I was born in Camp Zama in Japan in 1960. My father was a doctor in the U.S. Army, and we moved frequently until he went into private practice in Phoenix, Arizona. As a boy, I watched endless amounts of television and went to the movies as often as I could. Sometimes I would sit through the same film two or three times in a row. I wasn’t a discriminate viewer; I devoured everything. But the stories that stayed with me the longest were the ones that not only entertained; they left me with something to think about. 
I became passionate about speech and drama at Camelback High School, deeply inspired by two incredible teachers, Ann Tully and Jim Harvey. I knew – just knew – I wanted to make it in Hollywood. But as I was starting college at UCLA, a family tragedy knocked me for a loop. I gave up my dreams of Hollywood, and instead spent endless hours at the school newspaper, the Daily Bruin.
Upon graduation, I worked as a wire-service reporter for United Press International in Indianapolis and New York, and briefly for the Associated Press in Paris, before admitting what deep inside I had known all along. I needed to go back to Hollywood to make it as a writer.
To support myself, I read scripts for production companies and worked as a freelance reporter for magazines including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. Two years later, I obtained an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Then two years after that, by an incredible stroke of good fortune, I got my first big break.
The X-Files was a life-changing experience. I spent eight years on the series, graduating from staff writer to Executive Producer after three seasons, and made two feature films. We were rewarded with three Golden Globes for Best Drama Series and a Peabody Award, and I shared one Emmy nomination for writing and three for Outstanding Drama Series.
During my time on The X-Files, I helped produce three other series – Millennium, Harsh Realm, and The Lone Gunmen – and when they ended, I went on to work on Michael Mann’s Robbery Homicide Division and a reboot of one of my all-time favorites, The Night Stalker.
In the wake of the writers' strike in 2008, I decided to move to London to make Hunted for the BBC and Cinemax. Discovering I liked being on the other side of the pond, I founded Big Light Productions Ltd. in 2013 so I could stay there.
At first Big Light came aboard existing series, like the second season of Transporter and the third season of Crossing Lines. Then we began creating original series with some amazing partners: Amazon’s Emmy-Award winning The Man in the High Castle, Leonardo for RAI, France Télévisions and RTVE, Medici: Masters of Florence and Medici: The Magnificent for RAI and Netflix, Ransom for CBS and Global, and The Indian Detective for Netflix.
I now live and work in London, where my company Big Light Productions is headquartered.
I was late to find my path in life, but I feel incredibly fortunate that I did. There may be better ways to make a living, but I can't think of anything more satisfying or rewarding than telling stories. This website tells mine.
I was born in Camp Zama in Japan in 1960. My father was a doctor in the U.S. Army, and we moved frequently until he went into private practice in Phoenix, Arizona. As a boy, I watched endless amounts of television and went to the movies as often as I could. Sometimes I would sit through the same film two or three times in a row. I wasn’t a discriminate viewer; I devoured everything. But the stories that stayed with me the longest were the ones that not only entertained; they left me with something to think about.
I became passionate about speech and drama at Camelback High School, deeply inspired by two incredible teachers, Ann Tully and Jim Harvey. I knew – just knew – I wanted to make it in Hollywood. But as I was starting college at UCLA, a family tragedy knocked me for a loop. I gave up my dreams of Hollywood, and instead spent endless hours at the school newspaper, the Daily Bruin.
Upon graduation, I worked as a wire-service reporter for United Press International in Indianapolis and New York, and briefly for the Associated Press in Paris, before admitting what deep inside I had known all along. I needed to go back to Hollywood to make it as a writer.
To support myself, I read scripts for production companies and worked as a freelance reporter for magazines including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. Two years later, I obtained an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Then two years after that, by an incredible stroke of good fortune, I got my first big break.
The X-Files was a life-changing experience. I spent eight years on the series, graduating from staff writer to Executive Producer after three seasons, and made two feature films. We were re- warded with three Golden Globes for Best Drama Series and a Peabody Award, and I shared an Emmy nomination for writing and three for Outstanding Drama Series.
During my time on The X-Files, I helped produce three other series – Millennium, Harsh Realm, and The Lone Gunmen – and when they ended, I went on to work on Michael Mann’s Robbery Homicide Division and a reboot of one of my all-time favorites, The Night Stalker.
In the wake of the writers' strike in 2008, I decided to move to London to make Hunted for the BBC and Cinemax. Discovering I liked being on the other side of the pond, I founded Big Light Productions Ltd. in 2013 so I could stay there.
At first Big Light came aboard existing series, like the second season of Transporter and the third season of Crossing Lines. Then we began creating original series with some amazing partners: Amazon’s Emmy-Award winning The Man in the High Castle, Leonardo for RAI, France Télévisions and RTVE, Medici: Masters of Florence and Medici: The Magnificent for RAI and Netflix, Ransom for CBS and Global, and The Indian Detective for Netflix.
I now live and work in London, where my company Big Light Productions is headquartered.
I was late to find my path in life, but I feel incredibly fortunate that I did. There may be better ways to make a living, but I can't think of anything more satisfying or rewarding than telling stories. This website tells mine.