Darren Durlach

Darren Durlach is an Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker, commercial director, and screenwriter based in Baltimore, MD. Over the past four years, he has directed more than 35 hours of docuseries television for PBS, including Pati’s Mexican Table, Panamericana, and the *James Beard Award–winning series La Frontera about the U.S.–Mexico border. His work has also appeared on NBC, Discovery, and National Geographic and for global brands such as Microsoft, Audi, Hollister, Payactiv, and Callaway. Known for a bold, realist visual style and a relentless commitment to story, Darren crafts films that are both emotionally resonant and visually striking—designed to give audiences chills. A former photojournalist for TV and newspapers, Darren cut his teeth telling hundreds of stories under intense daily deadlines. That discipline and instinct—whether capturing post-earthquake Haiti in 2008 or directing 5 Runners, the Boston Globe’s first documentary about the Boston Marathon bombings—taught him how to find stories in unlikely places, make people feel safe in vulnerable moments, and structure narratives for maximum emotional impact. His honors include 23 regional Emmy Awards, the George Polk Award, and six national Edward R. Murrow Awards, along with being named Ernie Crisp Television News Photographer of the Year three years in a row (2009–2011). For Darren, filmmaking is equal parts craft and collaboration. He thrives on the energy of discovery—the “a-ha” moments that spark during script analysis, tech scouts, or on set when a team is firing on all cylinders. Teaching has been just as fulfilling: he’s spoken at Video Playground in Denmark, guest lectured at Harvard Extension School, and taught visual storytelling workshops in 18 states. You can also follow his educational series on YouTube, where he shares practical filmmaking lessons and behind-the-scenes strategies drawn from his career in documentary and commercial storytelling. At the heart of it all, Darren believes there is no more powerful way to communicate the human experience than through story.