Joel Bach
{{Short description|American journalist, film and television producer (born 1970)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Joel Bach
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Joel Bach
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1970}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| education = Brown University
| occupation = Journalist, film and television producer
| years_active = 1991–present
| known_for = 60 Minutes
Years of Living Dangerously
| notable_works = Years of Living Dangerously, co-creator, with David Gelber
| awards = Emmy Awards
Environmental Media Award
| website = {{URL|theyearsproject.com}}
}}
Joel Bach (born 1970) is an American journalist, film and television producer, known for his work on 60 Minutes with CBS News and for co-founding the environmental project, Years of Living Dangerously with David Gelber. He won two Emmy Awards for his work on 60 Minutes, and shared with David Gelber both a Primetime Emmy Award and an Environmental Media Award for Years of Living Dangerously.
Bach worked at 60 Minutes with correspondents including Ed Bradley, Lesley Stahl, Steve Kroft, and Scott Pelley. He successfully recruited film director James Cameron as an executive producer of Years of Living Dangerously, and enlisted actors to the project including Harrison Ford, Jessica Alba, Matt Damon, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Early life and education
Bach spent his early life in Colorado.{{citation|work=Columbia Journalism Review|access-date=March 10, 2022|url=https://archives.cjr.org/feature/almost_famous.php|title=Almost famous - Can a star-studded documentary series make people care about climate change?|first=Alexis Sobel|last=Fitts|date=January 2014|archivedate=March 30, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330142632/https://archives.cjr.org/feature/almost_famous.php|issn=0010-194X|publisher=Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism}}{{citation|access-date=March 10, 2022|work=Sierra Club|url=https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2014-3-may-june/earth-beat/big-celebs-big-problems|archivedate=July 12, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712060453/https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2014-3-may-june/earth-beat/big-celebs-big-problems|title=Big Celebs for Big Problems|first=Reed|last= McManus |date= April 4, 2014}} He was raised near the Roaring Fork River in Colorado, which would later inspire the name for his joint production company with Gelber. Bach studied video and film production at Brown University. Bach fostered his early interests in the environment and combined these motivations with his burgeoning film skills at Brown. He created the short film, Brown Is Green, intended to educate first year students at Brown on why they should recycle. The piece also served as his honors thesis.{{citation|archivedate=July 15, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715162045/https://libguides.brown.edu/archives/theses|access-date=March 10, 2022|url=https://libguides.brown.edu/archives/theses|date=November 2, 2021|title=Honors Theses About Brown University|work=Brown University Library: University Archives and Manuscripts|publisher=Brown University}} Bach graduated from Brown University in 1991.{{citation|first=Andrew|last=Revkin|access-date=March 10, 2022|url=https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2014-05-06/climate-change-stories|work=Brown Alumni Magazine|archivedate=August 10, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810080709/https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2014-05-06/climate-change-stories|title=Climate-Change Stories|date=May 6, 2014|publisher=Brown University}}
Journalism career
=ABC and NBC =
Before landing at 60 Minutes with CBS News, Bach had worked at American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and National Broadcasting Company (NBC). In addition, he gained filmmaking experience through directing public service announcements, short films, and music videos. He worked out of San Francisco and Los Angeles, producing advertisements released domestically within the United States.
