TED PASSON

Ted Passon is an award-winning director, writer, producer, and video artist. He created and directed the critically acclaimed docuseries PHILLY D.A., along with co-director Yoni Brook and producer Nicole Salazar. The series had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and had its international premiere at the Berlin Film Festival; becoming the first docuseries to ever screen there. It was named, “One of the best TV shows of 2021” by TIME, The NY Times, Variety, The LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter, The Washington Post, Vulture, Vogue, Slate, The Ringer, and Indiewire.

The series won a PEABODY AWARD, a GOTHAM AWARD for “Best Breakthrough Nonfiction Series”, the DUPONT-COLUMBIA AWARD for “journalistic excellence”, The SUNDANCE PRODUCER’S AWARD FOR NONFICTION, and the HOT DOCS AUDIENCE AWARD. It was also nominated for “Best Nonfiction Series” by The Independent Spirit Awards, Cinema Eye Honors, and the IDA Awards.

Ted also directed multiple episodes of the Netflix series WORN STORIES, which he also participated in developing. The docuseries —adapted from Emily Spivack’s New York Times best-selling book of the same name— explores the stories we carry around with us in our clothing. The series was executive produced by Jenji Kohan (Orange is the New Black, Glow) and Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor), and has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. After its premiere it became the #5 most watched show in the US on Netflix.

Ted is a 2018 Sundance Catalyst Fellow and a 2016 Sundance Lab Creative Summit Fellow. He is also the recipient of the Pew Foundation Individual Artist Fellowship Grant and the Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant. He has been the recipient of grants from the Ford Foundation, the International Documentary Association, Wyncote Foundation, and Vital Projects.

Ted has written and directed over eight original children’s television series for Disney and Comcast. 

As a commercial director he worked with clients such as: NIKE, Google, NBC, Guinness, GAP, Urban Outfitters, Ford, Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Pilsner Urquell Beer, and others. His commercials have won both gold and silver Addy Awards.

As a member of the Space 1026 art collective his video installations have been shown in galleries around the US and abroad. He collaborated with musician Tender Forever on live music and interactive video performances for the Whitney Museum, French Institute Alliance Francais, and the TBA Festival. Ted was a 2016 Artist in Residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

He has directed or produced projects for musical artists such as: St. Vincent, Blood Orange, Kurt Vile, The National, Dr. Dog, Dan Deacon, Spank Rock, The Darkness, Kimya Dawson, Plastic Little, and others.

He is a co-founder of All Ages Productions, a full-service film and video production company and a board member of the Blackstar Film Festival.

He is currently repped by CAA.