Eric Nichols is an Emmy-winning producer and creative director, now working independently after more than a decade leading creative as Executive Producer at the Oscar-winning production company Smartypants.

At Smartypants, Eric played a pivotal role in overseeing a wide range of documentary, narrative, and commercial projects. As the Director of Creative Development, he has contributed to the company's reputation for producing high-quality and impactful work with vital purpose across mediums.

Most recently, Eric executive-produced the 2026 Academy Award® winner for Best Documentary Short, “All the Empty Rooms.” Directed by Joshua Seftel and featuring fellow EPs Adam McKay and Steve Kerr, the Netflix film follows journalist Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp into the preserved bedrooms of children killed in school shootings, approaching an often politicized issue through the lens of the families at its heart. The Guardian described it as “painful, delicate and urgent,” while The New York Times called it “quietly wrenching.”

In 2023, Eric served as an executive producer on “Stranger at the Gate,” which earned an Academy Award® nomination for Best Documentary Short. Eric played a key role in shaping the story that went on to critical acclaim. Sandy Kenyon of WABC called it “a story so remarkable it could restore your faith in humanity,” and the Washington Post named it a Critic’s Pick and described it as “profoundly moving.”

“The Secret Life of Muslims,” the Emmy- and Peabody-nominated series that first unearthed that story, pioneered a wit and intimacy in exploring Muslim American identity that drew tens of millions of views. Building on its success, Eric went on to help produce the Emmy-nominated “Self-Evident” for PBS, capturing the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic through the everyday lives of people across the country.

Additional producing credits include the indie doc “Flophouse America,” a gritty and unflinching look at the realities of America’s housing crisis through the eyes of those living in low-income motels. The Los Angeles Times praised the film as “a searing portrait of life on the margins” and “a powerful call to action.” Eric also co-produced “How to Fix a Primary,” a feature documentary following Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor who ran to become the country’s first Muslim governor, and the resistance an outsider candidate meets inside his own party. The film, which The Atlantic called “a gripping political thriller,” offers an insider’s view of the challenges facing progressive candidates seeking to disrupt the status quo.

Two forthcoming doc-features Eric executive-produced are now in post-production. The first shadows the renowned countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo’s against-the-odds effort to rescue Opera Philadelphia from collapse and irrelevance, posing the question of whether opera in America can be saved. The second follows the senior rock chorus Alive & Kickin’ through a year of rehearsals and performances, charting how music and community sustain its members through loss, illness, and the challenges of aging.

Alongside his documentary work, Eric has overseen hundreds of commercial and brand films for clients including Delta, Cadillac, adidas, Princeton, and Columbia. A creative through-line connects this work with his docs: an eye for the human element in every story, and an ability to distill complexity into clear, compelling narratives.

Eric is a graduate of Tufts University and AFI’s directing program, and holds a certificate in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports from Harvard Business School.