=''60 Minutes''=
Bach and Gelber had previously worked together on 60 Minutes with CBS News, prior to co-founding the Years of Living Dangerously project.{{citation|first=Cullen|last=Murphy|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/politics/2014/05/years-of-living-dangerously-climate-change-documentary|access-date=March 10, 2022|date=May 2014|title=The Greatest Story Ever Ignored|volume=56|issue=5|publisher=Conde Nast Publications, Inc.}}{{citation|chapter=Years of Living Dangerously|title=The Environmental Documentary: Cinema Activism in the 21st Century|first=John A. |last=Duvall |year=2017|isbn=978-1441197283|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing}}{{citation|page=123|title=L'anglais en Master MEEF 1er degré|first=Claire |last=Benimeli |year= 2018|publisher=Hachette Education|isbn=978-2017059394}} Bach joined 60 Minutes in 2004. He spent seven years as a producer and journalist with 60 Minutes.{{citation|access-date=March 10, 2022|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/showtime-orders-climate-change-documentary-with-celebrities-60-minutes-veterans-and-chris-hayes/158426/|work=Adweek|first=Alex|last=Weprin|date=December 3, 2012|title=Showtime Orders Climate Change Documentary With Celebrities, '60 Minutes' Veterans and Chris Hayes|archivedate=February 16, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216044112/https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/showtime-orders-climate-change-documentary-with-celebrities-60-minutes-veterans-and-chris-hayes/158426/}} While working at 60 Minutes, Bach earned two Emmy Awards for his investigative journalism and production efforts with CBS News.{{citation|access-date=March 10, 2022|url=https://calstatela.patbrowninstitute.org/annual-dinners/35th-annual-dinner/|chapter=Joel Bach, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Years of Living Dangerously, Managing Director & Executive Producer|title=2016 Annual Dinner: California Shows The Way: Leadership and Innovation in the Face of Climate Change|publisher=Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs|date=April 21, 2016|archivedate=June 13, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613044050/https://calstatela.patbrowninstitute.org/annual-dinners/35th-annual-dinner/}} During his time at CBS News, Bach primarily worked with 60 Minutes journalists including Ed Bradley, Lesley Stahl, Steve Kroft, and Scott Pelley.
During their lunch breaks together at 60 Minutes, Bach and Gelber shared their mutual wishes to subsequently work on a project dedicated to educating people about the environment.{{citation|title=Democracy thrives, at least in Hollywood: Amazon evolves its pilot process, while NBC singing series taps public opinion|via=Gale General OneFile|first=Michael|last=Malone|date=October 31, 2016|work=Broadcasting & Cable|volume=146|issue=38|publisher=Future US, Inc.|page=18}} After Bach and Gelber had collaborated on two separate stories related to climate change for 60 Minutes, they realized it was the most crucial news topic worthy of additional stories. They both felt they had not seen enough coverage of the topic at 60 Minutes.{{citation|title=Covering Climate Change with Urgency and Creativity: A look at news outlets bringing innovation and new audiences to stories on climate change|first=Michael|last=Blanding|via=Gale General OneFile|date=Fall 2017|work=Nieman Reports|volume=71|issue=4|publisher=Harvard University, Nieman Foundation|page=38}} They knew they wanted to focus more on the topic, but were cognizant of the fact that they could not simply inform their supervisors at 60 Minutes that they would intend to only focus on one solitary news issue of climate change.
Bach began to attempt to produce as many news pieces related to climate change for 60 Minutes as he could. He and Gelber discussed the topic of global warming and agreed it was not getting enough significant attention from the media.{{citation|via=Gale General OneFile|title=It's a contest of nonfiction's finest: history vs. current affairs|first=Kathy A.|last=McDonald|date=August 5, 2014|work=Variety|volume=324|issue=20|publisher=Penske Business Media, LLC|page=20}} Bach and Gelber both left 60 Minutes together in order to devote more time and energy to their climate change project.{{citation|access-date=March 10, 2022|url=https://www.swarthmore.edu/bulletin/archive/wp/april-2014_april-is-the-coolest-month.html|first=Sherri|last=Kimmel|title=April is the Coolest Month - '60 Minutes' veterans' character-driven series on climate change makes its debut|date=April 2014|work=Swarthmore College Bulletin|publisher=Swarthmore College|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614034529/https://www.swarthmore.edu/bulletin/archive/wp/april-2014_april-is-the-coolest-month.html|archivedate=June 14, 2021}} Together in 2011 they founded the company to focus these efforts, Roaring Fork Films — in the process Bach described they both left, "the best job in TV, 60 Minutes."
