JOHN EALER

John Ealer is an experienced executive producer and showrunner who specializes in producing, directing, and writing documentary series for broadcast and streaming outlets such as HBO, CNN, Netflix, Fox Nation, AMC, ABC, Hulu, Bloomberg, History, and Discovery.

John recently spearheaded two seasons of AN OPTIMIST’S GUIDE TO THE PLANET WITH NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU, a show that circles the globe to find the inspiring people and breathtaking solutions for a world in crisis.

Other favorite recent projects include RELATIVE SECRETS with Jane Seymour for AMC networks, a groundbreaking series that combines true crime and genealogy to solve real-life family mysteries, and THE GAME SHOW SHOW, for ABC and Hulu, a chronicle of one of America’s most enduring TV formats.

John was also the executive producer of HBO and Issa Rae’s SEEN AND HEARD, which premiered at SXSW in 2025 and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. The 2x90 series is the definitive chronicle of the history of Black television.

John was showrunner, director and head writer for CNN’s 2021 smash hit, HISTORY OF THE SITCOM, an eight-part docuseries featuring over 180 interviews, including iconic figures like Tracy Morgan, Lisa Kudrow, Kelsey Grammer, Constance Wu, George Lopez, Jason Alexander, Yvette Lee Bowser and Norman Lear. John shepherded the show from its inception and development, through COVID-19, up until its launch.

John was also the showrunner, director and head writer for CNN’s critically acclaimed 2021 six-part doc series, THE STORY OF LATE NIGHT. Featuring over 90 interviews with late-night TV luminaries (including Amber Ruffin, Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Whoopi Goldberg, Chelsea Handler and Dick Cavett), John was instrumental in leading not only the creative execution, but also in spearheading the archival licensing strategy to achieve an unprecedented level of access.

In the 2010s, before his recent forays into pop culture history, John produced, wrote and/or directed acclaimed and Emmy-nominated period docudramas with unparalleled production value. Netflix’s ROMAN EMPIRE (Seasons 2 and 3) viscerally re-told the stories of Julius Caesar and Caligula. AMC’s THE AMERICAN WEST (EP, Robert Redford) tracked the story of iconic outlaws like Jesse James and Billy the Kid. AMC’s THE MAKING OF THE MOB (Seasons 1 and 2) took on the legends of Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, and Sam Giancana, among others. History’s FRONTIERSMEN (EP, Leonardo DiCaprio) revisited the complicated legacies of America’s pioneers. THE WORLD WARS and THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA helped redefine the docudrama genre.

John’s other directorial credits include VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, a gritty feature-length documentary about post-war Kosovo (Slamdance Film Festival, 2008). His director of photography credits include the dramatic feature TOWARDS DARKNESS (2007, Tribeca Film Festival) and special venue presentations like THE SHUTTLE LAUNCH EXPERIENCE at Kennedy Space Center and DREAM BIG at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.

John began his career as a documentary cameraperson and counts among his most memorable work experiences the 24-hour conjoined twin separation surgery he shot in 2003 for ABC / Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Winner of two Los Angeles Emmy Awards, John holds an MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and a BA from the University of Iowa.