The Documentary    
 
 

About the filmmaker
John Whitehead is an independent filmmaker whose work ranges from social issue documentaries to humor and parody. He has a special affinity for the subjects of American Roots music and the environment. He wrote, co-produced, directed and edited the four-part documentary series Minnesota: A History of the Land. Whitehead’s credits include the national PBS documentaries Make ‘Em Dance: The Hackberry Ramblers’ Story and Wannabe: Life and Death in a Small Town Gang.

As Senior Producer for Arts and Culture at Twin Cities Public Television, St. Paul, MN (1990-96), he produced the documentaries, Death of the Dream: Farmhouses in the Heartland; Clay, Wood Fire, Spirit: The Pottery of Richard Bresnahan; Not Quite American: Bill Holm of Minneota; A State Fair Scrapbook; and Mississippi, Minnesota. He also co-created and produced the landmark interview series Portrait and the award winning documentary series Tape’s Rolling!

Mr. Whitehead’s work has earned six Emmy Awards (Midwest Region), an HBO Films Producer Award, a Corporation for Public Broadcasting Award, and the Gold Plaque from The Chicago Film Festival. He spent 1993-1994 at The University of Chicago as a William Benton Fellow in broadcast journalism.