Penny Lane is My Real Name is a newsletter sharing an honest perspective about making art and making a living as a documentary film director (in challenging times). It is aimed at professionals and aspiring professionals in the field, as well as educators, students and fans of documentary film.
Who am I?
I’ve been making a living in documentary film since 2019, when I left my decade+ career as a college professor (and tenure) to form the production company Spinning Nancy alongside my producing partner Gabriel Sedgwick. Our unofficial company motto is We choose to LOL. We provide production services and producing support of all kinds to films that fit our mission of proving that smart movies don’t have to be boring. We executive produced the hit HBO documentary Time Bomb Y2K and the upcoming documentary Manhood.
I have directed 8 feature documentaries, which have premiered and won awards at film festivals like Sundance, New Directors, SXSW, Toronto and Tribeca. My documentaries have been financed and/or distributed by partners like HBO, Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, Magnolia Pictures, Impact Partners, Sandbox Films, Concordia Studio and Jigsaw.
I also consult with other professionals and aspiring professionals in the field of documentary film on a regular basis. I work with clients at all stages of careers and at all stages of the filmmaking process. Get in touch if you want to know more!
