Alexandra Nikolchev is a NYC-based documentary filmmaker passionate about creating space for unexpected voices to emerge in our media landscape. Her credits as director, producer and cinematographer include HBO, NBC, PBS. Alexandra has produced two feature films with national broadcast premieres and won Peabody and Emmy Awards for her work. She studied journalism at New York University and received her undergraduate degree in rhetoric and education from University of California, Berkeley.

As co-founder of Hot in Here Productions, Alexandra has experience with soup-to-nuts branded content to which she brings a top level of professionalism, creativity, leadership and problem-solving. She values diverse voices on all of her projects, both in front and behind the camera. Collaboration in filmmaking is key and Alexandra feels lucky to have worked with many great people in her industry.

Read more about her process on dscout.

Director credits include:

Breaking Form, Director, feature documentary, Film at Lincoln Center presenting Dance on Camera Festival premiere, Best Documentary Award Sky Arts Film Festival, 2024

Sex Diaries, Director / Producer, HBO 4-part documentary series, created by Jenny Carchman and Big Pond Films, Vox Media, Director on 2 episodes, Producer on 4 episodes, HBO broadcast, December 2022

The 100 Million, Director / Producer, documentary series, Show of Force Productions, Knight Foundation, 2020

Brooklyn's Cover Girl, Director / Director of Photography, documentary short, BRIC TV, Narratively, 2016

A New Approach to Prosecution, Director, Narratively/Vera Institute, 2016

AJ+ Mexican Folk Music + Smiths = Mariachi Manchester, Director, documentary short, Al Jazeera+, 2016

Home Matters, Director, branded documentary campaign, MacArthur Foundation, 2014

Part of Me Came Home, Director, documentary, New York University, student grant recipient of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 2010

Branded Clients Director / Producer credits include: Edelman, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MacArthur Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Participant Media, DIRECTV, Fast Company, Malala Fund, Ford Foundation, StoryCorps, Annapurna Films

Producer credits include:

A Place of Honor, Senior Producer / Line Producer, Vanessa Roth directed documentary for NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Museum, 2024.

No Le Digas a Nadie / Don't Tell Anyone, Producer,  feature documentary, dir. Mikeala Shwers, Portret Films, SFFF premiere, PBS/POV broadcast, 2015 & Peabody Award winner, 2016

Iconic America, Producer, PBS essay-style documentary series, Show of Force, WETA, Producer on one-hour episode about Hollywood with host David Rubenstein, airdate 2023

Sex Diaries, Director / Producer, HBO 4-part documentary series, created by Jenny Carchman and Big Pond Films, Vox Media, Director on 2 episodes, Producer on 4 episodes, HBO broadcast, December 2022

The Place That Makes Us, Producer / Director of Photography, feature documentary directed by Karla Murthy, DOC NYC FF official selection, 2020 & America Reframed on PBS, 2021

The Kids Are Not Alright, Co-Producer/ Cinematographer, feature documentary, Mikaela Shwer, “Best Documentary” Award at Dances with Films premiere, 2024

2020 Chaos and Hope, Story Producer, feature documentary streaming on Peacock, film festival and broadcast premiere, 2023

The 100 Million, Director / Producer, documentary series, Show of Force Productions, Knight Foundation, 2020

Red, White, & Who, Booking Producer, one-hour primetime broadcast with Peacock Productions and host Francesca Fiorentini for MSNBC, 2019

Her America, Field & Booking Producer, short documentary films, Lifetime Network/A&E, 2018

Women in the World, Producer, Tina Brown’s live magazine journalism summit, 2018

Welcome to Uncovered, Producer, photo essay and podcast, Fusion, 2016

Need to Know, Emmy Winning Segment & Field Producer, TV news magazine series on PBS:

  • Crossing the Line at the Border: Dying to Get Back, broadcast, 2013, Emmy Award winner, Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story

  • Crossing the Line at the Border: Inside the Border Patrol, broadcast, 2012, Emmy Award nominee, Outstanding Investigative Journalism and Best Report

  • Crossing the Line at the Border, broadcast, 2012, Emmy Award nominee, Outstanding Investigative Journalism and Best Report in a News Magazine Show

