Paul Stojanovich
Encyclopedia
Paul Stojanovich was an American
television producer
whose notable creations include American Detective
(1991–1993) and World's Wildest Police Videos
(1998–2001).
shortly after he was born. As a teenager, Stojanovich became an avid photographer, saving his money to buy an expensive Hasselblad
camera and getting his own darkroom
in his father's barn in Campbell, California. He won the respect of Graham Nash, an avid photographer, at the age of 13 and began to collaborate with him. At 16, he dropped out of high school and started taking film-making classes from Larry Booth in Half Moon Bay, California. His experience as a photographer made the transition to motion pictures relatively easy. .
His interest in policing began when he was attending high school in San Jose
, often listening to his police scanner. He even subscribed to a CHP
magazine. He combined his interest in photography and film-making and his interest in police work when he convinced some friends with the San Jose Sheriff's Office Narcotics unit to let him film their work. The film became the Emmy-award winning documentary Narco.
Stojanovich then spent a few years working as a camerman for then NBC affiliate KRON. While working at KRON, he met one of his heroes, photographer Ansel Adams
, who was particularly interesting in the workings of his video camera. He also worked as a field producer for the ABC news magazine 20/20 and was creative consultant on Oliver Stone
's film Natural Born Killers
.
After serving as a field producer for the reality show COPS in 1989 and then producing and creating the ABC series American Detective
, Stojanovich executive produced a series of crime reality shows, including World's Scariest Police Chases and Ultimate Police Challenge. His legacy as an innovative creator and producer still commands respect in the entertainment businesss.
The Beaverton
, Oregon
Police Department made Stojanovich an Honorary Special Reserve Officer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
whose notable creations include American Detective
American Detective
American Detective was a police documentary television series broadcast by ABC in the United States from 1991 to 1993.American Detective featured detectives in major U.S. urban areas working on high-profile criminal cases which were often drug-related...
(1991–1993) and World's Wildest Police Videos
World's Wildest Police Videos
World's Wildest Police Videos is a reality TV series that dealt with police videos from across the world. Video footage of car chases, subsequent arrests, robberies, riots and other crimes appeared on the show...
(1998–2001).
Career
His father, Chester Stojanovich, was an entomologist with a Doctorate from Stanford and his mother, Martha Stojanovich, was one of the first women to work at the Center for Disease Control. Martha was diagnosed with schizophreniaSchizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
shortly after he was born. As a teenager, Stojanovich became an avid photographer, saving his money to buy an expensive Hasselblad
Hasselblad
Victor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium-format cameras and photographic equipment based in Gothenburg, Sweden.The company is best known for the medium-format cameras it has produced since World War II....
camera and getting his own darkroom
Darkroom
A darkroom is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light sensitive photographic materials, including photographic film and photographic paper. Darkrooms have been created and used since the inception of photography in the early 19th century...
in his father's barn in Campbell, California. He won the respect of Graham Nash, an avid photographer, at the age of 13 and began to collaborate with him. At 16, he dropped out of high school and started taking film-making classes from Larry Booth in Half Moon Bay, California. His experience as a photographer made the transition to motion pictures relatively easy. .
His interest in policing began when he was attending high school in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, often listening to his police scanner. He even subscribed to a CHP
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
magazine. He combined his interest in photography and film-making and his interest in police work when he convinced some friends with the San Jose Sheriff's Office Narcotics unit to let him film their work. The film became the Emmy-award winning documentary Narco.
Stojanovich then spent a few years working as a camerman for then NBC affiliate KRON. While working at KRON, he met one of his heroes, photographer Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
, who was particularly interesting in the workings of his video camera. He also worked as a field producer for the ABC news magazine 20/20 and was creative consultant on Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
's film Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers is a 1994 crime/black comedy film directed by Oliver Stone about two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and psychopathic serial killers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media...
.
After serving as a field producer for the reality show COPS in 1989 and then producing and creating the ABC series American Detective
American Detective
American Detective was a police documentary television series broadcast by ABC in the United States from 1991 to 1993.American Detective featured detectives in major U.S. urban areas working on high-profile criminal cases which were often drug-related...
, Stojanovich executive produced a series of crime reality shows, including World's Scariest Police Chases and Ultimate Police Challenge. His legacy as an innovative creator and producer still commands respect in the entertainment businesss.
The Beaverton
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
Police Department made Stojanovich an Honorary Special Reserve Officer.