Douglas Watkin was born in Cairns, Far North Queensland. His filmmaking career began by working in television (SBS Network 1995) doing small news reports and producing various government corporate videos.

Douglas established the film and video production company Double Wire Productions in 2000. Since then Double Wire Productions’ teams have travelled nationally and internationally shooting and producing stories on wide ranging events, people and places, as well as writing and producing dramas that have screened in film festivals around the world.

Double Wire Productions has worked and collaborated with many acclaimed artists in dance, music and theatre. In the documentary field Douglas has produced a number of broadcasting documentaries and news pieces for ABC Message Stick, ABC Talking Heads and NiTV SBS. They have also produced corporate work for all levels of government: Commonwealth / State / and Regional.

In 2011, Douglas was commissioned by the Queensland Art Gallery's Gallery of Modern Art to produce The Queen and I. The video tells the story of Douglas’ father, Edward Watkin's encounter with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Cairns in 1954.