PARIS, FRANCE

DECEMBER 28, 1895

A crowd of 40 people gathers in the Salon Indien du Grand Café. They are here for the first commercial screen of moving pictures. The Lumière brothers – Auguste and Louis – created the world’s first motion picture camera. The audience was about to see 10 short films, each lasting about 50 seconds. 

Every film shown that night was a documentary.

More than a century later, we carry on that same tradition to push the boundaries of what is possible in nonfiction filmmaking. Hence our moniker, 1895 Films.

We are a full-service, award-winning content production company with long-standing client relationships in media & entertainment. We are known for our curated team approach along with our collaborative spirit. Immersive storytellers at the core, we bring quality production value to every project from documentaries and series to specials, branded content, and podcasts. We love working with clients to bring their brand to life in a meaningful way to the audiences they serve. 

We are fortunate to be recognized for our work. We are recipients of the Peabody Award, the highest honor in television.

OUR CO-FOUNDERS

  • Tom Jennings has earned the reputation as one of the most compelling storytellers of our time. An award-winning content creator, he blends creativity and mastery of the filmmaking craft with curiosity to find story angles in places not previously considered. Throughout his career, he has delivered hundreds of hours of premium content and truly unforgettable moments for audiences across platforms. His work has received numerous honors, including an Emmy Award and several nominations, a Peabody Award, a Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures, and Television Business International’s “Excellence in TV” Award.

    “…fresh and innovative approach…uses [his] signature style to give viewers unparalleled access…making the familiar moments feel new…lens of integrity and consideration…genuinely the hardest working kind of guy you could possibly ask to work with.” These words illustrate Tom’s differentiating point of view—one that he began forming as a student at Kent State University. With the help of mentors and influences who stepped in to change the course of Tom’s life, he found a home at the Daily Kent Stater where he was named the editor and the university’s first winner in the national Hearst Journalism Awards program. This set the stage for what would become a lifetime of award-winning storytelling.

    In 2004, Tom founded Tom Jennings Productions, building from a decade-long, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalism career and several years as an Emmy Award-winning director, producer, and writer. Bringing together the best talent he could find, he built a content development and production company that delivered documentary features and series projects for Discovery, History Channel, and National Geographic.

    Tom defines the creative vision for each project. A natural problem solver who is fascinated with ingenuity, Tom combines inventive storylines and formats with curated teams of experts to give clients a one-of-a-kind production. Inspired by the generosity of those who encouraged his talents and advanced his career, Tom created a media and journalism internship in partnership with Kent State University. This collaboration gives college students critical on-the-job experience while building 1895 Films’ pipeline of highly skilled talent.

    Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Kent State University where he was named Journalism Alumnus of the Year (William D. Taylor Award) in 2019. Following graduation, Tom moved from coast to coast as a journalist, building a portfolio of bylines for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Associated Press, The Washington Post, Santa Monica Evening Outlook, and other publishers across Ohio and Maryland.

  • A Cynopsis Media Top Women in Media Award recipient, Ellen Farmer is the unstoppable force behind the day-to-day business operations of 1895 Films. Not your typical production company executive, she combines her world-class management consulting, risk management, and governance beginnings with her Emmy Award-winning production and research experience to simplify the complex. Her smart, well-timed orchestration of the 1895 world allows the creative teams to focus on what they do best…telling stories in a way that honors each brand and achieves the objectives of each client.

    A stabilizing leader, Ellen is the architect of a business infrastructure that combines the best of what the 1895 teams have to offer into an award-winning creative engine. She built this foundation by gaining valuable insights as she raised her hand to fill critical gaps. There isn’t a job she hasn’t done or isn’t willing to do—including navigating the challenges of doing research in Cuba to secure never-before-used footage. As she advanced from an Associate Producer to Line Producer, Producer, and ultimately Executive in Charge of Production, she discovered her passion for creating and sustaining a family-like culture where uniquely talented and diverse voices converge.

    Ellen holds a master’s degree in environmental policy from King’s College in London and a bachelor’s degree in sociology and government from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Early in her career, she joined Booz Allen Hamilton, serving as an environmental consultant in Washington, D.C. She then joined the Telecommunications Industry Association as an Environmental Program Manager.

    When she is not wrangling the 1895 production teams and filling critical gaps, Ellen can be found at the stables with her favorite horse or traveling.

