About Us

Anderson Productions

John Anderson

Anderson Productions is a full-service HD production and post-production facility led by Grammy-nominated and Emmy-winning Director, Producer and Editor John Anderson. John’s work has aired on PBS, A&E, MTV, VH1, Showtime, Cinemax, HBO, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, MuchMusic, the BBC and elsewhere around the world. His list of directorial clients includes Warner Brothers Records, Capitol Records, Sanctuary Visual Entertainment, Image Entertainment, Rhino Home Video, Giant Records, The Walt Disney Company and Chicago Public Schools, and his long form editorial work for The Oprah Winfrey Show, Nova, Kurtis Productions and others has won numerous accolades and awards.

John was nominated for a 2006 Grammy for his direction of “Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE”, the platinum-selling DVD release from Warner Brothers/Rhino Home Video. The live performance DVD, which Brian Wilson hails as “a masterpiece”, marked Anderson’s fourth DVD collaboration with the Beach Boys leader, following “Imagination” (1998), “Brian Wilson On Tour” (2002) and “Pet Sounds Live In London” (2003).

John AndersonMike Smith of The Dave Clark 5 and John Anderson

In 2012, Anderson directed, edited and co-wrote the PBS documentary "The Beach Boys: Doin' It Again", and produced the big-screen film content that was part of the group's 73-date worldwide tour. He also directed and filmed Brian Wilson's performance of the title song in the 2015 biopic "Love & Mercy", starring John Cusack, Paul Dano and Elizabeth Banks.

The list of other musical artists he has worked with includes Pete Townshend, Neil Young, Ray Davies, Paul McCartney, Patti Smith, Kanye West, John Fogerty, Elvis Costello, Jack White, Sheryl Crow, John Prine, Badfinger, James Cotton, Maria Muldaur, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Miller, Bonnie Raitt, Brian McKnight, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, Iggy Pop, Elvin Bishop, Emmylou Harris, Eric Burdon, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Winter, Charlie Musselwhite, Arlo Guthrie, Tiny Tim, Todd Rundgren, John Cage, Hubert Sumlin, David Sanborn, Fountains of Wayne, Tom Jones, Geoff Muldaur, Rick Nielsen, The Standells, Steve Goodman, Phil Ochs, Hal Blaine, Neil Innes, The Buckinghams, Joey Molland, Jim Keltner, Survivor, Sugar Blue, Rick Derringer & the McCoys, Nancy Sinatra, The Residents and Mike Smith of The Dave Clark 5.

John Anderson and Donna SummerJohn Anderson & Donna Summer
Photo by: Jim Shea

John won an Emmy and received nine Emmy nominations for his work as Executive Producer, Director and Editor of “CPS Right Now!”, a bi-weekly television newsmagazine he created for Chicago Public Schools.

Screen Magazine’s ‘Editor of the Year’ and winner of an International Monitor Award for ‘Best Editor of A Music Video’ with his band The Cleaning Ladys, his editorial work includes The Chicago Bears’ “The Super Bowl Shuffle”, which became the second highest selling music video of all time.

Recent directorial projects include "Born In Chicago" a feature-length documentary on the Chicago blues starring B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Jack White, Hubert Sumlin, Steve Miller, Keith Richards and others, which has screened at NYC's Lincoln Center, at The Gene Siskel Center in Chicago, at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and elsewhere across the country. The New York Times published a feature article on the film, and Rolling Stone says this about it.

Brian Wilson, John Anderson, Elvis CostelloBrian Wilson, John Anderson, Elvis Costello

"Sam Lay in Bluesland," a documentary feature about the legendary blues drummer and 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, played to sold-out crowds at the 2015 Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMMFest) and garnered reaction from The Chicago Tribune and from Mark Frazel of ReelChicago.

John Anderson and Donna SummerNancy Sinatra & John Anderson

John produced, directed and edited a documentary about Chicago bluesman Paul Butterfield entitled "Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story" featuring David Sanborn, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt and Jac Holzman.  The film, executive produced by Sandra Warren, has had a successful 2017 festival run.

 

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Awards and Accolades

John Anderson Joey Molland & John Anderson
  • Grammy Nominee, Best Director, (‘Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE’) (2006)
  • Midwest Emmy – Executive Producer, ‘CPS Right Now!’ (2008-2009)
  • Best Editor of a Music Video – International Monitor Award – ('She Won’t French Kiss')
  • Screen Magazine Editor of the Year
  • Mojo Magazine Top 5 of The Year (‘Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE’ Director and Editor) (2005)
  • MTV Basement Tapes Winning Video ('She Won’t French Kiss' Director and Editor)
  • Chicago Music Video of the Year ('Creatures From Outer Space' Director and Editor)
  • Various Sales, Media and Marketing Awards ('The Super Bowl Shuffle' Editor)
  • Home Media Retailing Best of Show, Director (‘Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE’) 2006