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Award-winning Writer/Producer/Director, John Platt, one of the original innovators of reality TV in the U.S., was integral in building hit franchises like Big Brother (2000) and The Amazing Race (2001). Platt's creative influence can be found throughout modern pop culture. Starting as a Video Game Writer/Designer on groundbreaking arcade hits Dragon's Lair (1983) and Space Ace (1983). He also wrote feature film screenplays right out of college, including the cult-classic Lambada movie The Forbidden Dance (1990).
Between screenplays, Platt worked in television, writing, producing & directing shows for E! Entertainment Television and the Sci-Fi Channel. In 2001, Platt met producers Arnold Shapiro and Allison Grodner who wanted him to join the creative team behind CBS's soon-to-be-megahit Big Brother (2000). Impressed by his vital contributions to BB2's complex storytelling (including creating the now omnipresent reality TV 'flashback'), CBS asked Platt to reshape the story department for the second season of The Amazing Race (2001), where he was the only story producer to circumnavigate the globe that season. Platt devised and implemented field and post techniques that are still used to make that series the massive hit it is today.
Platt was also highly influential in the 'celeb-reality' phenomenon, as Producer on the first season of The Surreal Life (2003) (and as Supervising Producer of season 2), a series that spawned more spin-offs than almost any other show in history, and paved the way for shows like The Kardashians (2022).
He became Co-Executive Producer of "Big Brother" on season 7's All Stars edition, and continued to oversee story on that series through Season 11, training and mentoring showbiz 'newbies' who would go on to run their own shows, further spreading his influence throughout popular media.
During his years on "Big Brother", Platt was also Co-Executive Producer of ABC's highly controversial and critically acclaimed docu-series Brat Camp (2005), which was nominated for the Director's Guild of America's first-ever reality TV award. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune said "'Brat Camp' may be one of the few reality shows in the history of the genre capable of moving members of the audience to tears. Yes, it's that good!" While Michael Davis of TV Guide called the show "Riveting television."
Platt also produced ABC's critically acclaimed reality comedy The Family (2003), which The New York Times television critic Virginia Heffernan named as one of her Top 10 Programs of the Year.
Platt was also instrumental in developing CBS' ground-breaking, yet controversial series Kid Nation (2007), considered by many to be one of the best, most ambitious reality TV shows ever produced.
Also a pioneer in online entertainment, Platt executive produced Hulu's first ever original series If I Can Dream (2010) with American Idol (2002) creator Simon Fuller, as well as Showrunning Bravo's Emmy Award® winning, multi-media dating series The Singles Project (2014).
Platt was also the Showrunner of A&E's long-running house flipping hit Flipping Vegas (2011), and the internationally franchised FYI Series Bride & Prejudice (2016), among many others.
Platt's early love of playing Dungeons & Dragons even became an asset in 2023, when he was asked to produce over 60 hours of original content to launch the new "Dungeons & Dragons Adventures" FAST Channel for eOne and Hasbro. The D&D series include Matthew Lillard's improv comedy show Faster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill! (2023), the video version of the podcast hit Encounter Party (2023), and the Dungeons & Dragons-themed cooking show Heroes' Feast (2023), bringing Platt's body of work to well over 500 hours of produced television.
Platt is always developing fresh, new shows and writing screenplays at his home in Sherman Oaks, CA, where he lives with his wife, schoolteacher Carrie Wong.