THE TEAM

  • Rob Kirk is known as much for his ability to create family-like work cultures as he is for his Emmy Award-winning filmmaking career. A positive influence and mentor woven through the careers of several 1895 Films team members, he builds collaborations of top talent and advocates for the success of each team.

    Since joining 1895 Films in 2017 as supervising producer, Rob has overseen all feature documentary, episodic, and branded content projects. He is the winner of a Producers Guild of America Award and a New York Festival Grand Award for Apollo: Missions to the Moon (National Geographic). His additional New York Festival wins include The Real Right Stuff (Disney+), The Lost Tapes (Smithsonian Channel), and Diana: In Her Own Words (National Geographic / Netflix).

    In what he fondly describes as a decades-long business trip to Los Angeles, Rob left the ski slopes of Colorado, eager to put his filmmaking studies to work. While gaining early experience as a writer, director, and producer for several production companies, Rob was nominated for an Emmy for his three-hour special, The Last Days of World War II, and received a Daytime Emmy for his special, Remembering World War II: Pearl Harbor. He also produced and directed the epic two-hour History Channel special, The Ottoman Empire. His feature documentary, Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness, won Best Documentary at the Hollywood Film Festival and was featured at the United Nations.

    In 1994, Rob co-founded Digital Ranch Productions—a production company that blended creative storytelling with technology innovation. For more than two decades, he worked closely with his Digital Ranch teams to build a sought-out content hub for cable and broadcast networks. As an executive producer, producer, and co-creator, he delivered more than 30 nonfiction series, 20 documentary movies, and numerous limited series and specials. He also produced more than 30 national TV commercials and 70 webisodes for the U.S. Army's most successful ad campaign to date, “An Army of One” / “GoArmy.com.”

    Rob’s talents also extend to the digital world where he has produced interactive projects, including the San Diego Zoo’s iPad app for children, Baby Panda's New Home, and the educational video game, Nine Worlds with Patrick Stewart.

    Rob holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. He also completed filmmaking studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. When he is not keeping the 1895 Films production world moving forward, Rob is most likely enjoying life with his family or taking in a Clippers game.

  • As line producer at 1895 Films, Kurt oversees a variety of projects involving corporate branding, premium television programming, innovative educational materials, and independent documentary films. In addition to helping devise and track each project’s financial goals, Kurt manages the company’s day-to-day operations, including supervising and supporting production personnel and their workflows.

    A lifelong film and TV buff from Wisconsin, Kurt came to LA with a drive to explore every aspect of “the industry.” Starting as an assistant director for independent films, he went on to work for a network series. After a stint in the development office of an Oscar-nominated film director, Kurt returned to post-production, where he oversaw countless scripted and unscripted projects.

    Kurt was with Workaholic Productions for 12 years, starting as a post consultant and eventually landing as VP of production and operations and executive producer. During this time, he successfully guided over 100 hours of television programming, collaborating with network partners like Discovery Channel, Discovery+, and History Channel. Of note was Kurt’s work with a major museum to plan and produce a series of educational live-action and animated shorts.

    Kurt's academic background – he holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison – and extensive industry experience make him an invaluable asset to 1895 Films. When not at work, he enjoys a diverse range of interests, from rec league hockey and guitar to K-dramas and exploring LA’s vibrant cultural scene.

  • Will D'Epagnier is a Producer and the Director of Development at 1895 Films. Since the summer of 2023, he has officially overseen the company’s documentaries in development, identifying and creating content for U.S. and international markets.

    Will joined 1895 Films in 2019 as a researcher and associate producer for the National Geographic documentary on Queen Elizabeth II, “Being the Queen.” As an associate producer, he strengthened his producing experience on an array of Travel Channel and Discovery+ documentaries, such as “The Exorcism of Roland Doe'' and “Alien Abduction: Betty and Barney Hill.” In late 2022, he expanded his responsibilities as a producer, working on the documentaries “Charles: In His Own Words” (National Geographic / Hulu / Disney+) and “The Moment: How Sports Changed the World” (Red Bull Studios / Amazon Freevee UK / BBC Select), as well as 1895 Films’ award-winning original podcast, “Artifactual.”

