George T. Nierenberg is a New York-based documentary filmmaker and creator of GTN Creative. He has worked on films and television documentaries. His 1975 film ''

The Hollow ''The Hollow'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company, Dodd, Mead & Co. in 1946 and in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club in November of the sam ...

'' is a documentary about a family in the

Adirondacks The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York (state), New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the hi ...

. His 1979 Emmy award winning film "

No Maps on My Taps ''No Maps on My Taps'' is a 1979 American documentary film directed by George Nierenberg. The film recounts the history of tap dancing in America through the lives of three influential tap dancers, Chuck Green, Howard Sims, and Bunny Briggs, and s ...

" explored American

tap dance Tap dance (or tap) is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion; it is often accompanied by music. Tap dancing can also be performed with no musical accompaniment; the sound of the taps is its ow ...

and has been credited as bringing about a revival to the form. Following the success of the film, famous featured tap dancers began the "No Maps on My Taps and Company" tour around the world, performing at over 60 locations. Again documenting the culture around tap dance, Nierenberg made "About Tap", featuring Gregory Hines and stylistic performances and recollections by three of America’s leading male tap dancers: Steve Condos, Jimmy Slyde and Chuck Green. For his contribution to the form, Nierenberg was awarded in 2014 the American Tap Dance Foundation's Tap Preservation Award, given to an outstanding individual or organization in the field for the superior advancement of tap dance through presentation and preservation. His 1982 film ''Say Amen Somebody!'' documents gospel music and New York (magazine), New York Magazine placed it at number 31 on their list of the 50 Best Documentaries of All Time in 2019. In "That Rhythm, Those Blues" (1988), Nierenberg celebrated Rhythm and blues, R&B and laid bare the racism in the music industry of the 1950s, for which Nierenberg was nominated for a Best Director Emmy Awards, Emmy. Milestone Films restored and re-released "Say Amen, Somebody" and "No Maps on My Taps" theatrically to acclaim in 2017. Working in television, Nierenberg produced, directed and developed projects for PBS, AMC (TV channel), AMC, Bravo (American TV network), Bravo, Nickelodeon, and Sony BMG, including: Neon Lights, for National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic’s Explorer and a film on Voodoo in Haiti for American Broadcasting Company, ABC’s Day One. In 1983, Nierenberg made "Moment of Crisis" about the John F. Kennedy, JFK assassination for NBC. Nierenberg was enlisted as a producer to launch Saturday Night with Connie Chung on CBS.

Style

George Nierenberg is an acclaimed filmmaker whose career has spanned the worlds of independent features, network, cable and international television, and corporate videos. His work has been released by MGM/UA, has appeared on CBS, ABC, Bravo, BCC, and has earned numerous illustrious honors, establishing him as a producer/director with a knack both for managing complex productions and for bringing his subjects to life. He is known for his ability to create visually strong stories that bring out the humanity in their subjects and reach audiences on an emotional level. Speaking on his work, Nierenberg said, "The camera helps you see what you see, but as the director I help you feel what I feel."

Film and television

* ''The Hollow'' (1975) * ''

'' (1979) * ''Say Amen, Somebody'' (1983) * "About Tap" (1985) * "That Rhythm, Those Blues", ''American Experience'' (season 1) episode (December 6, 1988) * "Saturday Night With Connie Chung" (1989–90) on CBS. * "Neon Lights" (1992) * "Day One" (1992) on ABC * "NEON LIGHTS" (1992) * "Gotta Dance!" (1995) * "Head of Class: The Lion King" (2000) * "Bill Withers' Just As I Am" (2005)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nierenberg, George Date of birth missing (living people) American documentary filmmakers American film producers