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The team behind The Future of America’s Past

DIRECTORS-PRODUCERS-WRITERS
HANNAH AYERS & LANCE WARREN

Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren are Emmy-winning, married documentary filmmakers, making story-driven media at a human scale. Their work includes Picturing the Obamas (2022), How the Monuments Came Down (2021), The Future of America’s Past (2018-2020), The Hail-Storm: John Dabney in Virginia (2017), and An Outrage (2017). They established their production company, Field Studio, in 2009.

HOST
ED AYERS

Edward Ayers is Professor of the Humanities and President Emeritus at the University of Richmond. In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded him the National Humanities Medal, honoring “his commitment to making our history as widely available and accessible as possible.” Ed’s wide-ranging contributions to public history include co-hosting the hit podcast BackStory and chairing the board of the American Civil War Museum.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
BLAIRE JOHNSON

Blaire Johnson is an Emmy-nominated cinematographer and aerial cinematographer with 14 years of experience. Her work includes the PBS hit A Chef’s Life (2012- 2018) and The Rape of Recy Taylor (2017), directed by Nancy Buirski (The Loving Story). Blaire attended Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies. She is currently filming Burden of Proof and Somewhere South, both forthcoming from Emmy-winning director Cynthia Hill.

EDITORs
stephanie khoury & daniela quiroz

Both Stephanie and Daniela were named Karen Schmeer Diversity in the Edit Room Mentees in 2019. Steph edited the New York Times OpDoc Death Metal Grandma and was an Associate Producer on Kitty and Ellen, which screened at DOCNYC. Daniela edited for VICE on HBO and VICE News Tonight for three years, and co-edited the feature film Rebel Citizen.

For VPM

CEO
JAYME SWAIN

Chief Content OfficeR
STEVE HUMBLE

Consulting Producer
MASON MILLS