=''Years of Living Dangerously''=
In 2011, Bach and Gelber received their first funding source for the Years of Living Dangerously project, with a check for US$750,000 from investor Jeremy Grantham.{{citation|first=Michael|last=Peltz|date=April 2014|title=Climate Change and the Years of Investing Dangerously|work=Institutional Investor|publisher=Euromoney Trading Limited|via=Gale General OneFile}} Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, used his company Vulcan Inc. to allocate $1.8 million towards education and marketing related to the project. In total, Bach and Gelber were able to raise $15 million in funds for the project.{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/shining-star-power-on-a-crucial-subject.html|access-date=March 12, 2022|first=Justin|last=Gillis|date=September 23, 2014|title=Shining Star Power on a Crucial Subject|work=The New York Times|page=D5}} They initially wanted the Years of Living Dangerously project to be a feature film.{{citation|work=The Huffington Post|first=Annie|last=Spiegelman|title=Years of Living Dangerously: An Interview With Showtime Producer Joel Bach|date=April 8, 2014|archivedate=August 13, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813203105/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/years-of-living-dangerous_b_4994121|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/years-of-living-dangerous_b_4994121|access-date=March 10, 2022|url-status=live}} Fellow film and television executive Jerry Weintraub convinced Bach and Gelber to instead make the production into a television series. Their idea for the project was motivated further by Bach and Gelber's experience watching the 2012 United States presidential debates, and he noticed there were no questions on climate change.{{citation|first=Robinson|last=Meyer|work=The Atlantic|access-date=March 10, 2022|title=Science - How to Make Global Warming Look Like a Movie - As their Emmy Award-winning doc series moves to the National Geographic Channel, the producers of Years of Living Dangerously talk about tricking viewers into learning about the climate.|date=22 September 2015 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/09/making-climate-change-look-like-a-movie-years-of-living-dangerously-interview/406285/}}
After Bach and Gelber successfully enlisted Weintraub and film director James Cameron as executive producers of the television documentary project, multiple celebrities joined soon thereafter — including Harrison Ford, Jessica Alba, Matt Damon, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. They were joined by news reporters Lesley Stahl and Chris Hayes.{{citation|url=https://www.avclub.com/years-of-living-dangerously-frames-a-climate-change-doc-1798180090|access-date=March 12, 2022|title=Years Of Living Dangerously frames a climate-change documentary like an action movie|first=Erik|last=Adams|date=April 10, 2014|work=The A.V. Club}} David Nevins, president of entertainment at Showtime Networks, explained why they decided to move forward with the project in 2012. Nevins stated it presented Showtime with a rare chance to utilize both celebrity star talent and filmmakers such as James Cameron, "with the hard-hitting, intimate journalism of 60 Minutes veterans Joel Bach and David Gelber."{{citation|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2012/12/03/cameron-schwarzenegger-damon-baldwin-showtime/1743283/|access-date=March 12, 2022|work=USA Today|title=Cameron to produce Showtime series on climate change|first=Carol|last=Memmott|date=December 3, 2012}}{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/showtime-orders-climate-change-series-396815/|title=Showtime Orders Climate Change Series From James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Weintraub|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Lacey|last=Rose|date=December 3, 2012}}
The series debuted on Showtime in 2014.{{citation|url=https://www.salon.com/2014/04/08/watch_the_powerful_first_episode_of_years_of_living_dangerously/|work=Salon|date=April 8, 2014|access-date=March 12, 2022|title=Watch the powerful first episode of Showtime's 'Years of Living Dangerously' - James Cameron's epic climate series hits the Internet|first=Lindsay|last=Abrams}}{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/years-living-dangerously-tv-review-695043/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Years of Living Dangerously: TV Review|first=Allison|last=Keene|date=April 11, 2014}} The project received a generally positive media reception.{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/apr/09/years-of-living-dangerously-global-warming-blockbuster|work=The Guardian|title=Years of Living Dangerously – a global warming blockbuster: This new Showtime climate change documentary is a nonfiction thriller you won't want to miss|first=John|last=Abraham|date=April 9, 2014}}{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.cjr.org/covering_climate_now/climate-change-stories-readers.php|work=Columbia Journalism Review|date=July 30, 2019|first=Andrew|last=McCormick|title=Audiences are (finally) paying more attention to climate stories}} Columbia Journalism Review noted the show "drew praise", while The Guardian observed, "the series has very high standards of accuracy." Bach and Gelber's work garnered Years of Living Dangerously the 2014 Emmy Award, for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.{{citation|via=Gale General OneFile|date=September 19, 2014|title=Years of Living Dangerously Wins 2014 Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series|work=Entertainment Newsweekly|publisher=NewsRX LLC}}{{citation|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/87335-joel-bach-and-david-gelber-on-years-of-living-dangerously/|access-date=March 10, 2022|work=Filmmaker Magazine|date=September 3, 2014|first=Randy|last=Astle|title=Joel Bach and David Gelber on Years of Living Dangerously|publisher=The Gotham Film & Media Institute}} He and Gelber also won the 2014 Environmental Media Award in the category, Outstanding Achievement for Environmental Content.
