Who Are We?
Gary Reich: Managing Director
Born to a loving, dysfunctional Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa he studied English and Drama at the Universities of Jerusalem and Sheffield, going on to successfully complete an MA in Radical Lesbian Poetry and film.
After finishing his MA he produced and directed a comedy show at The Edinburgh Festival based on Ted Hughes’ narrative poem “Gaudete”. A tv producer saw it and a few months later he joined television's illustrious sweat factory as a trainee scriptwriter at Hewland International. Whilst there he co-wrote a series for Channel 4 called “Summer Camp” that never saw the light of day (but won rave reviews from everyone, including his mum) and worked on their Channel 4 series "Gamesmaster" as a production assistant.
He fled London and moved to Cardiff where he joined HTV's first and last multi-skilled programming unit: 'Cactus' where he spent 18 months learning to produce, direct, shoot, light and edit his own shows. Whilst there he co-produced and co-directed a 13 x 30 min fly-on-the-wall series for The Learning Channel called "General Practice" and shot, directed and edited a 10 x 10 minute series for UK Living called "Bride Of The Day".
Fleeing back to London he joined The Paramount Comedy Channel as a development producer. Whilst there he produced and directed: a sitcom pilot starring Chris Green, The Right Size and Peepolykus called “A Salted Nut”; a series of 6 short films with Sacha Baron Cohen called "Unter Dem Fleisch mit Bruno" - a gay neo-Nazi fashion designer co-created with Sacha and a 6 x 30 min sketch show called "Unnatural Acts" which starred Sean Cullen, Rich Fulcher, Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt. The latter 2 played zookeepers, forerunners to "The Mighty Boosh". He also executive produced "War Of The Flea" with Dom Joly and they pitched it to Channel 4 together where it went on to become "Trigger Happy TV".
Fleeing yet again he went to the BBC to work with Myfanwy Moore and Paul Jackson on new comedy development. Whilst there he co-produced the 2nd series of “Comedy Nation” (13 x 30 min for BBC2) for whom he brought on board Jocelyn Jee Esien and Sacha Baron Cohen. He made 4 short films with him, “Christo” – the prototype to Borat. He also series produced a 52 x 30 min mostly hidden camera series called “Stop The World” for the launch of BBC3 forerunner, BBC Choice. This starred Electric Eel, Julian Barratt, Rhys Thomas, Rich Fulcher and Sean Cullen amongst others.
He then joined Chrysalis TV as Head of Comedy. Whilst there he produced and directed nobleandsilver’s first Edinburgh show which went on to win the Perrier newcomer. He then went on to produce and direct their 6 x 30 min experimental E4 series: “getoffme”; a 6 x 30 min animation series for Channel 4 called “Sick and Twisted”; a part animated sitcom pilot script written by and starring Catherine Tate called “The People Show”; a 30 min altTV documentary for Channel 4 called “Waiting For Khyron”; a TX pilot of a stand-up gong show for Channel 5 called “Gagging For It” and 2 Comedy Labs for Channel 4: “Orcadia”, written by and starring Alice Lowe and “The Scunthorpe Ball Run” written by and starring Jim Reed.
In 2002 he started Brown Eyed Boy and has so far produced 3 returning, award winning scripted series and numerous documentaries and pilots. His first commission was a Comedy Lab for Channel 4 with nobleandsilver called “And Thy Mouth Shalt Praise The Name of Thy Lord, Part 4”. He then produced and directed a hidden camera sketch show pilot for BBC 3 called “3 Non Blondes!” which starred Jocelyn Jee Esien, Ninia Benjamin and Tameka Empson and he went on to series produce 19 episodes of it for BBC 3. It was nominated for an RTS award, British Comedy Award and an Emma award. He then went to Los Angeles and produced and directed a pilot of it for VH1 called “5 Non Blondes”.
On his return he produced 3 series for BBC Radio 4 of the cult fantasy interview show “Storyman” starring Andrew Clover. Guests included Terry Gilliam; John Waters; Tracey Emin , David Walliams, Ross Noble and Mathew Modine. He then co-produced an animated version of the David Walliams Storyman with Airside and Lupus Films.
