Austin Raishbrook is an internationally renowned photojournalist whose highly successful career inspired Jake Gyllenhaal’s character in the critically acclaimed & award-winning movie, Nightcrawler.  He is the founder of RMG News, one of the most successful news gathering agencies in the US, creator and co-producer of the hit series “XRC” (Xtreme Reality Clips) on Discovery Channel and star of truTV’s reality show, Stringers: LA.

During filming for his latest show, a Netflix Original, he pulled an unconscious man from a burning vehicle after a violent, high-speed crash.  He was subsequently awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the California Highway Patrol and nominated for a Carnegie Medal of Honor for saving the life of the victim.

Austin has been featured in dozens of publications around the world, most notably Esquire Magazine, FHM and the LA Times and has appeared on numerous TV and radio spots, including such shows as Le Grand Journal in France, BBC’s World Service Outlook radio show and Channel 7’s Sunrise morning show in Sydney, Australia.

Citing a quote from a 2014 interview with movies.com, “The life of a real “nightcrawler” is even more wild than what’s seen in the movie. Austin Raishbrook isn’t just a camera man. The passion with which he talks about his adrenaline-junkie lifestyle makes him seem less like a real person and more like a character from a ’90s Kathryn Bigelow movie. But he’s very real and very, very fascinating; the kind of person who has stories for days.”

Austin is currently represented by APA Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, CA.

BIOGRAPHY

Growing up in a small rural town in southern England, Austin Raishbrook was fascinated by photography.  Upon leaving school he explored the world of photojournalism and began freelancing for local newspapers.  But these jobs left him unfulfilled and, in search of more inspiring work, he exchanged the tranquility of his hometown for the streets of Los Angeles.

During his first few years in the US he found work on national newspapers and magazines, covering assignments for US Weekly, the New York Post and People Magazine, among others.  First published in 1995, Austin’s work has now been seen in publications around the world, including the LA Times, Maxim Magazine and The Independent Newspaper, a leading UK broadsheet.

Realizing an increasing trend towards video and multimedia in the journalism industry, Austin trained in film and video at the Hollywood Film Institute gaining hands-on experience as a cinematographer.  His creative talents led him across the world where he worked on documentaries and commercials including the highly acclaimed feature documentary, ‘The Junkman’s Son’. On returning to Los Angeles, his passion for film transposed to news photography and later that year he co-founded RMG News with his brothers, Howard & Marc.

RMG News is now one of the most successful news gathering agencies in the US, capturing some of the most breathtaking news footage ever to be seen on television.  The company provides footage to dozens of news channels around the world, including CNN, Fox News and Univision – the leading Spanish-language media organization in the US.  RMG News also works extensively with local fire and law enforcement agencies providing media services, footage and still images for training, promotion, event coverage and evidential purposes.

In 2008 the LA Times recognized RMG News as a “well-oiled news-gathering force” and the success of the company also caught the attention of Tru TV executives.  Stringers: LA, a reality TV series that first aired on the cable channel in 2008, offered viewers a behind-the-scenes look at RMG’s cutting edge work.  Executives at Tru TV say: “RMG News is one of the most successful news photography companies in LA.”

In 2011 Austin co-produced “XRC” (Xtreme Reality Clips), a reality show created from RMG’s vast library of extreme news footage.  “XRC” was instantly recognized by top programmers from around the globe and was acquired by the leading broadcasters and networks in Asia (Discovery Channel), Africa (Sony’s Channels, Sony MAX and SET), and Latin America.

Austin found himself behind another set of cameras in 2014 – those of the award-winning, pulse-pounding thriller Nightcrawler.  He was hired by director and producer Dan Gilroy of the Bourne Legacy fame as technical consultant on the movie, working alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Paxton and Riz Ahmed.  The script later went on to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2015 Oscars and UK BAFTA Awards.

When Austin isn’t glued to his video camera he is also a distinguished and highly successful operations director who has an extensive background in new technology, systems management and business operations.  He has an acute awareness of the evolving nature of the digital, publishing and broadcasting businesses and has organized, coordinated and directed highly successful digital media projects and direct-to-consumer products.

In his downtime he enjoys lakeside living with his wonderful wife and children, is currently completing his EMT certification and has just finished shooting his latest reality show, a Netflix Original, due to be released later this year.