One of the founding members of Oxford Scientific Films (OSF), Gerald first became interested in wildlife film-making whilst working as a lecturer for the Forestry Department at the University of Oxford. After several years of taking stills of his study species, he realised that moving images would be much better at showing other people how these insects behaved. Along with Eric Skinner, his skilled technical assistant, he developed novel techniques in filming insects without over-heating the subjects and overcoming the problems of vibration when using close-up photographic techniques. After the success of their first film - The Alder Woodwasp and its Insect Enemies, Gerald and Eric went on to produce many more educational films.
In 1967 Gerald joined forces with Peter Parks, who had developed similar techniques for filming minute subjects; and together with John Paling, Sean Morris, John Cooke and his son, David, set up Oxford Scientific Films. Since then OSF has become world famous for its wide range of specialist cinematography. Gerald Thompson was awarded an OBE for Services to the Film Industry in 1981 and received the Panda Award for Outstanding Achievement at Wildscreen 1998.
Gerald Thompson died at the age of 85 in 2002.
View the oral history of Gerald Thompson Look: The Alder Woodwasp and its Insect Enemies (1960) | Director |
| Unarmed Hunters (1963) | Appearance |
| Walk into the Parlour: The Spiders of Britain (1966) | Director, Photography |
| Wild Jamaica: Cays, crabs and cucumbers (1968) | Presenter, Photography |
| Wild Jamaica: Trapdoors, Tyrants and Tadpoles (1968) | Photography, Additional Commentary |
| The Insect Man (1972) | Photography |
| Camera Magic: Images of Nature (1989) | Photography |
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| Gerald and David Thompson filming driver... |
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| Gerald Thompson with camera |
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| Gerald Thompson filming |
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| Eric Skinner and Gerald Thompson during filming... |