He continued to develop various new projects for the BBC with Jocelyn Jee Esien from the “3 Non Blondes” and went on to executive produce 2 series of her own sketch show written entirely by her and called “Little Miss Jocelyn”. The first series was broadcast on BBC3 and was nominated for a Bafta for Best Comedy and Jocelyn won Best Performer at the Women In Film Awards. A second series was commissioned by BBC 2 and was broadcast last year to huge acclaim. His latest project with Jocelyn is a top secret camera out stunt show, a co-commission between BBC 3 and an international broadcaster, to be shot overseas in January 2010.
He also co-produced and co-directed a feature length documentary for Comedy Central called “The Paramount School of Comedy”, about the year he worked there. Features lots of previously unseen archive and new interviews with Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright about “Asylum”; Noel, Julian and Rich from The Mighty Boosh; Leigh Francis; Dom Joly and Armstrong & Miller.
And he has produced and/or directed a number of pilots including “Toju” (BBC 3), starring Toju; “Killing Time” (BBC 3) starring Lucy Montgomery and Barunka O Shaugnessy, “Splitting Cells” (BBC 3) starring Andrew Lawrence, Wil Hodgson and Olivia Lee; “Eleanor’s Up and Coming” (MTV) starring Rich Fulcher; “Get Rich” (MTV) starring Example; Doc Brown and Marlon Davies; “Jesusboy and the Goatherd” (E4) starring Jack Whitehall and Nathan A Thomas and “How Not To Live Your Life” (BBC 3) written by and starring Dan Clark.
This turned into his next big commission and he went on to co-direct and produce Series 1 of “How Not To Live Your Life” for BBC 3 which was repeated on BBC 2 and was nominated for a British Comedy Award for Best Newcomer and a Broadcast Award for Best Comedy. He then produced a 2nd series which began airing on BBC 3 in September 2009.
He then produced a 2nd and 3rd series, and the latter began airing on BBC 3 in November 2010. In between these 2 series he spent 2 months in New Zealand with Jocelyn Jee Esien producing and directing an 8-part camera out stunt show for BBC 3 called "One Non Blonde" which aired on BBC 3 in September 2010
His hobbies include: psychic development, spiritual world travel, psytrance raves, climbing trees, walking his dog on Hampstead Heath every day and seeing 3 films in a row at the cinema.
His television heroes are Myfanwy Moore & Jane Hewland.
A Few Of His Favourite Things:
Dance Company: Rambert
Theatre company: Forced Entertainment
Live Performers: Diamanda Galas/ David Hoyle/ Franko B/ Kim Noble
Films: Everything ever made by Werner Herzog and John Waters / Saw 1-3
Musicals: The Rocky Horror Show/ Little Shop Of Horrors/ Kiss Of The Spiderwoman
Plants: Ayahuasca/ Santa Maria/ Mushrooms/ Sage
Beings: Charlie – his Weimaramer
TV: Family Guy; 30 Rock; The American Office; South Park; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; The Mighty Boosh.
email: gary@browneyedboy.com
Nicholas Berry: Development Producer
Known for some time as the thinking runner’s runner, Nicholas Berry used an old Geordie mind trick to convince Gary Reich to employ him and be his mentor in early 2007. It didn’t take long, for Nick to progress to the acclaimed standing of the thinking Development Assistant’s Development Assistant. And this is where he now sits, on his high horse, in his uncomfortable shoes made out of alabaster and pearls, developing formats and filming and editing teaser pilots with all the new talent he is genuinely passionate about.
Nicholas saw over 150 shows at last year’s Edinburgh comedy festival and regularly goes to stand up shows around the London Comedy circuit of London, and whenever possible around the rest of the country, looking for exciting new comics. He loves comedy. (Full Stop) He most wants to one day be known as Berry – the thinking Producer Director’s Development Assistant, but, for the moment at least, this is just a pipe dream. But maybe pipes can dream?
Pipes can dream and in early 2009 Gary promoted Nicholas to in house Development Producer at Brown Eyed boy. Nicholas is now a free lance Development Producer but is never far from the hallowed halls of the towers of the Brown Eye.
Nick Hobbies include waking up to go to work and going to sleep after work
Peace and Love.
email: nick@browneyedboy.com
Jackie Sidey: Accountant
email: Jackies@browneyedboy.com
Andrew Hayward: Researcher
email: andy@browneyedboy.com