OCTFME Recognizes Nancy Swenton as the April 2014 Filmmaker of the Month

Monday, April 7, 2014

Nancy Swenton is an award-winning producer and production manager with over 25 years of experience in the production of short films, commercials, documentaries, episodic television series, feature films, public service announcements and museum films.

A DC native, Nancy has a deep knowledge and understanding of the National Capital Region, and loves to share that knowledge with the filmmakers who come from around the world to film in DC.  As a production manager for numerous studios, networks, production companies and political campaigns, she works on a wide range of projects, diverse in their size, nature and complexity. She has been fortunate to work with notable talents in the industry, including feature films with directors Robert Redford, Wolfgang Peterson, Gavin Hood and John Waters, music videos with Spike Jonze and Sony Pictures, and documentaries with Errol Morris and Davis Guggenheim. Her work also includes many national spots with clients including Industrial Light and Magic, HBO, Disney, Propaganda, Maysles Films, @radical media and Oil Factory.

Collaborating with local production companies and agencies, Nancy has enjoyed long standing relationships with both directors and local crew, who are among the best in the business. As the production manager and location manager on period docudramas with the BBC, History Channel and National Geographic, Nancy explores deep into her DC knowledge to find such obscure locations as a Lincoln era White House, Harriet Tubman’s childhood home, stables for the Underground Railroad and even a local castle with a moat. She also works with more intimate commercial productions, and small doc crews from around the world. She is an expert at navigating the needs and requirements of filming in DC, revealing its hidden treasures, and ensuring that the cast and crew are the best fit for commercials and movies large and small, all within short timelines and tight budgets.

As the field producer for the Emeril Green series on Planet Green, Nancy created more than 60 TV segments, profiling conservationists, farmers, chefs, vintners, beekeepers, watermen and artisanal food producers. She interviewed pioneers in the sustainable food industry across the country, to create short film portraits that capture their essence and their passion. Her work has led her around the globe, interviewing and documenting genetic scientists in Iceland, Tibetan Monks in India, indigenous musicians in Kenya, writers at the oldest library in Paris, the community gardeners of New Orleans and decorative painters at the Library of Congress, among many others. 

Working directly with clients to craft their message, Nancy has produced films for the US Holocaust Museum, the US Capitol, World Wildlife Fund, Xerox, IBM, along with hospitals and many non-profits. She often teams with directors, creative directors, political consulting firms and PR firms to create short films and promos that advocate and educate while entertaining and engaging the viewer. She has a deep appreciation for the importance of the collaborative creative process and a relentless attention to detail, which consistently results in innovative and exceptional content.

Visit our Filmmaker of the Month Section to see previous Filmmakers of the Month.