Decker Watson
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Decker Watson is a multi-Emmy-winning producer, writer and director. After nearly two decades documenting blue collar occupations the world over, Watson writes working class characters authentically while rendering their worlds with authority. Watson is best known for the feature film Finestkind (Paramount) and television series Deadliest Catch (Discovery), Ice Road Truckers, IRT: Deadliest Roads (both History), Swords: Life On The Line (Discovery), and Pirate Gold of Adak Island (Netflix).
With a career built chronicling the world's deadliest professions, Watson honed his skills over land, air and sea in remote locales from Alaska's arctic to the Indian Himalayas. Directing second unit on Finestkind, Watson helmed the action sequences which were authentically filmed at sea. Finestkind debuted on Paramount+ as the #1 film world wide and is nominated for a Critic's Choice Award. On the Netflix series Pirate Gold of Adak Island, Watson served as writer, creator and executive producer. The series charted on Netflix as their #4 series, remaining in the top 10 for several weeks with a viewership of over 15 million. As the Executive Producer of Deadliest Catch and others Watson has overseen more than 300 hours of highly rated television typically the most watched of the night broadcast. Season 9 Watson steered the series towards a ratings increase of 12% for the premier (over season 8's inaugural episode). Season 10 debuted to the show's best ratings in three seasons and continued as the #1 cable show for all 16 weeks.
Awards won include, multiple EMMYs for Outstanding Reality Series, Real Screen Director of the Year and Best Series, Telly Awards for Best Promo, multiple Reality TV Awards for Outstanding Series, and nominations including the Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television, multiple Critic's Choice Awards for Outstanding Documentary or Reality Series, and four EMMY nominations for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Series.
After completing his undergraduate degree at Northeastern University in Boston, Watson attended the School of Visual Arts in New York and spent the next decade on Madison Avenue as a copywriter and creative director. There, he collected awards ranging from EFFIEs to ADDYs working at Ogilvy & Mather and McCann-Erickson (both New York) then his own boutique shop MadScience Creative (also New York). His clients included Budweiser, Sam Adams, Dos Equis, Rolling Rock, Burger King, Microsoft X-Box, SONY P2P, Dennis Publishing (Stuff, Maxim and Blender), Coke, Stella Artois, Caffeine Apparel and Viacom (WNEW FM) with annual budgets from $2M to $400M.
Watson is currently writing and developing features, scripted series and documentaries.
With a career built chronicling the world's deadliest professions, Watson honed his skills over land, air and sea in remote locales from Alaska's arctic to the Indian Himalayas. Directing second unit on Finestkind, Watson helmed the action sequences which were authentically filmed at sea. Finestkind debuted on Paramount+ as the #1 film world wide and is nominated for a Critic's Choice Award. On the Netflix series Pirate Gold of Adak Island, Watson served as writer, creator and executive producer. The series charted on Netflix as their #4 series, remaining in the top 10 for several weeks with a viewership of over 15 million. As the Executive Producer of Deadliest Catch and others Watson has overseen more than 300 hours of highly rated television typically the most watched of the night broadcast. Season 9 Watson steered the series towards a ratings increase of 12% for the premier (over season 8's inaugural episode). Season 10 debuted to the show's best ratings in three seasons and continued as the #1 cable show for all 16 weeks.
Awards won include, multiple EMMYs for Outstanding Reality Series, Real Screen Director of the Year and Best Series, Telly Awards for Best Promo, multiple Reality TV Awards for Outstanding Series, and nominations including the Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television, multiple Critic's Choice Awards for Outstanding Documentary or Reality Series, and four EMMY nominations for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Series.
After completing his undergraduate degree at Northeastern University in Boston, Watson attended the School of Visual Arts in New York and spent the next decade on Madison Avenue as a copywriter and creative director. There, he collected awards ranging from EFFIEs to ADDYs working at Ogilvy & Mather and McCann-Erickson (both New York) then his own boutique shop MadScience Creative (also New York). His clients included Budweiser, Sam Adams, Dos Equis, Rolling Rock, Burger King, Microsoft X-Box, SONY P2P, Dennis Publishing (Stuff, Maxim and Blender), Coke, Stella Artois, Caffeine Apparel and Viacom (WNEW FM) with annual budgets from $2M to $400M.
Watson is currently writing and developing features, scripted series and documentaries.
