Several recent projects can’t be listed publicly yet! Full CV available upon request. Email me at mattieakers [at] gmail.com

FOR VENIDA, FOR KALIEF / Jan 2024-June 2025

Archival research and licensing for feature documentary that examines the legacy of Kalief Browder’s death and highlights the poetry of his mother, Venida. Significant research on the 1970 NYC jails rebellion. Directed by Sisa Bueno. Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, 2025. Trailer.

AGING IN AMERICA: SURVIVE OR THRIVE / Apr-Nov 2024

Licensing and research support for one-hour documentary that explores the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly aging population, for PBS. Directed by Neil Steinberg. Website.

PUBLIC WHITE HOUSE TOUR / May-Nov 2024

Image research and support for enhanced public tour of the White House in Washington, DC. Survey of American presidential history, with a focus on the experience of the First Families. For ESI Design, in collaboration with A&E Networks and the Office of the First Lady. Official photos.

ALMOST AMERICAN / Jan-April 2023 and May-July 2024

Archival research and licensing for documentary about a Salvadoran-American family’s fight to stay together in the face of changing immigration policies. Directed by Nina Alvarez. Premiered on PBS, August 2024. Website.

PAINT ME A ROAD OUT OF HERE / March-Oct 2023

Archival producer for feature documentary about women, art and incarceration. Significant research on the artist Faith Ringgold, New York City art museum archives, and New York City women’s jails. Directed by Cat Gund for Aubin Pictures. Premiere at DC/DOX 2024. Trailer.

MARION GRUBER: PREPAREDNESS IS PREVENTION / Jan-April 2023

Archival researcher and consultant for short documentary about former FDA regulator Marion Gruber in the context of pandemic preparedness. Directed by Donald Mitchell.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK & BLUES / March-June 2022

Additional archival/finishing producer handling stills and graphics for feature documentary directed by Sascha Jenkins about the life of musician Louis Armstrong. Premiered at 2022 Toronto International Film Festival and streaming on Apple TV+. Trailer.

MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE / Oct 2020-Dec 2021

Archival producer for four-hour PBS miniseries, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and directed by Stacey Holman and Shayla Harris. Managed archival team of five people for archive-heavy historical miniseries on the history of US Black social networks, from the 18th century to today. Episode previews and trailers.

I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK/ Sept 2018-June 2020

Archival producer for six-part HBO true-crime documentary miniseries, directed by Liz Garbus, Elizabeth Wolff, Myles Kane and Josh Koury. Miniseries is about the crimes of the 1970s-80s rapist and murderer dubbed the “Golden State Killer” and the investigation into his crimes by amateur sleuth Michelle McNamara, who died suddenly in 2016. Trailer.

THE BERRIGANS: DEVOUT AND DANGEROUS / Jan-July 2018; July-Nov 2020

Archival research and licensing for feature documentary about Catholic peace activists Daniel Berrigan, Phil Berrigan, and Liz McAlister. Directed by Susan Hagedorn.

THE SECRET OF TUXEDO PARK / Jan – Aug 2017

Archival producer for PBS American Experience documentary about the life of Albert Lee Loomis, a gentleman scientist of the early 20th century who played a pivotal role in World War II. Directed by Rob Rapley. Opening sequence.

TELL THEM WE ARE RISING: THE STORY OF BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES / May – Dec 2016

Footage research for PBS Independent Lens documentary, directed by Stanley Nelson and Marco Williams, about the history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the US. Premiered at 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer.

I AM EVIDENCE / Apr 2016

Additional research for HBO feature documentary about national rape kit backlog, directed by Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir. Premiered at 2017 Tribeca Film Festival; won 2019 News & Documentary Emmy for Best Documentary. Trailer.

BARBARA WALTERS PRESENTS: THE MOST FASCINATING PEOPLE OF 2015 / Oct – Dec 2015

Associate producer for 2015 installment of long-running yearly Barbara Walters special, for ABC. Story segments on Jeff Bezos, Caitlin Jenner and Bradley Cooper.

MAKERS: ONCE AND FOR ALL / May-Aug 2015

Archival producer (finishing) for feature documentary, directed by Dyllan McGee and Michael Epstein, about the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China. Full film.

LONG STRANGE TRIP / March-May 2015

Archival research for documentary miniseries about the band the Grateful Dead, directed by Amir Bar- Lev and streaming on Amazon. Premiered at 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer.

MISS SHARON JONES! / 2014-2015

Associate producer for feature documentary that follows singer Sharon Jones as she fights to live fully and continue performing after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Directed by two-time Academy Award winning director Barbara Kopple. Premiered at 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. Trailer.

HOT TYPE: 150 YEARS OF THE NATION / 2013-2015

Co-producer for feature documentary about the history of The Nation, the oldest weekly publication in the United States. Directed by two-time Academy Award winning director Barbara Kopple. As co- producer, I handled archival research as well as production responsibilities. Trailer.

RUNNING FROM CRAZY / 2011-2012

Associate producer for feature documentary about model and actress Mariel Hemingway, and her journey to understand her family’s history of suicide and mental illness. Directed by two-time Academy Award winning director Barbara Kopple. Premiered at 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer.

DOCTORS OF THE DARK SIDE / 2010

Assistant editor for feature documentary about the role of physicians and psychologists in the torture of prisoners. Directed by Martha Davis. Trailer.

THE UNFORESEEN / June 2003-Dec 2004

Associate Producer for feature documentary about land development and environmental destruction in Austin, Texas, directed by Laura Dunn and executive produced by Robert Redford and Terrence Malick. Premiered at 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer.

EDUCATION

Master of Fine Arts in Film/Video Production, University of Texas at Austin, 2010

Bachelor of Arts in American Civilization, Brown University, 2003