Greg Whiteley Explained

Greg Whiteley
Birth Date:November 11, 1969
Birth Place:Provo, Utah, U.S.
Alma Mater:Brigham Young University
Occupation:Film director, producer, and writer
Years Active:1999–present
Spouse:Erin Jeanne Whiteley (m. 1999)
Children:2
Website:https://onepotatoproductions.com

Greg Beck Whiteley (born November 11, 1969) is the creator, executive producer, and director of the Netflix documentary series Wrestlers (2023),[1] Cheer (2020–2022)[2] and Last Chance U (2016–2020). His films include New York Doll (2005), Resolved (2007), Mitt (2014), and Most Likely to Succeed (2015).

Whiteley's documentaries have garnered two IDA awards,[3] four Emmy Awards and three premieres at the Sundance Film Festival.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Early life and education

Whiteley was born in Provo, Utah[8] to parents Jessie and Kent Whiteley. He was raised in Bellevue, Washington where he attended Interlake High School and became a two-time debate state champion.

He served for two years, from 1989–1991, as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. He then graduated from Brigham Young University in 1995 with a BA in film[9] and received an MFA in film from Art Center College of Design in 2001.

Career

After winning two Clio Awards during graduate school at Art Center, he was hired by Populuxe Pictures to direct commercials.[10]

From 1996 to 2000, Whiteley served as the head of Film Actors Theater in Los Angeles. While beginning work on New York Doll in 2005, he launched One Potato Productions with his wife, Erin.[11] He named the company in homage to his recently deceased father, who grew up on an Idaho potato farm.

Whiteley wrote, filmed, and directed New York Doll in 2005. This documentary explores the history of the punk rock band New York Dolls, focusing on the life of bassist Arthur Kane after he converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[12] He then created Resolved in 2006, which follows the story of a high school debate team.[13] Whiteley spent 2006 to 2012 filming Mitt, having gained access to the Romney family, though not his campaign staff, during both of governor Mitt Romney's campaigns for the United States presidency.[14] From 2012 to 2014, he created Most Likely To Succeed, which discusses the education system in the United States and proposes ideas for its reform.[15]

From 2016 onwards, he worked on various sports docuseries for Netflix. Last Chance U (2016–2020) followed football players at junior colleges attempting to move to a Division I NCAA programme and ultimately the NFL.[16] A basketball spin-off, Last Chance U: Basketball (2021-present) soon followed. Cheer (2020–2022) examined Navarro College Cheer - a community college team in rural Texas who were 14-time NCA National Collegiate Champions. Wrestlers (2023) follows Ohio Valley Wrestling. His most recent work, America's Sweethearts Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (2024), is set to premiere on Netflix on 20th June 2024.

Personal life

Whiteley married Erin Bybee in 1999. The couple lives in Laguna Beach, California with their son, Henry, and daughter, Scout.[17]

Filmography

Awards and honors

Notes and References

  1. Vognar, Chris (2023-09-13). "'Wrestlers' Is Greg Whiteley's Latest Underdog Tale." The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  2. News: Cheer: breathtaking, bone-crunching, nerve-racking magic. Heritage. Stuart. 2020-01-16. The Guardian. 2020-02-03. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  3. Web site: Winkelmeyer. Matt. 32nd Annual IDA Documentary Awards. Zimbio. 11 March 2018.
  4. Web site: Fleischer. Victoria. Filmmaker Greg Whiteley goes backstage with the Romneys in 'Mitt'. PBS Newshour. 6 February 2014. 6 February 2015.
  5. Web site: Our Films. One Potato Productions. 4 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150126223811/http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/ourfilms. 26 January 2015. dead.
  6. Web site: Here Are Your 2020 Sports Emmy Winners. 12 August 2020 .
  7. Web site: Cheer.
  8. Web site: New York Doll. One Potato Productions. 4 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150227030751/http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/NewYorkDoll/castcrew.html. 27 February 2015. dead.
  9. Web site: Greg Whiteley. BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications. Brigham Young University. 4 February 2015.
  10. Web site: Lehrer. Jeremy. Greg Whiteley Pops Into Spots With Populuxe Pics. Shoot. 5 February 2015.
  11. Web site: About. One Potato Productions. 4 February 2015.
  12. Web site: New York Doll Synopsis. One Potato Productions. 4 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20050209101938/http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/NewYorkDoll/synopsis.html. 9 February 2005. dead.
  13. Web site: 2008 Documentary Film Series: Resolved. HBO.
  14. Web site: Filmmaker Greg Whiteley goes backstage with the Romneys in 'Mitt'. PBS Newshour. 6 February 2014. 4 February 2015.
  15. Web site: Heath. Glenn. 'Most Likely to Succeed': Sundance Review. The Hollywood Reporter. 27 January 2015. 4 February 2015.
  16. Web site: Hedash . Kara . 2020-08-05 . Every Player From Last Chance U That Made It To The NFL (So Far) . 2024-06-17 . ScreenRant . en.
  17. Web site: Filmmaker continues building on big break from 2005's 'New York Doll'. Deseret News. 6 February 2015. 7 June 2012.
  18. Web site: Lehrer. Jeremy. Greg Whiteley Pops Into Spots with Populuxe Pics. Shoot. 5 February 2015.
  19. Web site: Our Films: New York Doll. One Potato Productions. 6 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20141230002234/http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/new-york-doll. 30 December 2014. dead.
  20. Web site: Our Films: Resolved. One Potato Productions. 6 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20141230001426/http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/resolvedfilm. 30 December 2014. dead.
  21. Web site: Mitt Romney attends Sundance premiere of campaign film. NY Daily News. 18 January 2014 . 6 February 2015.
  22. Web site: Vlessing . Etan . 2021-01-17 . IDA Documentary Awards: ‘Crip Camp’ Nabs Best Feature . 2024-08-01 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.

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