Short Bio
Gary is an artist, activist, and documentary film maker. He is a 2-time Emmy award winner and 6-time Emmy nominee.
Statement
This piece is a contemplation of longevity, a visual tone poem, a wordless video essay. The only words in it are those that surface in your head as you watch. In it's silence, it lets you be the author of the narrative. It is interactive – playing more inside your mind than on screen.
As an act of photography, this piece embraces the paradox of photographing nature: can camera-technology serve its antithesis - the natural and real world around us? As one specific example, the piece confronts the problem of aspect ratios, a necessary but false photographic segmentation of the natural world. Is it possible for the soaring vertical natural world to dialogue with the limited (more horizontal) camera-eye?? (answer: watch and decide for yourself)
As an act of art, the piece flirts with and rejects narrative. We throw away words and story to allow viewers to find the words and story and deeper truth in each of us. We hope that offering a meditative space is suggestive for you, the viewer, to find new solutions and new narratives.
Biography
Gary Weimberg has spent the last four decades making award-winning documentaries as a producer, director, editor, writer and cameraperson, including films for ABC, PBS, HBO, Fox, WB channel, Travel Network and the web.
His television documentaries have won dozens of national and international awards. He is a six-time Emmy Award nominee and two-time Emmy winner. Two documentaries that Gary edited were nominated for Academy Awards. He was honored at the Sundance Film Festival by a Special Jury Award for outstanding achievement in editing. The Director's Guild of America nominated Gary as Outstanding Documentary Director; but more importantly, that film resulted in a Presidential Clemency from Bill Clinton and freedom after 19 years in prison for 12 Puerto Rican political prisoners whose story was the central focus of the film.
Primetime broadcast television credits include co-producing, directing, and editing three documentary specials (The Story of Mothers and Daughters, ABC; The Story of Fathers and Sons ABC; Teens Get Real WB Network), and directing/editing 2 hours of a documentary mini-series for Fox (Loyalty and Betrayal: A History of the American Mob).
Other collaborations include editing and consulting producer on numerous documentaries. As part of Luna Productions, he has created a series of documentaries for non-profit organizations that have helped to raise over $28 million for worthwhile causes.
He lives and works in Berkeley with Catherine Ryan; his life-partner and frequent co-producer/director. He is a published writer, a former radio DJ, a passionate amateur pianist, and thinks he is fluent in Spanish (after 3 margaritas.)
Resume / CV
PRODUCER*/DIRECTOR*/EDITOR/CAMERA, My Love Affair with the Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond
Want a better brain? Meet Dr. Diamond - inspirational scientific role model, 2nd most popular college professor in the world, YouTube celebrity, pioneering researcher, one of the founders of modern neuroscience. PBS, 2017. NOMINATED for a National News and Documentary EMMY AWARD. WINNER of 8 “Best Documentary” and “Audience Choice” Awards at film festivals.
NOTE * means a shared credit
PRODUCER* / DIRECTOR* / EDITOR / WRITER, The Heiress and Her Chateau: Chateau Carolands of California
The true story of an American Downton Abbey, 98-year history of a 98-room architectural masterpiece. KQED, 2014. NOMINATED for 2 Regional EMMY AWARDs, Best Documentary, Best Writing. WINNER of 4 “Best Documentary” Awards at film festivals.
PRODUCER* / DIRECTOR* / EDITOR*, Soldiers of Conscience, PBS, POV series, 2008
US soldiers in Iraq and the greatest moral dilemma of all – to kill or not to kill - and the stories of some who decide not to. NOMINATED for a National News and Documentary EMMY AWARD. WINNER of 5 “Best Documentary” Awards at film festivals.
PROD.*/ DIRECTOR / EDITOR / CAMERA, The Double Life of Ernesto Gómez-Gómez PBS, POV, 1999
the film that helped President Clinton pardon the Puerto Rican 12, Closing night of 1999 POV series. NOMINATED, Outstanding Documentary Director, Directors Guild of America. WINNER of 5 “Best Documentary” Awards at film festivals.
DIRECTOR*/ EDITOR / WRITER, Loyalty & Betrayal: The Story of the American Mob
Episode #1, the first two hours of a four-hour documentary mini-series for Fox. Broadcast July 25, 1994. WINNER National News and Documentary EMMY AWARD
EDITOR / Documentary CONSULTANT, 3 Seconds in October: The Shooting of Andy Lopez PBS, 2022
Investigative journalism piece on the shooting a 13 year old Latino boy walking home in his own neighborhood by California Sheriff within the first 3 seconds of interaction. WINNER Regional EMMY AWARD in the Societal Concerns category
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/EDITOR/CAMERA TeachingChannel.org, 200+ short web videos, 2011 to present
DIRECTOR America's Most Haunted: Ghosts of San Francisco, Travel Channel, 2002
PRODUCER*/DIRECTOR*/EDITOR/CAMERA* Teens WB TV Network, 2000
PRODUCER*/DIRECTOR*/EDITOR*/CAMERA* The Story of Fathers & Sons ABC primetime, 1999
PRODUCER*/ DIRECTOR* / EDITOR* The Story of Mothers & Daughters ABC, primetime, 1997
DIRECTOR / EDITOR* The Great Sky Elephant Narrated by Laurence Olivier PBS, 1986
DIRECTOR / EDITOR* The Elephant Flies Narrated by Burt Lancaster PBS, 1986
PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / EDITOR Celebrating the 7th activist video about Nicaragua, 1986
PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / EDITOR $20.01: A Chinese Food Odyssey an award winning short, 1980
PRODUCER*/DIRECTOR*/EDITOR/CAMERA Civic Unity 5 years of SF Foundation in support local activism. 2002-2008
PRODUCER*/DIRECTOR*/EDITOR/CAMERA* Media for Non-Profit, various 90+ shorts to help raise over $15 million, including The SF Fdn, The Women’s Fdn., Bay Area Black United Fund, 7th Generation Fund, Liberty Hill Fdn, Asian Pacific Fund.
