DANA RICHIE FOUNDER & FILMMAKER OF BACKLOT
“Dana Richie and her team present a fascinating story through the eyes and hearts of everyday American families who were introduced to opioids after surgery and go on to battle with addiction.”
- Top Shorts Film Festival
“Very well directed by Dana Richie who builds up the story cleverly, and creates a meaningful film that is both heartfelt and thought-provoking.”
- Best Director Winner, Festigious Film Festival
BACKLOT continues to redefine how stories connect with audiences, including for brands like AT&T, SONY, Smartwater, Hennessy, General Motors, Humana, Jeep, L’Oreal and more. All have worked in connection with BACKLOT not just to shape their stories—but to do so in ever-more innovative, relevant and resonant ways.
Dana began her career at CNN in 1991. In the midst of the Gulf War and, concurrently, the network’s meteoric rise as a leader in cable news it was the perfect crash course in the chaos and excitement of news television. Two years later, upon the recommendation of her former CNN colleague, anchor Catherine Crier who had departed for ABC, Dana was brought on as an assistant producer and director for ABC News 20/20. Dana’s fearless work in the investigative unit at 20/20 won several awards— including a Cine Golden Eagle and a Genesis Award from the Humane Society. While there, she also worked closely with Barbara Walters, who became a role model who helped hone her own interview skills.
Dana carried those skills with her into the entertainment world. She joined Viacom/ VH1 in 1999, spearheading News Series & Specials for the network and running its Los Angeles office for their New York headquarters . Dana’s role at VH1 was expansive: She helped launch flagship programming by producing on I Love the 80s, I Love the 90s, Best Week Ever, and Where Are They Now— while simultaneously working on Behind the Music, the network’s groundbreaking and critically-acclaimed documentary series.
Dana was also directed all of VH1’s west coast content, including covering the Oscars, the Grammys, and other major award shows. She’s interviewed the biggest names in film, TV and music, going on set for movie and music video shoots, red carpets and junkets, and creating compelling highlight spots for pop culture that engaged fans.
Dana Richie is a filmmaker, director, writer, producer and storyteller known for bringing heart into every project. She doesn’t just tell stories—she brings them to life…And she finds continuously innovative, boundary-breaking ways to do it across short and long-form platforms. From “real people” documentaries to scripted series, to original branded content, commercials and beyond, Dana combines a visionary approach with her ability to cut straight to the beating heart of a story, leaning into humanity, and creating something entirely new, authentic, and ahead of the curve.
An award-winning filmmaker and producer, Dana honed her craft at the era’s most iconic networks in news, documentary and entertainment, including CNN, ABC News 20/20, and Viacom/ MTV Networks / VH1. That diverse background molded her into a storytelling expert with a savvy for captivating, easy-to-consume media.
Dana’s company BACKLOT is the product of that expertise as well as her intuitive understanding of premium original content and where it is heading. A pioneer in digital media, nearly two decades later,
Dana started BACKLOT in 2002 and has grown it into a fully-integrated content agency. Taking a 360-approach to content creation, every project is both authentic and results-driven— tailored to the client’s unique voice, demographics, and goals.
The kind of content Dana and BACKLOT create continues to evolve: In 2019, she tackled her largest-scale project to date— Gateway. Dana’s directorial debut film, Gateway follows three families inadvertently ravaged by opioid addiction. Showcasing the perils of prescription pain management after surgery, the film underscores the human cost of the opioid epidemic. Gateway, which Dana directed, wrote and co-executive produced, debuted to immediate impact, winning over 30+ awards, including semifinalist at Flicker’s Rhode Island International Film Festival, an Oscar & BAFTA qualifier.
Currently, Backlot is at work on MUSIC FIRST, a scripted sitcom she created that is particularly personal for Dana. Inspired by her experience as a VH1 producer and correspondent, the show centers around a music network newsroom in the early 2000s.
Dana stays centered with yoga and meditation, and throughout her nearly-three decades in the industry, she’s developed a mantra of her own: “Keep Going.” Those two words have guided her success as a director, filmmaker, and entrepreneur— and they continue to drive her forward as she, and her company continue to evolve.
For more information, reach out below.