PETE CHINN

DIRECTOR / SERIES PRODUCER

07881 620254 petechinn@mac.com www.petechinn.com

BACKGROUND

I’m a passionate award-winning filmmaker with over two decades of experience.

Concentrating on Specialist Factual content, I’m dedicated to producing imaginative, informative & thought-provoking documentaries - and have proved it’s possible to please commissioners, critics, and audiences in equal measure. My filmmaking over the years has been recognized with great reviews and a variety of prestigious international awards.

I’ve led countless projects from development to delivery, overseeing complex CGI, composing & coordinating multi-unit drama shoots, and producing action-filled sequences in exotic locations worldwide.

I can wring the best performances out of talent, be they A-listers or rookies, eek out quality sync from difficult interviewees, and put together talented crews from a network built up over many years.

As Series Producer I’ve brought the best out of my teams - and at the other end of the business can also comfortably self-shoot and edit - even running my own production company while living abroad.

To every production I bring dedication, quality, collaboration - and good humour!

Awards (not including numerous other nominations):

INTERNATIONAL EMMY / WILDSCREEN / NY FESTIVALS / EUROPEAN SCIENCE / SICHUAN Festival

SELECTED DIRECTING CREDITS

Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin

Director

RAW TV

Nat Geo (Disney+). Action-archaeology in Oman. Observational style doc following Albert and his drone lidar scanning team on a punishing expedition to uncover the remains of a lost civilisation.

BANFF Shortlist – Best Docuseries

Exec: Sam Maynard. 2023

Jaws vs the Blob

Director/Producer

Talesmith TV

Discovery. An international team of divers tracks down Great White Sharks to the waters around the infamous Guadalupe Island in Mexico. Managing a large multicamera crew at sea throughout. Exec: Martin Williams. 2022

Stonehenge: The Lost Circle Revealed

Director/Producer

Tomos TV

BBC2. Critically acclaimed film documenting the remarkable tale of the discovery of the site of the original Stonehenge. Presented by Alice Roberts, the film weaves together new sequences with archived footage of a years-long archaeological dig.

Exec: Steve Warr. 2021

Insect Feast

Director/Producer

Blink Films

PBS NOVA. An exploration into the world of edible insects – could they be the future of food? Remote filmed project with teams in US, Thailand, & Australia.

Exec: Dan Chambers. 2021

Colosseum: Rise & Ruin

Series P/D

Blink Films

Nat Geo / PBS. A three-part history exploring the role of the Colosseum – the great monument to violent entertainment - in the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Set style and managed teams filming in Tunisia, Austria & Italy.

Exec: Tom Adams. 2024

Dog Tales / Cat Tales

Director/Producer

Blink Films

PBS NOVA. 2 x 1hr specials on the domestication of our favourite pets. Investigations into the latest scientific discoveries that reveal their evolutionary journeys from the wild to our homes. Partially self-shot. US, Europe & Siberian filming.

Exec: Dan Chambers. 2019

Can Science Make Me Perfect? with Alice Roberts

Director/Producer

October Films

BBC4. With the help of scientists and model-makers, Dr Alice Roberts attempts to redesign herself as a more perfect human, repairing flaws and remedying the poor choices evolution has made. Self-shooting / managing model making. (90mins special) Exec: Gareth Cornick / Denman Rooke. 2018

Ancient Arabia: The Mystery of Al Kharaybah (WT)

Director/Producer

OR Media

Following the work of a team of European archaeologists excavating the ruins of an ancient Arabian city state that was once a vital hub on the Incense Road. Extensive filming in Saudi Arabia. Exec: Rachel Bell. 2024

Assault on Paradise: Hawaii Eruption

Director/Producer

Atlantic Productions

PBS NOVA. Special on the epic 2018 eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. A blow-by-blow account of the event, told through the experiences of residents, emergency personnel and scientists. Exec: Tom Stubberfield. 2018

Life in the Cosmos

Director/Producer

Brook Lapping

Smithsonian. CGI-led investigation into the ground-breaking discoveries transforming our understanding of the origins of Life on Earth, and the chances of finding it elsewhere in the Universe. Exec: Lucy Van Beek. 2017

Hijacked

Director/Producer

C5 Productions

FIVE. 2 x 1hr historical documentaries telling the terrifying stories of 2 infamous terrorism incidents from the 1980s - The Achille Lauro & TWA Flight 847. Told through drama reconstruction and eyewitness testimony.

Exec: Andrea Heritage. 2016

Inside the Court of Henry VIII

Director/Producer

The Ideas Room

PBS. Historical docudrama commissioned to compliment BBC’s Wolf Hall drama series, exposing the rivalries and skulduggery among the courtiers of Henry VIII. Visually stunning dramatic reconstruction throughout.