    Prior to 1895 Films, D’Epagnier was involved in the development process as a script consultant for Universal Pictures. He also interned for Echo Lake Entertainment and The Film Posse before graduating Emerson College.

    In his spare time, Will enjoys going on long walks with his dog Joan, playing tennis, and listening to records.

  • Johnny Stark is an Award-Winning Writer, Producer and Coordinator with a specialization in Documentary and Archival Media. He has worked in every phase of Production from Development to Field to Post. Johnny has produced and coordinated programs for ESPN, History Channel, Discovery+, AHC, NatGeo and Red Bull TV, as well as numerous commercial and corporate projects. Johnny produced Ed Gein: The Real Psycho which debuted Number One Worldwide on the Discovery+ streaming platform. He once produced a two-hour Nowruz special completely in Farsi – even though he does not speak Farsi. In 2022, Johnny joined 1895 Films to help bolster the Archival Department. Johnny graduated with Honors from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was an intern at the Pacific Film Archive and curated the Student Film Festival, Fleshed Out. When he is not making documentaries, Johnny runs a hot sauce business with his wife, Allison, and their French Bulldog, Mister Muggins. In his free time, he enjoys reading, going to concerts, learning new languages, and playing golf.

  • Working a VHS player was the first fine motor skill Jennifer developed, so it was no surprise to anyone when she majored in cinematography later in life. When she moved to Los Angeles, she worked her way up from production assistant to producer, and got a cat. As a lover of history, journalism, and nonfiction storytelling, Jennifer is a Researcher for 1895 Films, and is proud to be doing exactly what she loves: finding and bringing unbelievable real-life characters and stories to screen. When she’s not in front of her computer, she’s shooting 35mm film, boxing, baking, reading, and generally refusing to grow up.

  • Throughout his career, Bob McCormick has helped shepherd hundreds of hours of nonfiction programming to broadcast. As a post-producer and post-production supervisor, he enjoys the challenge of carving raw material into great shows. In 2021, Bob joined 1895 Films to help with several projects, including the Alien Abduction specials. He’s excited to work with the exceptional 1895 team and has a particular interest in historical and educational content. A Virginia native, Bob completed a B.A. in history and a minor in foreign affairs at the University of Virginia. He started his TV career as a production assistant at the Discovery headquarters before going on to freelance as a field and story producer, then specializing in post. He has delivered programs to dozens of networks, including Discovery, A&E, TLC, National Geographic, truTV, VH1, Esquire, VICELAND, and Investigation Discovery, as well as promos and branded content for Netflix and Vice.

  • Kyle Amann’s analytical mindset and ability to simplify the complex make him the perfect person to manage many of our financial and human resources functions. At the same time, as a creative writer and aficionado of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, he understands the storytelling journey. Kyle is a graduate of the Great Books Program—including great works of philosophy, literature, and science—at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. Earlier in his career, after a role in banking with Citi, he joined H&R Block as a Master Tax Advisor. In 2019, he founded his own tax services business serving entertainment and creative clients. Kyle has a black belt in the Krav Maga martial arts system.

  • Every company needs a human Swiss Army knife. At 1895 Films, that multidimensional ingredient in our creative process is Dominick Cangiano. On some days, you can find Dom behind the camera. The truth is—you will rarely see him without a video camera in his hand. On other days, he is optimizing our technology tools and infrastructure. And on other days, he is a key component in our day-to-day operations. While watching classic films with his father and working in a video store as a teenager, Dom was fascinated with the creative process. Earlier in his career, his technology management work with gaming companies like Respawn Entertainment and 505 Games kept him immersed in the production world. His most recent camerawork includes Alien Abduction: Betty and Barney Hill (Discovery+) and Shock Docs (Travel Channel).

  • Richard made the transition to digital marketing after a 30-year career in journalism as a reporter and newspaper editor.

    He discovered a knack for marketing during a six-year stint working in the music industry coordinating media interviews, developing promotional materials, and strategizing social media for recording artists. During this time, he worked with musicians like Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees and Tim “Ripper” Owens of Judas Priest.

    Now, Richard spends his time dealing with all things digital, including search engine optimization, content marketing, and keeping up with those infamous, constantly changing social media algorithms.

    In addition to his three years with 1895 Films, Richard ran social media for other companies in the film industry, including Green Bee Media and Peter Hamilton’s Documentary Business.