About Us
Heartland Productions was founded by Carl Kriss with the goal of telling stories that capture the people and places in the Midwest. A Chicago native, Carl worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles for five years, before moving to Northeast Ohio to make a documentary about the industrial Midwest called, Bring it Home. The film aired nationally on PBS and led Carl to move to Cleveland where he also met his wife Margie. He started Heartland Productions to continue making commercials and documentaries that tell the story of the place he feels proud to call home.
Our Team
Carl Kriss, Creative Director
Upon graduation from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, Carl directed an award winning feature documentary on street musicians in New York called, “Give and Take.” He advanced his film career by attending the American Film Institute (AFI) in LA, and later became a film editor on documentaries and TV shows that aired on the History Channel, National Geographic and Amazon. He moved to Ohio in 2019 to direct a feature documentary about the closure of the General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, called Bring it Home. The film aired nationally on PBS and screened at the Cleveland International Film Festival in 2021. He also worked as a photojournalist for two years, editing and shooting stories for NBC affiliate WKYC in Cleveland. Carl lives in Shaker Heights with his wife, and two young daughters.
Margie Glick, Producer
Margie Glick has spent more than 15 years working in advocacy and was the lead producer for the feature film, Bring it Home, that aired on PBS. She currently serves as the Director of Advocacy at Collaborate Cleveland, a non-profit that supports, amplifies and celebrates women. Prior, she served as the Director of Advocacy at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, a social services agency in Cleveland that provides housing and workforce development and the Manager of Partnerships and Programs at the Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, an initiative aimed at increasing postsecondary attainment among Cleveland Metropolitan School District students. Margie’s previous positions include Assistant Director of Federal Relations at Vanderbilt University and Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Margie has a Master’s degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. Margie serves as the primary grant writer and social media coordinator at Heartland Productions. She also lives in Shaker Heights with her husband and two young daughters.
Our Process
If you're interested in working with us, simply write us a message below. We will respond within 48 hours to set up a time to talk about your project. We will then write a video proposal that you can review before deciding if you would like to move forward. We look forward to hearing from you!