NYWIFT Blog

By Sofiya Saykovska

Welcome to NYWIFT, Nicole Palermo!

Based in New York, Nicole Palermo is a producer and production manager experienced in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. After studying acting in college, she and friends launched a four-episode web series and founded their production company, Talking Back Pictures. She fell in love with producing and transitioned to full-time production in 2019, moving to documentaries with Apple TV+’s The Super Models in 2021.

Known for her work in the five-time Emmy Award-winning Jim Henson: Idea Man, her documentary work emphasizes flexibility in storytelling, while her narrative projects, including Seoul Swith and Pen, Again, showcase her abilities working on meticulously executed films. This fall, she is producing the short film The Daughter by Mary Ann Anane.

Picture courtesy of Nicole Palermo.

Official poster for Tender Thoughts, courtesy of Nicole Palermo

What brought you to join NYWIFT? 

I interned for NYWIFT nearly 10 years ago when I had recently graduated, and was trying to find my footing in the film industry. I’ve volunteered for various events over the years, but finally decided to join this year after going to a number of film festivals and hearing from various filmmakers about their positive experiences as NYWIFT members. 

What led you to pursue a career in producing, and how did you become involved with both narrative and documentary projects?

I studied acting in college, and was encouraged by my professor Christopher Modoono to start writing and creating my own work. My friends Kelsey Coughlin, Emma Kreienberg, Hollie Bennett and I gathered together after graduating to create a four-episode webseries and Emma and I then went on to establish our own production company, Talking Back Pictures. Our focus at TBP was to ensure at least 50% of our key crew on every project were women and non-binary filmmakers.

I fell in love with producing while working with Emma on a variety of projects over the years and began working full-time in production in 2019 in the commercial space. I had the opportunity to move from commercial to documentary in 2021 on Apple TV+’s The Super Models, and jumped at the chance to tell stories with companies like One Story Up and Imagine Documentaries.

Picture courtesy of Nicole Palermo.

What are some of the key elements you focus on when producing a documentary compared to a narrative film? 

Documentary focuses heavily on finding the story, whereas in narrative the story is already set. Because of this, the documentary space often allows for more opportunity to play in the edit, and our shooting schedules often change based on the story that is beginning to take shape in post production.

Narrative work, in my experience, has required extensive planning in pre-production and on set since the indie projects I work on don’t have the opportunity to go back and do reshoots. You often have one chance to get the shots you need, and you need extensive preparation by the entire team to ensure that shot will be the one. 

Can you describe a defining moment or project in your career that significantly influenced your path as a producer?

Making the jump from commercial to documentary was definitely a defining moment for me. I wasn’t happy working strictly in the commercial space, as I didn’t feel anyone was passionate about what we were selling and why. It was exciting to start documentaries, Jim Henson: Idea Man in particular, where our director Ron Howard was so passionate about telling Jim’s story and telling it well. 

Jim Henson Idea Man is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Ron Howard, about puppeteer Jim Henson. The film won 5 Emmy awards, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

Can you share some details about any specific projects you’re currently working on with Imagine Entertainment & Television? 

I just finished my work as a production manager on the new Barbara Walters documentary announced in Variety earlier this June. 

A still from Seoul Switch, courtesy of Nicole Palermo.

How do you integrate the concept of “educating through entertainment” into your projects, and why is this approach important to you? 

This approach is important to me because I think there is so much we can learn from creative art forms. I have learned so much from watching film and television, and would love for the work I create to teach viewers something they didn’t know. For example in Liann Kaye’s short film, Seoul Switch, the audience learns about the very real pressures faced by K-Pop idols in their everyday life. 

Picture courtesy of Nicole Palermo.

How important is it for new producers to build a network and collaborate with others in the industry? 

Incredibly important. Production circles are very small, and I often find myself repeatedly working with the same people if we gel well together. 

Where can readers reach out to find more about you or your work? 

You can email me directly at nclpalermo@gmail.com

Follow Nicole Palermo on Instagram at @nclpalermo17.