Tom Garber

Historical Maritime Documentary Filmmaker

Tom Garber

When Mr. Garber began making films as a young teenager, he knew it was his life's work. He graduated from the Film/Video Department at California Institute of the Arts in 1980, where he mentored with Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker Terry Sanders. Upon graduation, Mr. Garber moved to New York City and formed 20/20 Video Productions. Ten years of commercial and industrial video work for corporate and entertainment clients, honed Mr. Garber's skills for production, and prepared him for projects with more substantial content.

 

With a move to Hampton Bays in 1990, Mr. Garber formed his documentary production and distribution company, Third Wave Films. His goal was to make quality films on historically significant maritime subjects, often missed by mainstream media.

 

Within this context, Mr. Garber has written, produced, directed, photographed, and edited seven historical maritime documentaries that have aired nationally on PBS and The Discovery Channel. These films have been nominated for a NY Emmy, received a Gold Medal from the Charleston International Film Festival, Gold and Silver Awards from the Houston International Film Festival, and First Place in the Suffolk Film and Video Festival.

 

Mr. Garber's films have been underwritten by a variety of organizations, including: The Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities, The United States Department of the Interior, New York State Office of Parks and Historic Preservation, The Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation, U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Assoc., The Life Saving Benevolent Assoc., The Marine Society of the City of New York, Montauk Historical Society, Sunny and Abe Rosenberg Foundation, and The Hampton Bays Beautification Association.