From the tearful bridal fittings of Say Yes to the Dress to the high-stakes drama of The Real Housewives of DC, Abby Greensfelder has been one of the driving forces of reality TV. But after years of producing unscripted series, she has traded high-volume entertainment for high-impact storytelling.
Now, through Every Woman Studios, she’s flipping the script—championing female creators, amplifying untold stories, and proving that documentaries can do more than entertain; they can inspire real change. In a recent Leadership Talk with FUTURE NOW Founder & CEO, Margaret “Peggy” Kim, Greensfelder reflected on her journey, the evolution of the media landscape, and how she’s leveraging storytelling as a catalyst for social impact.
Greensfelder’s journey began in the early days of cable television at Discovery Channel, a time when documentary programming was a staple. “Reality TV didn’t exist in the way we know it now,” she recalled. Early in her career, her work focused on developing one-off documentaries and series—until the rise of reality television changed everything.
As cable networks scrambled for high-volume, low-cost content, unscripted reality TV became the new gold rush. Sensing an opportunity, Greensfelder co-founded Half Yard Productions in 2006, a company that would go on to produce some of the era’s biggest hits, from Say Yes to the Dress to The Last Alaskans and the Real Housewives franchise.
“We were making 300 to 400 hours of TV per year,” she explained. “To put that into perspective, when I was running programming and development at Discovery, we would premiere 500 to 600 hours of content annually. So for a single production company to produce that volume shows just how much demand there was.”
The shift was seismic. Practically overnight, the industry needed production companies that could churn out high-volume content efficiently. Greensfelder found herself moving from a buyer and commissioner of shows to a producer at the forefront of the reality TV boom, navigating an industry that was growing at breakneck speed.
Eventually, she sold Half Yard Productions. Greensfelder remained as CEO but eventually decided to pursue a more purpose-driven path.
"I’ve been in this business for so long—first as an executive at Discovery for well over a decade, then leading my own production company for almost a decade and a half. I thought, you know, I’d love to do something that’s a little more impact-driven at this stage in my life."
So, she founded Every Woman Studios to amplify female creators and produce documentary content centered on women’s stories.
"I’m very passionate about supporting women in the business, particularly on the production side of things. So I decided that’s really where I wanted to spend the next part of my career—supporting women creators."
Every Woman Studios operates on multiple fronts. It develops, creates, and produces impact-driven content, often collaborating with female storytellers through programs like its accelerator initiative with Realscreen. The company also partners with Banijay to expand its reach, helping women pitch, develop, and bring their ideas to life in an industry where breaking in remains a challenge.
Greenfelder's decision to start Every Woman Studios was also inspired by the changing landscape of the unscripted industry. With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, one-off documentaries found a new home.
"There really was no vehicle for one-off docs to be on cable because we were all looking for volume in series,” she explained. “But in streaming, some of these standalone films could find an audience. That’s part of why I oriented this company [Every Woman Studios] to be more in the premium documentary side of the business, which was less about cost and more about quality."
She likens her career transition to moving “from Walmart to a boutique craft shop,” embracing a shift from high-volume production to curating high-quality work.
"I left the high-volume, low-cost business because I could see it was becoming more about volume and cost-cutting rather than creative risk-taking and quality," she said. "I moved into the 'shiny gem' business because it aligns with the passion work that I want to do. I’m interested in making more quality, artisanal, crafted content. And there still is a market for that."
During the conversation, Greensfelder was asked what makes a documentary “shiny” enough to sell, who defines shiny, and how is that determined—data, audience, market trends?
She explained that the definition of “shiny” has changed significantly in recent years due to the fluctuating state of the entertainment industry. When she first founded Every Woman Studios, streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Max, and Peacock were in a fierce race to dominate the market, aggressively investing in new content. This meant that projects with high-profile IP (intellectual property) tied to celebrities or major cultural moments had strong selling power.
Greensfelder’s documentary LFG (Let’s F**king Go), which chronicled the U.S. women’s soccer team’s fight for equal pay, was an attractive prospect for buyers due to its access to key figures like Megan Rapinoe, who had risen to international prominence during the 2019 World Cup.
“It was like riding a rocket ship—seeing her become famous and navigating the lawsuit [against U.S. Soccer for unequal pay],” Greensfelder recalled. HBO Max, eager for premium content, bought the film as one of its first major documentary acquisitions. “We were able to sell it off the back of the growing, streaming market,” she concluded.
But fast forward to 2025, and the industry looks very different. With streaming platforms now prioritizing profitability over expansion, their spending habits have shifted. “Everybody threw so much money into the market, and they overspent,” Greensfelder explained. “Now they’re trying to do more high-volume, low-cost content—the same way cable networks used to operate.”
Today, only projects with built-in audiences, big-name celebrities, or highly sensational topics are sellable. “Think Beckham on Netflix,” she noted. “It’s a fantastic film, but it sold because it’s Beckham. Everyone’s going to watch that.”
Filmmakers working on niche subjects must now get creative with financing and distribution. Greensfelder's upcoming documentary, The Pink Pill, which explores the search for a female Viagra, is a case in point. Instead of pitching it to streamers, she secured brand funding and used Canadian tax incentives to reduce production costs.
For those passionate about social impact documentaries, Greensfelder encouraged an entrepreneurial mindset. “If you have a project that doesn’t fit the current mold, think outside the box. Find alternative funding, leverage partnerships, and be strategic about distribution.” When asked how she got her start in the industry and for advice for recent graduates, she replied, "I got an internship."
She began as a writer-researcher intern at Discovery Channel, a position that allowed her to gain hands-on experience and make industry connections. She was hired for a full-time role, and after some time she left to work for a production company in London.
Some considered her leaving a good network job a risky move, but it was a growth opportunity.
She maintained her contacts at the network while in London when a former colleague invited her to help establish Discovery’s development department. It was an opportunity to build something from scratch.
Greensfelder had to take a pay cut and accept a lower title, but she negotiated to attend every development meeting and pitch. It was a short-term sacrifice for long-term gain as she quickly rose through the ranks.
Greensfelder credited her mentors and the supportive environment at Discovery for her success, explaining that working with great leaders and being part of a culture that fosters learning can be far more valuable than immediate financial rewards.
When asked about balancing creativity and business acumen, Greensfelder stressed that while mastering a craft is important, it’s not enough on its own. The ability to sell ideas and push them forward is equally critical. “You have to be a hustler in this business,” she explained. Even if someone possesses a rare creative voice, without the skills to promote their work, their projects may never reach the big screen.
Not everyone excels at both creativity and business strategy, but Greensfelder pointed out that forming partnerships can bridge the gap. She spoke about her successful collaboration with her co-founder at Half Yard Productions, where she handled business operations while her partner focused on creative aspects.
As the conversation turned to the ever-evolving entertainment landscape with digital platforms offering both challenges and opportunities, Greensfelder observed that today’s industry allows for both mass distribution and niche content aimed at passionate audiences.
She encouraged aspiring professionals to stay adaptable and leverage various platforms to distribute content. The key is recognizing where audiences are and how to deliver compelling stories in formats that resonate with them.
“This industry is always evolving. When I started, reality TV was just becoming a thing. Now, we’re seeing a shift toward self-distributed content on TikTok and YouTube. There are always opportunities—you just have to be willing to pivot.”
As content creation becomes more accessible, the opportunities for filmmakers are growing—but so are the challenges. The industry, truly "unscripted" in its unpredictability, demands that filmmakers think on their feet and embrace change.
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