Daniel H. Birman is currently producing a one-hour special for National Geographic Channel that explores new theories about our universe. Concurrently, he is producing She’s Screaming: Nobody’s Listening, a documentary about the psychological complexity of a 16-year-old girl who committed murder and whose childhood journey from birth gives us insight into complex social issues.
Most recently, Mr. Birman completed Europa: Mystery of the Ice Moon, a one-hour special for The Science Channel; and Medical Maverick – two one-hour shows for Discovery Health Channel. Previously, he produced The Team, a four-part and first-ever nonfiction series for Nickelodeon, and Chopper Rescue, a one-hour trauma pilot for Discovery Health. Earlier, he produced Alternatives: Uncovered – a series of one-hour programs also for Discovery Health.
Mr. Birman worked with some of the nation’s leading research physicians during a six-year association with Lifetime Medical Television. He produced for Physicians' Journal Update and Specialty Update two highly acclaimed series. He then produced several one-hour internal medicine specials for Lifetime .
He was production coordinator and second unit camera on documentary and network productions with Brookfield Productions in Los Angeles. Among these were such award-winning programs as
It's A New Day... and
Just the Way You Are. He also worked on the NBC special,
The Day My Kid Went Punk and the ABC Afterschool Special
The Donna Cheek Story.Mr. Birman directed and shot
Corwin at 75, a documentary about famed radio personality Norman Corwin, and shot
The Children of Skid Row. Both were aired on PBS and were done while earning a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Southern California. Mr. Birman began his career with a PBS Network affiliate in Southern California. He worked for six years on a weekly series focusing on California politics.
Mr. Birman teaches courses in nonfiction television writing and production. He is Executive Producer for student documentaries and
Impact, a student-produced newsmagazine and documentary series. He has led his students to victory earning several College Television Awards from the Television Academy.
In 2007 Mr. Birman rejoined the Board of Governors for The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, where he served two earlier terms on the Board and two terms as secretary. As a board member, he is helping to shape the future of the nonfiction programming. He directed a national search for a new Academy chief operating officer, chairs the Academy’s Ethics Committee, has been an active member on the
National Emmy Awards Committee and the
Educational Programs and Services Committee, established for students entering the television industry.
Beyond producing, Mr. Birman presented his Europa documentary for an international space research organization, and for NASA scientists at The Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He has presented at a national writer’s conference. Mr. Birman led a panel on journalistic malpractice in reporting healthcare; he has led panels for RealScreen Summit in Washington, D.C., Television Academy nonfiction panels for educators and students entering television, and was a juror at the Shanghai Television Festival as one of five judges of international documentaries at China’s premiere television awards competition.
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