Megan Smith-Harris

About

Megan is an entrepreneur with a passion for the arts. Her career encompasses documentary, television, film, theater, radio, writing, magazine editing, and teaching.

Most recently, Megan was a producer for the feature film A Stage of Twilight (Karen Allen, William Sadler), scheduled to be released in Spring 2022. Megan has also helmed multiple long-form documentaries, which  have aired nationally and internationally. Notably, she produced and directed the award-winning documentary, The Buddy System and the critically acclaimed feature doc, Trial by Fire: Lives Re-forged, (PBS, Amazon Prime).

​

From 2014 to 2020 Megan was the editor of Wilton Magazine, an upscale lifestyle magazine that was part of the TownVibe Media Group. She has won 25 Connecticut Press Club Awards for her features, as well as four national NFPW awards. Megan's work has been published in an array of regional and national publications. Her monologues and short plays have been performed at various venues in Connecticut. Her full-length play, Killing Mom—a Kilroy 2020 listed script—is tentatively slated to premiere in New York at ATA in fall 2022

​

She was the founder and Executive Director of the Fairfield Film Festival (Fairfield, CT), and the Festival Director of the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (Ridgefield, CT), rated by FilmFreeway as one of the “Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festivals” in the world. 

​

As a speaker, Megan has delivered keynote addresses, served as a panelist at industry events, and interviewed dozens of authors and filmmakers.

​

​

On the set of the Dr. Oz Show 
with J.R. Martinez & Dr. Mehmet Oz
(featuring TRIAL BY FIRE: Lives Re-Forged)

At Artisan, Southport CT with Actor/Author/Activist Jane Fonda 

With the  Property Brothers for the article "Brotherly Love." published in Wilton Magazine

With Actor Allison Williams at the
Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art

On location backstage at the
Ridgefield Playhouse with legendary
bass player Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick.

With Tommy and Susie Hilfiger 
discussing The Buddy System at an Autism benefit
in Greenwich, CT

CURRICULUM VITAE

MEGAN SMITH-HARRIS​

​

PYEWACKITT PRODUCTIONS

OWNER / PRESIDENT (2008-Present)

Pyewackitt Productions is an independent production company dedicated to creating compelling, high-quality television programs, features, and documentary films with a unique perspective. pyewckitt.com

​

​

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

​

FAIRFIELD FILM FESTIVAL (2020-2021)

Responsible for all aspects of running the film festival as well as year-round screenings, workshops, and panel discussions. Responsible for creating an annual budget, fund-raising, donor relations, and all programming including the Festival Favorites Film Series, Focus on CT Series, The Write Stuff Screenplay program, Who's Zooming Who? Interview Series, and the Film Craft Workshop Series. Oversaw all staff and volunteers, plan and execute all events, A 50/50 gender parity film festival with a commitment to equity, access, and inclusion. 

​

FILM FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

RIDGEFIELD INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (2017-2020)

Responsible for all aspects of running an annual five-day film festival in October, a one-day children's film festival in April, and a series of one-off events throughout the year. Responsible for creating an annual budget, fund-raising, grant proposals, donor relations, and all programming (over 100 films annually). Help facilitate RIFF events at multiple venues throughout Ridgefield, CT including the Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield Theater Barn, Ridgefield Library, Keeler Tavern Museum, and Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. For three years, RIFF was ranked in the FilmFreeway "Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festivals" putting RIFF in the top 1.5% of over 9,000 festivals in the world. 

​

MAGAZINE EDITOR

​

WILTON MAGAZINE (2014-2020)

​

An award-winning regional lifestyle magazine that was part of the TownVibe Media Group and collectively reached over 225,000 readers per issue. Responsible for all editorial content, hired writers, wrote features, edited content, scouted locations, produced all STYLE photo features (including fashion, home, and garden), revised layouts in InDesign, and served as an ambassador for the brand. Won 24 Connecticut Press Club Awards and four NFPW national writing awards for work in TownVibe publications.

​

FILM 

A STAGE OF TWILIGHT (Release Spring 2023)

Producer (Feature)

Independent feature film starring Karen Allen and William Sadler, written and directed by Sarah T. Scwhab. Actively involved in pre-production, casting decisions, locations, and on-set producer during month-long film shoot in New Milford, CT.  astageoftwilightthefilm.com 

THE BUDDY SYSTEM (1 hr)

Producer, Director & Writer 

Independent documentary about the impact autism assistance dogs can have on the life of children on the spectrum. Responsible for every aspect of production including research, budget, fund-raising, hiring, managing crewing, and marketing and promotion.   BuddySystemFilm.org

​

TRIAL BY FIRE: LIVES RE-FORGED (90 min)

