Randy Counsman

Nonfiction series development and production

About

Hands-on executive producer and head of development with a track record of building businesses by setting strategy, building slates, and generating sales. Seventeen years of consistently creating, developing, selling, and producing popular nonfiction series for all the major outlets, from YouTube to Netflix.

  • Created and sold dozens of popular and award-winning series
  • Produced collaborations with A-list talent and brands
  • Developed and produced multiple Netflix Top 10 series

Experience

Executive Producer, Video & Audio

upNEXT News

2025–2026

  • Led production of videos, podcasts, and social graphics (40+/week) for the digital news brand
  • Built internal systems and tools that reduced content creation times for all formats (up to 90%)

Head of Development

Stephen David Entertainment

2018 – 2025

  • Led a development team and generated sales at Netflix, History, Discovery, PBS, and more
  • Produced projects with major brands, including FedEx, NASCAR, Texas Monthly, and Hilton
  • Sourced and secured sellable original stories, including for Discovery's first Shark Week film
  • Developed and produced a global Top 3 series for Netflix (Wyatt Earp & The Cowboy War)
  • Created a low-cost interview series that secured top celebrities, such as MrBeast (21m views)

Executive Producer

NBC News / Peacock Productions

2016 – 2018

  • Led a project to revitalize the dev slate—directly resulted in sales (e.g. Hamilton: Building America)
  • Worked across departments to generate new pitches from existing talent and IP

Executive Producer / Founder

Rearrange Media

2014 – 2016

  • Formed production shingle in partnership with Glass Entertainment Group
  • Led a team of over 40 people, managed budgets, and oversaw all business affairs
  • Secured a first-look deal with CNN, then converted it into the critically-acclaimed series Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History ($4.5 million budget)

VP of Development

Stephen David Entertainment

2009 – 2014

  • First employee, worked directly with founder to define the company's strategy
  • Generated sales that turned the startup into one of Realscreen's "Global Top 100 Production Companies" (then acquired by Banijay Group in an eight-figure deal)
  • Developed and oversaw the creation of the company's first breakout hit, The Men Who Built America, which won two Emmys and established History's "That Built" franchise (12+ series)
  • Repeated the success by developing, selling, and producing over a dozen series

Director of Development

The Idea Factory

2008 – 2009

  • Developed and sold the series that became the foundation for Stephen David Entertainment.

Skills

  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Avid
  • Video Production
  • Canva
  • Descript
  • AI Tools
  • Motion Design

Education

New York University
Dramatic Writing

Syracuse University
Communications Design

Selected Credits

  • Undisclosed Consultant (Audience Growth) · Podcast
  • Sitting Bull Co-Executive Producer · History
  • Wyatt Earp & The Cowboy War Co-Executive Producer · Netflix
  • Jaws in the Shallows Supervising Producer · Discovery
  • The Titans That Built America Co-Executive Producer · History
  • American Dynasty Supervising Producer · Fox Nation
  • Raging Bulls Supervising Producer · Discovery
  • The Interrogator Supervising Producer · I.D.
  • Human: The World Within Supervising Producer · Netflix / PBS
  • Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas Supervising Producer · Netflix
  • Capsized: Blood in the Water Supervising Producer · Discovery
  • Titans: The Rise of Wall Street Supervising Producer · Curiosity
  • Washington Writer · History
  • Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History Executive Producer / Writer / Director · CNN
  • Hamilton: Building America Executive Producer / Writer / Director · History
  • Gold Fever Writer / Producer · Discovery
  • The American West Writer / Producer · AMC
  • Redrum Co-Executive Producer · I.D.
  • Sons of Liberty Writer / Producer · History
  • The World Wars Writer / Producer · History (Primetime Emmy nomination)
  • The Men Who Built America Writer / Producer · History (2× Emmy nominations)