JWP is an award-winning production company devoted to uncovering compelling true stories and telling them through observational or investigative documentaries and reportage. The stories can be as varied as the life of an Al Qaeda terrorist, the making of an avante-garde theatrical production, or a year inside the biggest football club in the world; the style can be entirely observational or interview-driven. The emphasis can vary from discovering and exploring worlds or characters we do not usually have access to, to shedding new light on controversial, high profile issues. Based in Barcelona since 1996, JWP draws on deep experience in both British journalism and European documentary filmmaking. Our partners range from BBC Storyville and Channel 4 News to Televisió de Catalunya and The Danish Film Institute, our productions from 10-15 minute reportage for news channels to feature-length documentaries for international distribution.

• Justin Webster, Director

Following a degree in Classics from Cambridge University, Justin made a brief foray into the world of finance before switching over, for good, to journalism in 1989. Specialized in narrative journalism, he’s written for The Independent Magazine, Granta, The New Statesman, The Boston Globe Magazine and El País Semanal, as well as reporting for BBC News, Reuters Reports, APTN, and others. Justin settled in Barcelona in 1991, created JWP in 1996, and since then has directed a string of feature-length documentaries including ‘Convict the Judge’, ‘The Madrid Connection,’ ‘Photographing the Exodus,’ and ‘FC Barcelona Confidential,’ all of which have received various awards. Armed with a firm commitment to uncovering the truth, crystallized through years of reporting experience, Justin’s real passion is figuring out the best way to tell—simply put—a good story.

• Sumpta Ayuso, Producer

Sumpta has long combined creative flair and a desire to understand the world with the discipline of running complex international productions. Since teaming up with JWP, she has overseen production, managed budgets, contracts, and delivery for dozens of productions to clients around the world. Her expertise is best illustrated by the nomination of the internationally co-produced feature documentary, ‘The Madrid Connection’, for the EU’s Golden Link Award in 2007. The €500,000 production was funded by four major co-producers (BBC Storyville, The Danish Film Institute and TV2 Danmark, Spanish commercial channel Cuatro and Catalan broadcatser TV3) pre-sold to VPRO, SBS, SVT and TSR and distributed to many other territories (including Al Jazeera).

• Cosmo Campbell, Cinematographer

Cosmo’s first job was in a 35mm-commercials cutting room in Soho, London. He lived right above the shop. Years later he relocated to Barcelona to work on international productions. That’s where he transferred to the camera department and learned the ropes from some of the great cameramen and crews in the UK industry.Since then he’s become a highly versatile cameraman in a variety of disciplines and techniques, including handling steadicam and aerial work. He continues to hone his skills and experience in a variety of collaborative, personal, photographic, film, and digital projects.

• Laura Collado, Producer

Laura’s passion is developing documentaries and helping others tell stories using images. Most recently, she worked as producer for JWP’s ‘Life from Others’, but she’s also worked on documentaries such as ‘Yorgos’, ‘Under Pressure’, ‘La Casa’, and ‘L’Encerclement’, as well as television shows for TV3.

• Lucas Gath, Cinematographer

Lucas first developed an interest in photography while growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before diving into the world of film. His passion led him to New York, where he completed a film degree at The City University. In 2009, Lucas worked as camera operator for Nicholas Entel’s feature documentary ‘Sins of my Father’, which premiered at IDFA and Sundance Film Festival. He’s worked in over 25 countries, shooting a wide variety of documentaries—from personal stories to political or social commentaries—as well as commercials and fiction. Lucas specializes in bringing a strong cinematic style to his non-fiction work. His documentary titles as DP include: ‘Grosso Calibre’, ‘Bang for your Buck’, ‘April 6th’ (for ‘The Shooting Poverty Series’).

• Simón Hernández, Filmmaker/Editor

Simón had already started his career as filmmaker and editor in his native Bogotá, Colombia, but made the move to Barcelona in order to complete a Masters in Creative Documentary at the Universidad Autónoma. He’s edited recent JWP films such as ‘Jose María Aznar’s Unfinished Business’, ‘Convict the Judge’, and ‘Life from Others’, as well as working as assistant editor on ‘Last White Man Standing’. His documentary ‘Drassanes Spirits’ won the AVID award for best editing in Documenta Madrid 2010. Simon is currently in pre-production for his first feature-length documentary, ‘Pizarro, the Shadow of my Dreams’.

• Jim Loomis, Cinematographer 

Jim, a filmmaker specialized in cinematography and editing, has over twelve years experience in creative and technical roles in film and television. He’s shot and edited a number of award-winning broadcast projects for European and international broadcasters, from feature-length documentaries to special reports, shooting in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.

• Stephen Oliver, Director / Producer

Stephen has worked in the television industry in the UK, Australia, and Spain since 1995. A Brtish, Australian, and Spanish citizen, he speaks four languages and has created a variety of factual content for most major international broadcasters about anything from polygamous pop stars to Islamic extremists and even the odd heroic marsupial. In early 2010 Stephen co-directed ‘Jose María Aznar’s Unfinished Business’ for TV3 Spain, a revealing one-hour biography of the first democratically elected right wing Spanish president. It won critical acclaim in Spain—La Vanguardia described it as ‘unmissable’, while El Periódico hailed it as ‘enlightening’ and ’extraordinary’. Stephen is currently writing and directing a one-hour documentary on the history of Australian wine for the ABC and the BBC—giving him the enviable opportunity to blend business with pleasure.

• Carles Porta, Director / Producer

Carles made his start as a television journalist in TV3, where he worked in the acclaimed program of reportage, ‘30 Minuts’. He also covered news in war zones from Bosnia to Rwanda, Algeria to Haiti, and range of other conflict hotspots in the Middle East and Central Asia. During the last few years he spent at TV3, he directed ‘Efecte Mirall’, an innovative program that has received awards in the USA and Japan. Carles created the production company Antàrtida in 2005, which partners with JWP, and since then has directed and overseen the production of documentaries, television movies, game shows, and feature-length fiction films.

• Julius Purcell, Producer / Researcher

Julius has lived in Barcelona since 2003. As a print journalist he writes regularly on Spain for the Financial Times, as well as contributing to the Guardian and the Atlantic. For JWP he worked as a researcher/producer on Convict The Judge (2011), José Maria Aznar, The Unfinished Battle (2010), and The Man Who Saved Barcelona (2006).

• Kristina Rodemann, Assistant Producer

Born in Madrid to American parents, Kristina has spent her life straddling cultures and juggling languages, a background that has nourished her curiosity about the world. She studied Turkish and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas before landing in Barcelona to complete a Masters degree in journalism. She now works as Assistant Producer and freelance journalist, writing for IESE Business School and El Periodico.

• Frédéric Traïni, Producer/Director

Frédéric, journalist, producer, and director, is the correspondent for L’Équipe and RTL in Barcelona. His biography on the world famous football player Leo Messi just came out in January 2012.  He’s directed several films for JWP: ‘La Banlieu’ and ‘Clandestine Crisis’.