Exec: Jeremy Dear. 2015

In the Womb: Extreme Animals

Director/Producer

Pioneer Productions

National Geographic/C4. Critically acclaimed CGI-led tale of the embryonic journeys of sharks, penguins, kangaroos & parasitic wasps. Coordinated global filming, state-of-the-art model making, specialist filming and CGI. (90 mins).

Exec: Andrea Florence. 2008

WILDSCREEN FESTIVAL - INNOVATION AWARD. INTERNATIONAL EMMY - SHORTLIST: Best Science Documentary. BANFF - SHORTLIST: Best Nature Documentary. NY FESTIVALS - GOLD MEDAL

Treasures Decoded

Drama Director

Blink Films

Smithsonian/FIVE. Forensic History series. Responsible for directing the dramatic reconstruction sequences for this forensic history series. Covered ancient Egypt, Medieval, Roman and Native American periods.

Exec: Dan Chambers. 2015

The Link: Swords to Satellites

Director/Producer

Lion TV

Nat Geo. Primetime presenter-led science series tracking the extraordinary connections linking mankind’s earliest inventions to the latest examples of modern technology. Directed rookie presenter Josh Klein for opening show. China/US/Europe Filming. Exec: Nick Catliff. 2011

How the Universe Works

Director/Producer

Pioneer Productions

Discovery Channel. “Stars” & “Black Holes”: The first two opening episodes of CGI-intensive series examining the inner workings of some of the most amazing phenomena in the Universe. US/UK filming. Success of shows led to commission of decade-long formatted series.

Exec: Stuart Carter. 2009

How the Earth was Made

Director/Producer

Pioneer Productions

History Channel. An epic narrative of the 4.5 billion year geological and evolutionary history of Planet Earth. Filming in USA, Canada, Iceland, Switzerland, & South Africa. Critical and popular success of this film led to the commission of a multi-year formatted series. (90mins)

Exec: Stuart Carter. 2006

INTERNATIONAL EMMY - Best Editing

Digging for the Truth: Genghis Khan

Director/Producer

JWM Productions (USA)

History Channel. Adventurer Josh Bernstein uncovers the secrets behind the success of empire builder Genghis Khan. Shot on the Mongolian Steppe. Included dramatic reconstructions of The Horde. Exec: Jason Williams. 2006

Explorer: Attack of the Killer Toads

Director/Producer

National Geographic Productions (USA)

Nat Geo. Wildlife special examining the Cane Toad invasion of Australia and the last stand of the town of Darwin. Filmed in the Australian Outback - with loads of toads.

Exec: Charles Poe. 2006

How Do They Do It?

Director/Producer

WAG TV

Discovery. Behind the scenes exploring the extraordinary manufacturing processes behind ordinary products. Filming in the USA & Europe.

Exec: Martin Durkin. 2007

SERIES PRODUCER ROLES

Tony Robinson’s History of Britain

Series Producer / Director

Blakeway Productions

FIVE. 4-part series where Tony takes a fresh look at British history from the bottom up, examining the big events through the eyes of the common folk. Set up original production before passing over. Exec: Lucy Van Beek. 2019.

Fight for Life

Series Producer / Director

Rockhopper Films

BBC World. 7-part series comparing childbirth and maternal care in different parts of the Developing World. Directed filming in Mongolia, Bolivia & Moldova. Oversaw and managed other directors engaged in complex shoots in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Malawi & India. 2005

OTHER CREDITS

Director/Producer

• Into the Unknown Discovery

• The Secret Life of Puppies FIVE

• Deadliest Earthquakes PBS NOVA

• Sex Life of the USA Discovery

• Equinox: Britain’s Tornado Channel 4

• Hurricane Katrina PBS NOVA / FIVE

• Secrets of the Royal Palaces FIVE

Edit Producer

• The Real T-Rex with Chris Packham BBC2

• Exploration New Earth BBC2

• The Life of Earth Smithsonian

• Conspiracies: Aliens FIVE

• Legendary Beasts Smithsonian

Development Producer

• History of Africa with Skip Gates PBS

EDUCATION

OXFORD UNIVERSITY 1992-95: BA in Politics, Philosophy & Economics (PPE)

OTHER SKILLS AND TRAINING

Self-shooting: Sony FS7 & FX9 / Canon C300 / DSLRs. Editing: FCP, Premiere Pro, Resolve. Graphics: After Effects, Blender. Scripting: Uden-Scriptwriting, Thurkell-Storytelling. BBC-Trained: Self-shooting camerawork & lighting

REFEREES - contact details on request

Dan Chambers, MD, Blink Films

Martin Williams, MD, Talesmith Productions

Dan Gold, Executive Producer, Blink Films

Helen Williamson, Executive Producer, Pioneer Productions

Andrea Florence, Executive Producer, Aquila Films

Pete Oxley, Series Producer, Windfall Films