About Participant

Participant believes that a good story well told can truly make a difference in how one sees the world. Whether it is a feature film, documentary or other form of media, Participant exists to tell compelling, entertaining stories that also create awareness of the real issues that shape our lives.

We seek to entertain our audiences first, then to invite them to participate in making a difference next. Participant believes that people are basically good and that everyone deserves the chance to be a participant!

In theaters now

•    CHICAGO 10, a documentary written and directed by Brett Morgen (THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE), co-financed by River Road Entertainment and released by Roadside Attractions.

•    THE VISITOR, Tom McCarthy’s first film since THE STATION AGENT, co-financed by Participant and Michael London’s Groundswell Productions, distributed by Overture Films.

•    Errol Morris’ documentary STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, co-financed by Participant and Sony Pictures Classics.

Our History

In January 2004, Founder Jeff Skoll assembled a team of entertainment industry executives who shared his interest in creating quality entertainment; together, we built an environment to foster storytelling that engages the audience, generates awareness of topical and interesting issues and inspires individuals to take action.

In 2005, Participant’s debut slate of films were NORTH COUNTRY, SYRIANA, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK and the documentary MURDERBALL. These four films received a total of 11 Academy Award nominations and one Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for George Clooney’s performance in SYRIANA.

In 2006, Participant’s AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH became a worldwide phenomenon, winning two Academy Awards for Best Documentary and Best Original Song. The film is currently the fourth highest-grossing documentary of all time. Also in 2006, Participant’s FAST FOOD NATION and the documentary THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SESAME STREET debuted simultaneously on PBS and on Sony/BMG DVD.

In September 2006, Jim Berk joined Participant as CEO. His role was to take the promising start-up to the next level, expanding the company's reach beyond motion pictures into other forms of entertainment, extending the brand identity, enhancing social action and advocacy capabilities and overseeing all media investments and acquisitions. Working with Participant's President Ricky Strauss, Berk expanded the executive team in the key areas of social action, digital and new media and recruited teams for television production and publishing.

In 2007, Participant had three documentaries: ANGELS IN THE DUST, JIMMY CARTER MAN FROM PLAINS and DARFUR NOW, and two dramas, THE KITE RUNNER, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score (Alberto Iglesias), and CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR, which was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman).

In early 2008, the company officially changed its name from Participant Productions to Participant Media, reflecting the expansion of its scope beyond narrative films and feature documentaries to other forms of entertainment content and distribution including television production, publishing and the alpha launch of its social action networking website, TakePart.com.

During the first half of 2008, Participant released two documentaries--CHICAGO 10 and STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, from writer-director Errol Morris, which won the prestigious Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize when it had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival--and a critically-acclaimed drama, THE VISITOR, written and directed by Tom McCarthy (THE STATION AGENT).

Participant's upcoming releases include such documentaries as PRESSURE COOKER, FOOD, INC. and CASINO JACK: UNITED STATES OF MONEY from Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE), and the drama THE SOLOIST, starring Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Joe Wright (ATONEMENT, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE).

Integral to Participant’s mission is our commitment to creating specific social action campaigns for each film and documentary. These campaigns are designed to give a voice to issues that resonate in the films. We team with social sector organizations, non-profits and corporations who are committed to creating an open forum for discussion, education and who can, with Participant, offer specific ways for audience members to get involved. These include action kits, screening programs, educational curriculums and classes, house parties, seminars, panels and other activities and are ongoing "legacy" programs that are updated and revised to continue beyond the film's domestic and international theatrical, DVD and television windows.

For THE KITE RUNNER, Participant teamed with the Afghanistan Relief Organization, the International Rescue Committee, Amnesty International, Relief International, One Laptop Per Child and others to support literacy by rebuilding libraries, train teachers and provide computers and other educational materials for the war-torn nation. For CHICAGO 10, we joined forces with Vanity Fair to present Citizen Summits in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York, where well-known experts discussed topics related to the film's theme of political activism. In addition, we teamed with DeclareYourself to encourage young people to voice their opinions on the issues they care about through voter registration initiatives, celebrity PSAs and an "I am voting for" video mash-up contest.

For CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR, Participant allied with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to promote initiatives for education and mental and health benefits for veterans and to insure that wounded veterans get their full enlistment bonuses and arranged a national "call in" teleconference for veterans with the real Charlie Wilson.

For STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, which focused on the infamous Abu Ghraib photographs, we brought some of Europe's most respected authorities to Berlin to debate the impact of diminished rule of law on international relations, and sponsored a traveling exhibit of famed photographer Nubar Alexanian's photos taken on the set of the film to spark greater conversation about the role of photography in the Abu Ghraib scandal.

For DARFUR NOW, Participant partnered with the Jewish World Watch's Solar Cooker Project to provide Darfurian refugee women with solar cookers to enable them to prepare meals for their families without risking their lives by leaving the safety of the refugee camps to collect firewood. A portion of the profits of sales of the DARFUR NOW DVD will be donated to the JWW's Solar Cooker Project. With activist John Prendergast, founder of ENOUGH, we co- sponsored a fact-finding mission for Prendergast and basketball superstar Tracey McGrady that resulted in McGrady's funding of the Solar Cooking Project in one refugee camp and a new school to be built for Darfurian children in one of the 12 refugee camps in Sudan. McGrady is committed to enlisting other NBA players to underwrite schools in the 11 other camps with additional support from "Sister Schools" in the U.S., beginning with McGrady's alma mater. In Spring 2008, Participant and ENOUGH organized a nationwide DARFUR NOW College Tour, which combined screenings of the documentary with free musical concerts featuring such popular artists as OK Go, Cool Kids and Rhymefest This inaugural live event raised awareness of the genocide taking place today and promoted activism among young people in this nation.

To date, we have developed active, working relationships with 83 non-profits reaching over 20 million people. Our social action campaigns have played a role in achieving such notable results as more than 28 thousand downloads for information on how to reduce oil dependence, over 106 thousand tons of CO2 offsets, nine countries incorporating AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH into their curriculum for high school students, four bills on climate change introduced in Congress and the support for organizations and advocacy efforts which resulted in the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act.