Producer, Director & Writer

Independent feature documentary that follows the journeys of seven charismatic burn survivors as they reclaim their lives after the devastation of fire. Premiered in New York and L.A., Docuweeks pick, featured in Leonard Maltin’s Cinema Series, showcased on Dr. Oz, screened at festivals, continues to air on PBS, distributed by PBS International and available on Amazon Prime.  TrialByFireDoc.org

​

TACKLE GIRLS: ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION (60 min)

Executive Producer

Independent feature documentary that follows an elite group of women tackle football players  who form Team USA. The film follows them on their quest for a gold medal in an international competition held in Helsinki, Finland. Responsible for budgeting, fund-raising, creating production schedules, producing, and post-production coordination. Currently in post-production. Tackle Girls Promo

​

ABUSE HURTS (15 min)

Producer, Director & Writer

Documentary featuring five women from diverse socio-economic backgrounds who overcome domestic abuse. Responsible for all elements of production and post-production. Produced for the YWCA of Greenwich.

​

TELEVISION

SURROGATE STORIES (2 hr)

Producer, Director & Writer 

Two-hour television special exploring the intimate world of surrogacy. Responsible for all research, budgeting, crew management, pre-production, production, post-production, and delivery. Commissioned by the Women’s Entertainment Network. Aired on WEtv and distributed by Off the Fence.  

​

CHILD BRIDES (1 hr)

Producer, Director & Writer

One-hour documentary that examines the lives of teens who prematurely become wives and mothers, examining how their decision to marry young has profoundly changed the course of their lives. Responsible for all research, budgeting, crew management, pre-production, production, and post-production. Commissioned by the Women’s Entertainment Network. Aired on WEtv and distributed by Off the Fence.  

POLYGAMY (1 hr)

Producer & Writer

One-hour documentary that looks inside the hidden world of polygamy featuring women who happily practice plural marriage and those who have broken free of the practice. Commissioned by the Women’s Entertainment Network. Aired on WEtv. (Production Company Blue Sky)

​

FAME SCHOOL (30 min)

Associate Producer & Writer

One-hour documentary profiling exceptional students at the La Guardia School for the Performing Arts aka "The Fame School." Aired on PBS. (Production company Fresh Produce)

​

NIGHT ON THE TOWN with Peter Graves 

Writer

Peter Graves explores the history of the famed Peter Luger's Steak House. Aired on A&E (Fresh Produce)

TORONTO ARTS AWARDS

Short Film Producer & Live Show Producer 

Produced 24, five-minute films (16 mm) on celebrated individuals in the arts over a three-year period. Collaborated with 24 different directors. Aired on CBC, TV Ontario, and Bravo. (Pyewackitt Productions)

​

WRITER (Magazines, Blogs, Radio, Television, Film, Theater)

FREELANCE FEATURE WRITER (ongoing)

Articles published by the Weston Magazine Group (Greenwich, Weston, Darien, Rye, New York ),  E-Chook Digital Publishing, Wilton Magazine, Ridgefield Magazine, Fairfield Magazine, Bedford Magazine, Litchfield Magazine, Ridgefield Media, and Brain Child Magazine.

​

​

BLOGS

​

MEGAblog (2014)

Creator, Writer & Photographer

A popular blog for Hearst CT Media. Conceived of and executed weekly blog. Responsible for all content and photos. MEGAblog consistently ranked in the top ten of over 200 blogs.

​

THEATRE

KILLING MOM  (writer) **Kilroy 2020 Listed Play

Full Length Play -  American Theatre of Actors debuts Spring 2021, New York, NY 

Staged Equity Showcase Reading at ACT of CT, Ridgefield, CT

Developmental Reading at Theatre Artists Workshop, Norwalk, CT

​

THE PLAY DATE (Writer)

A Monologue

Performed at Play With Your Food (Greenwich, CT;  Weston, CT; TAW Playwright's Festival (Norwalk, CT)

​

SMOKE BREAK (Writer)

A Monologue - performed at TAW Spring Playwrights Festival

​

A WHOLE NEW WORLD (Writer) 

Award-winning one-act play (2016 Bijou Theatre One-Act Play Competition judged by Tony-award-winning playwright Terrence McNally)  

​

MY FIRST PROM (Writer/Actor)

20-Minute monologue, performed at TAW Fall Playwrights Festival

​

COMPANY'S COMING (Writer/Actor)

A Monologue - in development at Theatre Artists Workshop

​

MAD IN CANADA (Writer/Producer/Co-Director/Actor)

Topical comedy revue - ran for a year (six months in Toronto and six months in Montreal).

