Miami turn back the biological clock. KEO Films Comm. editors Emma Read & Claire Van de Polder, Execs Zam Baring & Jas Bancil

2002 UNSOLVED MURDERS / THE CUTT MILL CASE(Series Producer/Director)
Discovery 1 Hour - Anthony Scrivener QC, using modern forensics to solve a grizzly murder case. Fulcrum TV Commissioning Editor Emma Read, Exec Richard Belfield

2001 9/11 (current affairs VT Director)
BBC 1 Current Affairs/Sport 4 hour epic. The traumatic effects of 9/11 on indiviuals in New York and Washington . BBC Editor Subniv Babuta

2001 UNDER THE INFLUENCE (Director)
Channel 4 Science Flagship 1 hour documentary (nominated for Best Current Affairs Film, Indie Awards 2002) Groundbreaking scientific discoveries on the effects of drugs and the absurdity of the law. Fulcrum TV Commissioning editor Sara Marris, Exec. prod. Christo Hird

2001 THE GOD LIST (Director)
Channel 4 (Religion) 1 Hour Jon Snow tracks down the people whose religious beliefs shape life in Britain. Fulcrum TV Commissioning editor Elizabeth Clough, Exec. Christo Hird

2000: YOUR VOICE YOUR VOTE (Producer/Director)
Channel 4 (Education & Science) campaigning to make the electoral process accessible to people with learning difficulties. Fulcrum TV Commissioning Editor Richard McKerrow, Exec Christo Hird

2000: TRADE ROUTES OF N. W. AFRICA (director)
Discovery: 1 hour documentary on the trade routes which took Islam across the Sahara. TransAtlantic Films Series Producer Noel Dockstader, Exec Revel Guest

1999: HORSES OF ICELAND (producer/director)
Discovery 30 minutes. New York junk bond dealer in a round-up of wild horses. TransAtlantic Films exec Revel Guest

1999: LEVIATHAN SPECIAL - LIE BACK & THINK OF ENGLAND (director)
BBC 2 Current Affairs: 30 minute special with Mark Urban examining England's identity post-devolution. Takeaway Media production Editor Archie Baron

1998-99: TOOLS FOR LIVING (producer/director)
BBC Wales: Arts Documentary. 30 minute profile of leading designer Ross Lovegrove and his theory of Organic Design Series editor Paul Thomas

1998: THE POWER LIST (director)
Channel 4 Current Affairs: series with Jon Snow on who holds real power in Britain. Fulcrum TV, Producer Saskia Baron, Exec Christo Hird

1997: THE POWER OF SONG (producer/director/writer)
Channel 4 - Music 1 hour documentary on how 50 years of living with Israel have disrupted and inspired Palestinian music. Cobalt Films production Commissioning Editor Helen Sprott

1995-96: RIDE ON (director)
Channel 4 magazine series on transport issues with Muriel Gray. Ideal World production Series producer Saskia Baron, Exec Zad Rogers

1994: TURNIM HED (producer/director/writer)
Channel 4 Music: 1 hour observational documentary on a musical courtship in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. River Films production Exec Phil Agland

Education

Degrees -
Philosophy - Bristol University.
Anthropology & Ethnomusicology - University of Paris X

Referees

Simon Howley MD Kowalski Media 
simon.howley@kowalskimedia.co.uk
07973727 398

Or contact any of the employers / execs on CV

Industry Awards

Nominated for Best Current Affairs Film, INDIE AWARDS  - Under the Influence
BASIL WRIGHT AWARD (2nd place) - R.A.I. Film Festival - for Turnim Hed
PRIX BARTOK - Cinema du Reel / Bilan du Film Ethnographique - for Turnim Hed

Additional Information

Industries

  • Corporate, 
  • TV

Programme Types

  • Arts, 
  • Corporate, 
  • Current Affairs, 
  • Development, 
  • Documentary, 
  • Drama Reconstruction, 
  • Dramatised Documentary, 
  • Health, 
  • Historical Documentary, 
  • Live Multi-cam OB, 
  • Magazine, 
  • Mental Health, 
  • Motoring, 
  • Music, 
  • Observational Documentary, 
  • Reality TV, 
  • Religion, 
  • Science, 
  • Social Action, 
  • Travel

Specialisms

  • Africa, 
  • Anthropology, 
  • Architecture, 
  • Art, 
  • Art History, 
  • Arts, 
  • Aviation, 
  • Cars, 
  • Current Affairs, 
  • Design, 
  • Disability/Special Needs, 
  • Drugs, 
  • Engineering, 
  • Ethnic, 
  • Geography, 
  • High-Definition, 
  • History, 
  • Interior Design, 
  • Languages, 
  • Location Filming, 
  • Mental Health, 
  • Middle East, 
  • Music, 
  • News & Current Affairs, 
  • Philosophy, 
  • Religion, 
  • Science, 
  • Social Anthropology, 
  • South East Asia, 
  • Transport, 
  • Travel, 
  • USA

Languages

  • French, 
  • German, 
  • Italian

Permits

  • EU, 
  • USA

Licenses

  • Basic Driving (PLG)