Jonathan Williams

Managing Director

Three Lights Media

Statement of Purpose

Track record and experience:

For ten years I led the BBC’s giant screen business, evolving the financing, production and distribution strategy and overseeing delivery of multiple award winning and commercially successful films. After leaving the BBC in March 2024, I set up Three Lights Media with a vision to become the leading producer, partner and synergist for giant screen films and other immersive media. I’m currently working as a consulting producer for several independent giant screen producers. I also have my own films in development.

Commitment to the giant screen industry:

I am fully invested in the industry and through my various roles have a wide-reaching engagement with stakeholders across the industry. I have broad experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to fund, produce and distribute premium films. I have a large and established network across the industry and understand the many challenges and opportunities that we face as a collective. At the GSCA conference in 2022, I presented a case study on the BBC’s approach to giant screen production, to facilitate information sharing and industry development.

Through all my projects, I am committed to maintaining the highest technical standards whilst delivering ambitious content that clearly serves the needs and interests of the giant screen audience.

Vision for giant screen as an impact platform:

I believe passionately in the power of the giant screen format to give audiences an impactful, engaging and unique experience. This format has incredible value as an impact platform where it excels at communicating complex topics, informing, educating and inspiring change. I have spent many years pitching the giant screen industry as an impact platform to potential sponsors and partners and found that despite the powerful audience reach and impact potential it offers, it’s not a well-known and understood sector. Greater sharing and awareness of giant screen industry metrics, audience profiles and case studies would help to improve the attractiveness of this format to potential investors and funders, thus ensuring a stronger pipeline of films across the market.

My goals on the board would be to:

  • Encourage outreach to production communities around the world and across sectors to foster growth and diversity
  • Ensure that the interests of global members are properly represented
  • Contribute to the ongoing discussions about revenue share and commercial models to ensure the long-term viability and stability of the industry
  • Facilitate information sharing about production funding, workflows and best practice
  • Develop the vision for giant screen as an impact platform

Thank you for considering my candidacy and I hope to have the opportunity to give something back to the GSCA community.

Bio

Name: Jonathan Williams

Role: Managing Director, Three Lights Media Ltd

Location: London, UK

Jonathan was formerly the Commercial Director for BBC Earth at BBC Studios, and is now the Managing Director of Three Lights Media Ltd. He has been involved in the giant screen industry for over ten years and was the Executive Producer for Antarctica, Arctic: Our Frozen Planet and Oceans: Our Blue Planet.  His films have won multiple GSCA Achievement Awards and other industry awards and had significant box office success. He spent his early career working in book publishing at Penguin Random House and other publishers. While at BBC Studios, Jonathan sat on the company’s Sustainability Steering Committee.

Jonathan has an MBA from Imperial College London.