Stephanie Soechtig is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and producer from the United States. She is the president and CEO of Atlas Films and has directed multiple award-winning films. In the year 2000, she began her career as a documentary producer for 20/20 and Primetime Live. Her documentary ‘Bowling for Columbine’ won her an Academy Award in 2002. She was also covering the presidential race for ‘Good Morning America’ at the time. Her documentary ‘Tapped,’ which focused on the various health and environmental hazards surrounding the bottled water industry, was also well-received. She has created many political campaign advertisements, short films, and videos for nonprofit causes, and has been named one of the “most inventive women in food and drink” by “Fortune Magazine.” She has worked on both ABC and Fox News.
Career of Stephaine
‘Tapped,’ Stephanie Soechtig’s directorial debut documentary, exposed the bottled water industry’s exorbitant costs—to the environment and to our health. It was hailed as “striking” by critics. ‘Tapped’ received positive reviews at film festivals across the country, winning six awards for Best Documentary Feature. The three biggest actors in the bottled water industry—Nestle, Coke, and Pepsi—refused to grant interviews or appear on camera while she was producing the film. Their lobbyists, on the other hand, spoke with her. Because the businesses declined to engage, she was forced to tell the story from their point of view and present counter-arguments.
She began working as a field producer for ABC News in January 2001. She was also a cast member in the television drama ‘A Fatal Attraction.’ In June 2001, she left ABC. She joined Fox News Channel as a documentary producer the following month, and she also produced ‘The O’Reilly Factor.’ She worked with the station until April of 2004. She later became a supervising producer at E! Networks in March 2006, where she developed E! News’ ‘The Daily Ten.’ In April 2008, she resigned from the company.
In 2008, Soechtig teamed up with Michael and Michelle Walrath to launch Atlas Films with a $1.5 million investment. She is the President and CEO of the company, which strives to make films that will educate and inspire people. ‘Fed Up,’ a documentary she directed, was released in 2014. It was also written and produced by her, and it grossed $1,538,899 at the box office.
‘Under the Gun,’ another of her documentaries, was released on January 24, 2016. When it premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, it garnered a standing ovation. The video focuses on the problem of gun violence in the United States and gun control legislation. It was a comprehensive examination of how gun control supporters have attempted to combat the NRA’s clout.
Her Legal Concerns
The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) sued Soechtig and Katie Couric, a journalist and executive producer of ‘Under the Gun,’ for $12 million for falsifying facts in the documentary. The action was brought in federal court, with VCDL alleging that the creators distorted the footage on purpose. They demanded a total of $12 million in compensation, with each plaintiff receiving $350,000.
Personal Experiences of Stephaine
Stephanie Soechtig was born in the United States, in the city of New York. She graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. She went on to Western Connecticut State University to pursue her degree. The media has no information about her parents or early life. Her personal life is also kept hidden.
Estimated Net Worth
Stephanie Soechtig is a multi-award-winning writer, producer, and documentary filmmaker. Her most recent film, Under the Gun, received a standing ovation from the crowd when it premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Her net worth is $20 Million.