​

​

​

SCREENPLAYS

THE GHOST OF YOU 

Feature Screenplay -  Dramedy (in development)

When Jennifer Cabot is blind-sided by a devastating loss, she never expects to be comforted by the ghost of her 18-year-old son, whose idiosyncratic wit helps her to rescue herself and rediscover her creative destiny.

​

​

KILLING MOM 

Feature Screenplay  - Dramedy (adapted from Kilroy 2020 Listed play, in development)

Think of all the times you’ve argued with your mother and thought, “I could just kill her!" What if one day, she asked you to do exactly that?

​

BEHIND THE HEDGEROWS

Feature Screenplay -  Psychological Suspense

At precisely 9:00 a.m. on the Thursday before the Labor Day weekend, Ulla Angstrom rings the doorbell of 127 Lilly Pond Lane, East Hampton, and sets into motion a series of events that will rupture many lives—including her own. She must grapple first with misfortune and then with her conscience as one child dies and another disappears. Behind the Hedgerows, beneath the patina of wealth and privilege, an emotional noose tightens as an elaborate deception unravels.

​

CRYPTIC 

Feature Screenplay - Suspense (Optioned)

Life for cryptic crossword creator, Claire Spencer, is comfortably predictable until she is unwittingly catapulted into a high-stakes political scandal. With a killer on her trail, a broken heart to mend, and a deadline to make, Claire’s world implodes over a heart-pounding 72-hour period. Claire must use her cryptic crossword skills to solve the biggest puzzle of her life— in order to save it.

​

SPEAKER, PRESENTER, & MODERATOR

​

Speaker for conferences of all sizes including arts groups, women's groups, community groups, and non-profits. 

Emcees, leads workshops, celebrity author/filmmaker interviews, and industry panelist,

​

•       Fairfield Film Festival (2021)

•       Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (2018-2020)

•       The New Perspectives Documentary Series (10 years)

•       Millford Readers & Writers Festival (moderator 2018, 2019)     

•       Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO)

•       Ridgefield's Women Forum   

•       Nevada Burn Foundation

•       National Association of State Fire Chiefs

•       Phoenix Society

•       Illinois Fire Safety Alliance

•       National Speakers Association

•       Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation  

•       Firefighters Burn Institute

•       Utah Winter Fire School

•       Canadian Burn Survivor's Conference

•       The Power of Trial By Fire (Edmonton)

•       Ridgefield Library

•       Wilton Library

•       Rotary Clubs in CT

•       Kiwanis Clubs in CT

​

EDUCATION

CANADIAN FILM CENTRE | Producer Resident

One of 4 Producer Residents chosen from across Canada. Toronto, Ontario

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY | Bachelor of Arts (Theatre Major & English Minor)

Kingston, Ontario

​

BANFF CENTRE FOR FINE ARTS  | Women In The Director's Chair Resident

One of 15 women chosen from across Canada. Banff, Alberta

NATIONAL THEATRE SCHOOL OF CANADA | Acting

One of 7 women actors chosen from across Canada. Montreal, Quebec

​

AWARDS & HONORS

KILROYS List 2020  (KILLING MOM)

25 Connecticut Press Club Awards 2015-2021

4 NFPW National Journalism Awards 2015-2019

BEST FILM "The Buddy System" Autfest 2017

FIRST PRIZE WINNER | Bijou Theatre 2016 One-Act Play Contest (Terrence McNally)

FIRST PRIZE WINNER | Right/Left/Center Writing Contest

OFDC Market Mentorship | International Documentary Forum Amsterdam (IDFA)

Market Simulation HONOREE | Banff Television Festival

CTV Fellowship

Scholarship | Canadian Film Centre

​

​

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS 

Connecticut Press Club

Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

Dramatists Guild of America

Film Festival Alliance

International Screenwriters Association (ISA)

League of Professional Theater Women (CT Chapter)

National Federation of Press Women (NFPW)

New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT)

Playwrights Guild of Canada

​

​

GIVING BACK

MODERATOR/PROGRAMMER New Perspectives Documentary Series (10 Years)

BOARD Member Theatre Artists’ Workshop

AUCTIONEER (multiple organizations)

GALA CHAIR CT Friends School

AUCTION CHAIR Weir Farm Art Center

ARTS ENRICHMENT Coordinator Cider Mill School 

CO-PRESIDENT Canaan Ridge Parent's Association

AUCTION CO-CHAIR Greenwich Red Cross

PRESIDENT A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Women in Business 

FILMMAKER Greenwich YWCA Gala

BOARD MEMBER Greenwich Newcomers Association

EVENT CHAIR "Climb For Hope" Gala for Rett Syndrome Association

​

Linked In Profile

​