Sherpa Productions has been crafting human narratives through cinematic storytelling since 2001. They are a multi award-winning NYC based production house committed to mining the humanity in their work whether for broadcast, branding, corporate or commercial clients around the globe. Sherpas of the Himalayas are the most trustworthy and hardest working mountain guides on the planet. They are known for their attention to detail, their family values and their grit. Sherpa Productions emulates the Sherpas of the East. Their mission is to ascend and to realize their clients dreams on the way to the summit. Rick Kaplan | Executive Producer | DirectorAfter completing his post-graduate degree at The Juilliard School, Rick joined the family at Florentine Films in Walpole, New Hampshire where he learned the craft of documentary from his mentor, American documentary legend, Ken Burns. Following a two year stint at Florentine as a producer on Burns’ JAZZ and Mark Twain, Rick created Sherpa. Several years making short documentaries and national commercials for big American corporations such as NASA, Ford Motor Company, American Express, and JetBlue Airlines, led to Rick setting his focus on telling longer form stories for broadcast television. He directed several pilots for ongoing series before creating his own national primetime about six unsung heroes of Appalachia called Barnwood Builders for The Discovery Channel. Regularly winning its night, Barnwood quickly gained critical success and a loyal audience of over one million weekly viewers. Lauded for its dispelling of “the myth of the hillbilly” and shining a positive light on America’s true heartland, the series finished filming its 18th season in 2024 and is still going strong. Rick and his team of Sherpas have filmed on 5 continents, in 15 countries and over 40 of the United States and territories, telling important stories for the Fortune 100 and the Mom & Pop shop alike. They have had the great privilege to call themselves trusted partners to NASA, Jet Propulsion Labs, YETI, Patagonia, American Express, Strategic Education, inc., Riverstone Holdings, Ford Motor Company, OXO Products, Lincoln Mercury, Philips, Volvo, JetBlue, Samsung, WeWork and United Airlines, to name a few. And to have collaborated with some of the industry’s most respected agencies: William Morris/Endeavor, @radical.media, BBDO, Big Spaceship, Brunswick, Grey Worldwide, Ogilvy & Mather and Organic.