Frazer Pennebaker

Since 1980 Frazer has produced all of Hegedus and Pennebaker’s films including their most recent productions the Emmy award-winning ELAINE STRITCH AT LIBERTY and the current release AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE, which premiered at the 2006 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX.

Pennebaker joined Pennebaker Hegedus Films after graduating from Hampshire College in 1977. His first collaboration was as the assistant producer on DELOREAN, a portrait of the auto entrepreneur. In 1983 Pennebaker produced DANCE BLACK AMERICA for PBS’s “Great Performances” series. From 1985 to 1988, he produced music videos for artists Marti Jones, John Hiatt, and Victoria Williams. Pennebaker also produced JIMI PLAYS MONTEREY and SHAKE! OTIS AT MONTEREY featuring unused performance footage that his father shot at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. In 1989 he produced the feature length DEPECHE MODE 101, which went platinum upon its release; OPEN HAND, featuring Suzanne Vega; and THE MUSIC TELLS YOU with Branford Marsalis. Teaming up with co-producers Wendy Ettinger and R.J. Cutler, Pennebaker’s 1993 film THE WAR ROOM was nominated for an Academy Award. 1998 saw the release of MOON OVER BROADWAY starring Carol Burnett, followed by STARTUP.COM and DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN in 2001, ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE in 2003, and ELAINE STRITCH AT LIBERTY in 2004.

Pennebaker has also produced the recent DVD releases of DONT LOOK BACK, ZIGGY STARDUST, DEPECHE MODE 101, and the DVD box set of MONTEREY POP released by the Criterion Collection. Most recently, Frazer produced Pennebaker and Hegedus’ KINGS OF PASTRY, which follows the prestigious French pastry competition the Meilleurs Ouvier de France. In addition to his role as producer, Frazer oversees film distribution and sales for Pennebaker Hegedus Films.