Season two of Years of Living Dangerously was subsequently picked up by the National Geographic channel.{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-revolutionize-climate-change-storytelling|title=How to revolutionize climate change storytelling|date=December 29, 2016|first=Anya|last=Khalamayzer|work=GreenBiz|publisher=GreenBiz Group, Inc.}}{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://realscreen.com/2015/09/17/national-geographic-renews-living-dangerously-2/|work=RealScreen|title=Nat Geo Revives 'Years of Living Dangerously'|date=September 17, 2015|first=Daniele |last=Alcinii|publisher=Brunico Communications Ltd.}} For season two of the series, Bach reached out to David Letterman after discovering he showed specific attention to climate change issues on his CBS program Late Show with David Letterman.{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/david-letterman-lands-first-post-824252/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Ryan|last=Gajewski|title=David Letterman Lands First Post-'Late Show' TV Gig — About Climate Change - 'Years of Living Dangerously' producers Joel Bach and David Gelber tell THR how they nabbed the star for the Emmy-winning series' second season.|date=September 17, 2015}} Bach explained how he landed Letterman for Years of Living Dangerously, "He seemed to perk up when this issue came across his lap We reached out to him to see if he’d want to be part of this, and he said, ‘Absolutely.’ He said [that climate change is] something he does think about a lot."{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|title=David Letterman Scores Post-'Late Show' Gig on Climate Change Series|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Jon|last=Blistein|date=September 17, 2015|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/david-letterman-scores-post-late-show-gig-on-climate-change-series-88963/}} Bach and Gelber sent David Letterman to India for the second season, to interview the country's prime minister Narendra Modi about energy issues.{{citation|access-date=March 12, 2022|url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/news-broadcasting/pm-modis-ngc-interview-to-be-done-by-david-letterman-160921|work=Indian Television|title=PM Modi's NGC interview to be done by David Letterman|date=September 21, 2016}}
For their second season, Bach and Gelber continued to use celebrity star power to bring attention to climate change, and additionally provided more examples of solutions and direct methods on how interested parties can address the issue. Their work on the second season of Years of Living Dangerously was again recognized by the Environmental Media Awards, with another nomination for Outstanding Achievement for Environmental Content.
Filmography
| class = "wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2004–2011
|60 Minutes on CBS News |Producer |Won two Emmy Awards. |
| 2014–2016
|Co-Creator with David Gelber |Won a Primetime Emmy Award and an Environmental Media Award. |
| 2020
|X Marks the Spot |Producer |Written by Jacob Kornbluth, narrated by Sigourney Weaver |
Awards and honors
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|3665423}}
- [https://theyearsproject.com/ The Years Project], Joel Bach and David Gelber, (co-founders)
- [https://www.climateandcapitalmedia.com/joel-bach-is-bringing-climate-action-to-the-masses/ Joel Bach is bringing climate action to the masses], Climate & Capital Media
{{60 Minutes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bach, Joel}}
Category:American male journalists
Category:Journalists from Colorado
Category:Brown University alumni
Category:20th-century American journalists