Jeff Kurr

The Discovery Channel's legendary natural history filmmaker Jeff Kurr, has made 30 shark related documentaries and been a part of the immensely popular Shark Week event every year since 1991. He's produced 5 of the top 10 highest rated Shark Week episodes (#3 "Tales of The Tiger Shark" (1996), #4 "Air Jaws: Sharks of South Africa" (2001), #7 "Ultimate Air Jaws" (2010), #8 "Great White Invasion" (2011), #10 "Shark Attack Files" (1995). He's been the executive producer, director, underwater cinematographer, editor and writer for an unprecedented 3 consecutive Sunday night Shark Week kickoff shows. His "Ultimate Air Jaws" kicked off Shark Week 2010 and propelled the summertime extravaganza to its highest ratings ever, attracting 30.8 million viewers. His "Great White Invasion" kicked things off in 2011, and his "Air Jaws Apocalypse" was the kickoff show for the 25th Anniversary of Shark Week in 2012. Known for innovative filmmaking techniques, Kurr has used night vision, thermal imaging, remote operated submersibles and helicopters, robotic seals, towed underwater cameras, submarines and high-speed cameras to capture unprecedented shark behavior. He was the first to shoot breaching great whites in super slow motion, earning an EMMY nomination in 2010. For Shark Week, Kurr co-hosted 2009's "Shark After Dark" and 2012's "Air Jaws Apocalypse". He also appeared as a shark expert in 2012's "Shark Week's Impossible Shot" and "Shark Week's 25 Best Bites". He's "talked sharks" live on the set of the TODAY show, live on set for FOX NEWS, plus GOOD DAY L.A. He's also been featured in TIME Magazine, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, NY Post, Entertainment Weekly, Washington Post, Details Magazine, Scientific American, Shark Diver Magazine, Huffington Post and appeared in a Diet Mountain Dew commercial. Jeff was also a contributing writer for "Field Guide to the Great White Shark". After Jeff graduated from San Diego State University in 1984, he went on to become a newscast director for 7 years at network affiliate stations including WRTV (ABC) Indianapolis, winning over 20 awards including the prestigious RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award in 1989. In addition to sharks, Jeff has spent over a year in Africa shooting lion, hippo, crocodile, buffalo, elephant, cheetah, rhino, and deadly snakes for Animal Planet's "Jeff Corwin Experience" and numerous other documentaries. In Hollywood, Jeff has also been the Director of Photography for such reality hits as: "The Girls Next Door", "Super Nanny", "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", and MTV's popular "Parental Control", which he also directed. Jeff has also been a camera operator on shows like: "Fear Factor", "Dateline", "EXTRA", and many more. Jeff, a single dad, is also a California native residing in Thousand Oaks with his 8 year old twins, Austin and Taylor. He enjoys volunteering at his kids' school and helping to coach his son's Pony League baseball team.