EDITING & OTHER CREDITS
EDITOR* / WRITER* Ballets Russes, theatrical documentary, 2006
Portrait of the worlds most glamorous ballet company, the 49th most financially successful documentary of all time (as of 2007)
EDIT DOCTOR And the Band Played On, feature film, HBO, 1993
Official credit: "Additional Editor." The completed film won Best Editing at American Cinema Editors Awards, & Emmy for the same.
EDITOR Earth and the American Dream, HBO, 1992
feature-length documentary on the environment, produced and directed by Bill Couturié, screened at the White House. WINNER National Primetime EMMY AWARD. WINNER – Sundance Jury Special Award for Outstanding Achievement in Editing
EDITOR Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers, NBC, 1991
a documentary short about U.S. wars from WW1 to the Gulf, produced and directed by Bill Couturie . ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION for Short Documentary
EDITOR / WRITER* SuperChief: The Life and Legacy of Earl Warren, PBS, 1989
a bio. of US Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren. Directed by Bill Jersey & Judith Leonard. ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION for Best Documentary
EDITOR* Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin, ITVS, PBS, 2003,
Bio-doc on the great pacifist organizer, film was on Bill Moyers 2012 List of 10 Best Documentaries
EDITOR* Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam, HBO, 1987
double Emmy winning documentary on the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Bill Couturie.
WRITER Butt Thong, screenplay, optioned at Universal, 1991.
WRITER Ishi: The Last Wild Indian, screenplay. 1st place winner, Bay Guardian Script-writing Competition, 1988; Writer's Guild Foundation Fellowship Semi-Finalist. 1988.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Maria's Story, a heroic woman & war in El Salvador, PBS,POV 1990
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Dateline: San Salvador, elections in El Salvador, PBS 1986
SOUND EDITOR Selected credits 1982-1990
Godfather III, directed by Francis Coppola, Paramount, 1990; Hot Spot, Skywalker Sound, directed by Dennis Hopper , 1990; Colors, Skywalker Sound , directed by Dennis Hopper, 1987; Nightmare on Elm Street III, 1987; Hot Pursuit, Paramount, 1987; Campus Man, Paramount, 1987; Wild Rose, New Front Films, 1983; The Black Stallion Returns, United Artists, 1982
EDITOR* / Consultant A Fierce Green Fire Enviro history, Redford Narrator, 2012
EDITOR* / Co-Producer Have You Heard from Johannesburg, 7 pt series on ending apartheid, 2012
EDITOR* Something Ventured, history of venture capital in Silicon Valley, 2011
SERIES EDITOR / Consultant Asian America, USA, 3 half hour episodes, NAATA, PBS, 2003
EDITOR I Dream of a Community, The San Francisco Foundation, 2002
SEGMENT EDITOR Frontline World , pilot for the PBS series, 2002
EDITOR Modern Meat Frontline, PBS, 2002
EDITOR* Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town, PBS, 2001
EDITOR A Bridge of Books: The Story of the National Yiddish Book Center, 2001
EDITOR Jewish film Festival Theatrical Trailer, 2000, 2001
SEGMENT EDITOR / CAMERA farmclub.com, music variety, USA cable, 2000
EDITOR* Thin Green Line, Environmental activism, Outdoor Life Network , 2000
EDITOR* / WRITER* Mystery of the Last Tsar, The Tsar's bones, scientific murder mystery, 1995
EDITOR San Francisco Sound, installation for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 1994
EDITOR Terminal USA, a TV movie, Funded by ITVS for PBS, 1993
EDITOR* Gone Too Soon, a music video for Michael Jackson, 1991
EDITOR Why Don't You Dance, drama from R.Carver short story, 1991
EDITOR Martin Scorsese's Favorite Films, pilot for the series, 1991
EDITOR Visionary San Francisco, installation,S.F. Museum of Modern Art, 1990
EDITOR / WRITER* The Road to Brown, civil rights history. Shared writing, PBS, 1990
EDITOR / WRITER* Chicano Park, Barrio Logan and Chicano exper., PBS, 1988
EDITOR Selected additional credits 1980-1990
Here's My Hand, bio for Hubert Humphrey Museum, 1990; Destination: San Francisco, video travel guide, 1988; Yugo Goes Network, corporate campaign, 1986; Ford's - The Story of a Theater, docu-drama, PBS, 1984; Tale of Two Sphinxes, ballooning in Egypt, 1984; A New Beginning, USC Trojans, Video Sports Network, 1984; In the Name of Democracy, elections in El Salvador. PBS, 1983; Songs from a Distant Jungle, music of Papua New Guinea, 1982; The New You Asked For It , pilot for the TV series, 1980
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE: PUBLISHED WRITINGS (short-stories, travel columns & film criticism); feature film 1st A.D.; ON-LINE Editor; film LAB TECHNICIAN; Radio DJ; Investigative News CAMERAMAN and RESEARCHER; Dog Groomer, construction worker, moving man, lots of world travel, BA with honors in Communications/Visual Arts, University of California, San Diego, 1980.
