Dana Heinz Perry

Dana Heinz Perry with Flavor Flav, 1989

Dana Heinz Perry most recently Executive-produced the four-part documentary series “Sex: the Revolution” for VH1 and Sundance channel, presently airing on both channels.  Prior to that, she produced and directed "The Drug Years" with husband and partner Hart Perry (VH1/Sundance Channel).  "The Drug Years," a four-hour documentary exploration of illicit drugs and popular culture, was nominated for two IDA awards, received a Cine Golden Eagle, the Telly Award andThe High Times “Stony” award, as well as a Prism award nomination. "TDY" was exhibited at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. 

In 2004, she produced and directed "And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip Hop", a five-hour documentary series for VH1, executive produced by Russell Simmons.  The series featured exclusive interviews with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Outkast, The Black-Eyed Peas, MC Lyte, Reverend Run, Russell Simmons, Debbie Harry, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Will Smith among many others. 

The New York Times wrote, “with its offhand interviews and distressed period film, 'And You Don't Stop' stands out among the crisp, heavily graphic offerings usually on MTV and VH1, and it does a more thorough job than any film of collating 30 years of history given by hip-hop's DJ's, MC's, rappers, critics and fans. It may be the first monograph on this subject to position hip-hop confidently and specifically in the history of American music without having to make elementary arguments about its value or its significance.” 

The NY Post said,“'AYDS' does for Rap what PBS did for the Civil War,” and The Hollywood Reporter noted that, “'AYDS' examines the music’s origins like it is digging into the causes of a war. It looks at the poverty and isolation that fed a growing disaffection among the South Bronx youth and lack of resources that sent throngs into the streets.” 

"And You Don’t Stop" was exhibited at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.  It was awarded a Cine Golden Eagle, and nominated for an IDA award in the limited series category. 

Ms. Perry co-produced "Imagining America," a two-hour exploration of 20th Century American painting with director Hart Perry for PBS, which aired in December 2005.  In 2002, she produced "VH1 Remembers: The Concert for New York City" – a documentary look back at the star-studded fundraiser for the victims and families of September 11th.  The show featured concert highlights and interviews with Bon Jovi, Billy Crystal, Melissa Etheridge, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and others.  In 2000, Perry produced and directed nine short music documentaries for The Experience Music Project, a multi-media rock ‘n’ roll museum in Seattle funded by Paul Allen and designed by Frank Gehry – permanent collection.  The film’s subjects range from Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix to Punk and Hip Hop. She also produced "The Human Canvas," a one-hour documentary special on tattooing and extreme body modification for The Learning Channel, which aired in April 2000.    

She is the producer/director/editor of the documentary special "Making A Noise: A Native American Musical Journey with Robbie Robertson", which aired on over 200 PBS stations nationwide.  "Making A Noise" opened the 1999 American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco and was exhibited at the Two Rivers Arts Festival at the Walker Arts Center, the Hot Springs Documentary Festival, the 2002 Santa Fe Film Festival and the 2002 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.  Featured on CNN, Charlie Rose and CBS Sunday Morning.   

In 1998, she produced the acclaimed four-hour documentary special "Motown 40: The Music is Forever" for ABC.  With Hart Perry, she produced the five-hour music documentary series "VH1 Presents the 70’s" and directed two of the programs; "The Sexes" and "Disco Explosion" (1996).