Chris Turner

Owner at Island Grill Productions LLC
Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Filmmaker, Production Coordinator, Line Producer and Unit Production Manager

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Member Since:
May 2015

Last online:
> 2 weeks ago

Invites sent:
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About Chris

I have been in film/video production for over 30 years. An Award-winning documentary and short film producer who loves telling stories. My production career started accidentally in January 1986, in Norman Oklahoma. We had just started off-season workouts for the football team. A couple of weeks earlier we were basking in the Miami beach sun after beating Penn State for the national championship. But this wintery Friday we were all but snowed in. The #1 Running Rebels of UNLV came to town to take on the 10th rankleSooners in basketball. ranked Sooners in basketball. This was a CBS national game. The problem was that the blizzard prevented much of the CBS crew from flying into Norman. So two of the producers came into the weight room hoping to recruit a few grips and cable pullers. At the time I had no interest in broadcasting. However, I am one who always relishes a new challenge so I headed to the arena to help pull cable lines for the game the next day. The moment I stepped into the CBS MPU I was hooked, and I never looked back.
Shortly after my blocking dummy career ended I headed for the sunny confines of Gainesville, Florida, where I was a videographer/editor/sports segment producer for WCJB TV 20. It was here where I learned the story was everything. It’s the story you use to write your script, design the set, create your shot, and edit your final product. This goes for everything from live productions to scripted features. Not long after arriving in Gainesville, I was able to work as a camera assistant on the Ron Howard production of “Parenthood”. Working and watching the cinematographer David McAlpine work was both educational and amazing.
Over the years I have worked in production with all the sports networks, National Geographic, “Nature’s Rage”, History Channel, “History vs. Hollywood”, “Save our History”, “Tales of the Gun”, as well as CNN, Disney Networks, Fox News, and MSNBC.
I created the start-up production company, “Island Grill Productions” in 2009. Our first production was the pilot for “Gameday with Rex and Kevo”. While my early career was in sports broadcast productions, I entered the world of documentaries in 2006 when I produced "Anatomy of Fraud”. In 2008 I directed the second installment of "Anatomy of a Fraud”. Both productions earned several awards and aired on PBS.
In 2010, I received my first line-producer credit on the “Road to Nowhere” project. My second credit as a director came in 2013 with the award-winning documentary, “Pride: Recreating an Old Town Bank”. On this project, I was also the cinematographer and editor. In 2015 I developed, produced, and directed the drama, “American Con: The Meeting”. This half-hour program aired nationwide on PBS and starred Rex Linn, Joshua Bonzi, James Carroll, and Mark Adam Goff.
In 2018 I went back to school, graduating summa cum laude with an Entertainment Business Degree from The Los Angeles Film School. Since I have helped finance a project for Raya FIlms in London, "Casting Kill".

Gender:
Male

Height:
6' 3"

Weight:
245

Body type:
Athletic

Hair:
Bald

Hair color:
Blonde

Eyes:
Brown

Ethnicity:
Caucasian

Certifications

Photos

Videos

Credits

Casting Kill (2022 - 2023)
Film by Raya Films / James Smith Associate Producer
American Con (2015 - 2016)
Drama by The Investor Protection Trust/ Chris Turner (Crime and Drama) Producer, Director The FBI investigates and prosecutes a con artist who stole millions in a Ponzi scheme.
Pride: Rebuilding a Bank (2013)
Documentary by Landmark Bank / Chris Turner Producer, Director A national chain bank takes painstaking measures to recreate the original structure of an early 20th-century bank.
Anatomy of a Fraud: The Rogue Broker (2010)
Documentary by Oklahoma Securities Commission / Chris Turner Producer, Director The Oklahoma Securities Commission investigates and prosecutes a con artist who stole millions from people across the midwest in a Ponzi scheme.
Gameday with Rex and Kevo (2009)
Television by Rake & Roll Productions / Robert Knott Line Producer, Production Manager Rex Linn and Kevo Meyer reveal two of America's greatest BBQ joints while creating pecan-smoked, beercan chicken tacos and talking football.
Anatomy of a Fraud: Catching a Con in Pottawatomie County (2006)
Documentary by Oklahoma Securities Commission / Mark Bauske Line Producer, Production Manager The Oklahoma Securities Commission investigation, and prosecution of a con artist who stole more than $6 million from Oklahomans in a Ponzi scheme.

View all 6 credits

Awards

The Ava Award / Director - Pride: Rebuilding a Bank
(2013)
The Videographer Award / Director - Anatomy of a Fraud
(2011)
The Ava Award / Director - Anatomy of a Fraud
(2011)
The Telly Award / Director - Anatomy of a Fraud
(2011)
The Davey Award / Director - Anatomy of a Fraud
(2010)
The Davey Award / Line Producer - Anatomy of a Fraud
(2006)
The Videographer Award / Line Producer - Anatomy of a Fraud
(2006)
The Telly Award / Videographer - 2000 Big 12 Championship Game
(2001)
The Videographer Award / Videographer - 2000 Orange Bowl / National Championship Game
(2001)