  • Portraits of Hunger: Stories of Americans on Food Stamps, broadcast, 2012

  • Manufacturing Jobs in Alabama, broadcast, 2013

  • Saving Medicare, broadcast, 2012

  • American Voices: Khaled Hosseini, broadcast, 2012

  • Famine in Somalia, A Race Against Time to Save Lives, broadcast, 2011

  • Money Matters: Campaign Finance, broadcast, 2011

  • Making it in America: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, broadcast, 2012

  • A generation with Autism, Graduating into the Unknown, web, 2011

  • Jugaad Urbanism, Making it Work, web, 2011

  • Taylor Mac's Walk About, web, 2011

  • Dispelling the Myths Surrounding Cancer Trials, web, 2011

  • Girl Mathletes Run the Numbers, web, 2011

  • Eugene Hutz, Immigrant Punk, broadcast, 2011

  • Ballot Boxing: Voting Rights in Florida, broadcast, 2012

  • Camden, An impoverished City Struggles to Survive, broadcast, 2012

  • Losing the Safety Net, Adults with Autism, broadcast, 2011

  • When Care Runs Out: Aging Out with Disabilities, A Watchlist Investigation broadcast, 2011

  • Reshaping Somerville: The Fight against Childhood Obesity, broadcast, 2011

  • Toxic Law? Chemical Pollution & the EPA, A Watchlist Investigation broadcast, 2011

Moyers and Company, TV news and documentary series, Associate Producer:    

  • The New Temp Economy, web, 2013

  • Organizing Workers to Bring Down Barriers, web, 2013

12th & Delaware, HBO feature documentary, Loki Films, Production Assistant, 2010'

Branded Clients Director / Producer credits include: Edelman, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MacArthur Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Participant Media, DIRECTV, Fast Company, Malala Fund, Ford Foundation, StoryCorps, Annapurna Films

Cinematography credits include:

The Place That Makes Us, Director of Photography / Producer, feature documentary directed by Karla Murthy, DOC NYC FF official selection, 2020 & America Reframed on PBS, 2021

The Kids Are Not Alright, Co-Producer/ Cinematographer, feature documentary, Mikaela Shwer, “Best Documentary” Award at Dances with Films premiere, 2024

The Scientists Vs. Dartmouth, Cinematographer, documentary short, dir. Sharon Shattuck, Scientific American, 2024

The North Face S18, Director of Photography, 2018

Miguelito, Additional Cinematography, feature documentary by Sam Zubrycki, Margaret Mead Documentary Film Festival: US Premiere, 2019

Brooklyn's Cover GirlDirector of Photography, short documentary, BRIC TV, Narratively, 2016

Moyers and CompanyDirector of Photography, TV news and documentary series:              

  • The New Temp Economy, web, 2013

  • An Oasis in a Food Desert, web, 2013

  • Organizing Workers to Bring Down Barriers, web, 2013

From this Day ForwardAdditional Cinematography, feature documentary by Sharon Shattuck, Hot Docs / AFI Doc / Full Frame official selection, PBS, 2016

No Le Digas a Nadie/ Don't Tell Anyone, Additional Cinematography, feature documentary, dir. Mikeala Shwers, Portret Films, SFFF premiere, PBS/POV broadcast, 2015 & Peabody Award winner, 2016

Branded Clients Cinematography credits include: Edelman, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MacArthur Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Participant Media, DIRECTV, Fast Company, Malala Fund, Ford Foundation, StoryCorps, Annapurna Films

Editor credits include:

Stand #withMalala Campaign videos, Malala Fund, Participant Media, editor, 2016-2017

American Teacher, Sundance Institute Feature Film documentary, Big Year Productions, contributing editor, festivals and theatrical release, NBC Broadcast 2011

The Texas Promise, feature documentary, Big Year Productions, assistant editor, Austin Film Festival Premiere, 2014

Against All Odds: The Fight for a Black Middle Class, feature documentary, Okapi Productions, contributing editor, PBS, 2017

Glow Kids, documentary trailer, Moveable Type Media, editor, director Sharon Shattuck, 2016

Narrative film credits include:

Gold for Fools, Producer / Assistant Director, Dir. Rene W. Solomon (USA, 13min), Nevada City Film Festival Premiere, 2020

Your Friend, Assistant Director, Dir. Anthony Nikolchev (USA, 16min), Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival Premiere, acquired by JASH, 2019

Past Hope Now, Assistant Director, Dir. Anthony Nikolchev, three-part music film, Edmonton International Film Festival Premiere, 2017