Visual History with J. Rupert Thompson

Raised in a family that encouraged his creativity and championed his aspirations, J. Rupert Thompson knew he wanted to pursue filmmaking at age eleven, after seeing Jaws in 1975. Transformed by the experience, he dedicated his time and efforts to making home movies. He went on to study film at Ithaca College, earning the film department’s coveted freshman award, the Golden Doorknob, and the senior award, the Golden Key. Moving to Los Angeles after graduation, he landed a non-union gaffer job on a soap opera. An apt pupil, he was brought on to work on independent horror features Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, among others. It was on these sets that he learned cinematography and lighting techniques. He was subsequently hired by MTV as a freelance camera operator, filming the Sunset Strip rock band scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He went on to partner with Douglas Ross and Bruce Toms, the team behind Evolution Media. While at Evolution, he served as a camera operator on The Real World: Los Angeles (1993). Not long after, he received a call from Dick Clark’s production company, asking him to direct his first project, We’re Having a Baby!

Thompson’s directorial credits include programs such as MTV News, Kid Nation, America’s Next Top Model, Fear Factor, Guy’s Grocery Games, American Grit, American Gladiators, Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, Battle of the Network Stars, and Wipeout.

Thompson currently serves as a Co-Chair of the Reality Television Committee, as an alternate on the DGA National Board, and previously served as an alternate on the Western Directors Council. He has also been nominated for the DGA Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs seven times and has won twice.

He has been a DGA member since 1995.