Daniel H. Birman

Daniel H. Birman is an award-winning documentary producer based in Los Angeles.

Daniel H. Birman Productions is in active development on social and environmental documentaries. Birman recently completed Saint Patrick's Greatest Gift, a documentary short for CuriosityStream, based on Thomas Cahill's NY Times Bestsellers book, How the Irish Saved Civilization. Just prior, he completed a feature documentary for Netflix titled Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story. This 17-year odyssey follows a 16-year-old girl who was arrested for murder in Tennessee in 2004, the deep social issues that led to her receiving a life sentence, her complex family history, and the ensuing years that led to her early release from prison in 2019. He also produced the first documentary on Cyntoia Brown, Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story for Independent Lens on PBS.

Other notable projects: Birman produced The Earliest Americans for CuriosityStream, as well as The Hunt for Dark Matter, and Conscious Capitalism. Birman also produced and directed Perfecting Flight, a feature documentary about legendary aviator Bob Hoover, narrated by Harrison Ford. Birman produced Chasing Speed (Velocity), a documentary about Leslie Porterfield, the fastest woman in the world on a motorcycle. And Birman produced, directed and wrote Brace for Impact, an exclusive about Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger III's successful emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River. (TLC & Discovery Channel)

Prior, Birman produced a one-hour special for Naked Universe series on National Geographic Channel: Death of the Universe that explores new theories about how the universe will end. He produced, Europa: Mystery of the Ice Moon, a one-hour special for Science Channel about exploring a moon of Jupiter that just might support life; and Medical Maverick – two one-hour shows for Discovery Health that look at the work of a world-class trauma surgeon. Birman also produced The Team, a four-part and first-ever nonfiction series for Nickelodeon, and Chopper Rescue a one-hour trauma pilot for Discovery Health. Before that, he produced Alternatives: Uncovered – a series of one-hour programs also for Discovery Health. Birman produced medical television with some of the nation's leading research physicians during a six-year association with Lifetime Medical Television.

Academic: In 2001, the University of Southern California invited Birman to join the faculty at the Annenberg School of Journalism. He teaches documentary to undergraduate and graduate students. He is executive producer for Impact, the school's student-produced documentary series currently featured on Spectrum News One, L.A.'s first 24-hour news channel.

Birman also serves on the Board of Governors for the Television Academy representing the documentary peer group.

updated 5.23.22