Ryan Suffern is a renowned director and producer with a prolific career spanning over a decade, during which he has produced and directed numerous documentaries, music videos, and short films. He co-founded the documentary division of The Kennedy/Marshall Company and has worked with esteemed clients such as Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, and Paul McCartney.
As a director, Suffern has helmed several award-winning documentaries, including FINDING OSCAR, which was executive produced by Spielberg and won numerous accolades. He has also co-directed and produced JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY for Sony Pictures Classics and directed a docuseries on A&M Records for EPIX.
Suffern's impressive portfolio includes a range of documentaries, from music and sports to social causes, all of which focus on the human interest at the heart of the story. Some of his notable works include THE CHINA HUSTLE, SATAN & ADAM, THE MAN VS THE MACHINE, and the Emmy-nominated docuseries LAUREL CANYON: A PLACE IN TIME.
In addition to his work in documentaries, Suffern has also produced several other titles, including THE GIFT: THE JOURNEY OF JOHNNY CASH, a YouTube Originals release, and HBO's THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART. He has also served as an executive producer on several projects, including THE MAN VS THE MACHINE and the Paul McCartney/Rick Rubin docuseries for Hulu, MCCARTNEY 3,2,1.
Born and raised in the Chicagoland suburbs, Suffern is an English major from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He began his career in the film industry by working as a set PA within the independent film scene in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in 2002. There, he earned a spot as one of Steven Spielberg's assistants and documented the behind-the-scenes of four different films.
Before teaming up with Frank Marshall on ESPN's award-winning RIGHT TO PLAY, Suffern worked extensively with the Belfast singer-songwriter Duke Special, producing and directing numerous music videos and short documentaries. He also co-directed, produced, and edited OUT & AROUND, which documented a lesbian couple's year-long journey to 15 different countries, seeking out the leaders of the LGBTQ movement.
Suffern is a devoted father to his two daughters, Pearl and Iris, and resides in Los Angeles. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, and the Television Academy, and is represented by the United Talent Agency.
