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Neil Laird

Neil Laird

Producer, also writer · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Neil Laird is an LGBTQIA+, multiple Emmy-nominated Executive Producer who has worked extensively on both the network and production side of non-fiction TV since 1997. He's developed, overseen, and produced over 1,000 hours of non-fiction programs and specials in nearly every genre, with a particular passion, expertise, and contacts in history, archaeology, and international exploration. Laird has also written a trilogy of novels, 'Prime Time Travelers', 'Prime Time Pompeii', and Prime Time Troy," comedic, fantastical takes on his experiences as a TV producer shooting in ancient lands.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

From
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Producer, also writer
Titles
46 on MovieCove
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)

Known for

What are Neil Laird's films like?

Across their 46 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Ideas and Society.

Genres

Documentary16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
History3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their History movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Ideas
47%
Society
22%
Self
11%
Survival
11%
Power
5%
Morality
3%
Bonds
1%
Truth26 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy14 titles, browse their movies with this themeNature8 titles, browse their movies with this themeTechnology7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 16 · Serious 5 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 20 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 20 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 21 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
42
Tense
15
Hopeful
18
Thrilling
8
Warm
5
Other
10

How their films linger

Thought-provoking33 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful24 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous25
  • Cyclical9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Neil Laird's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 44 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on discovery+ (36).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Neil Laird's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

46 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page.

Career shape

Across their 46 MovieCove titles from 1994 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Hoop Dreams (1994)

$12M worldwide

Highest rated

Hoop Dreams (1994)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

How It's Made (2001)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing2 of 46: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing46 of 46: 44 only producing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1990s1 · crew2000s4 · crew2010s14 · crew2020s27 · crew

Counts over their MovieCove titles; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles, shown from 5 scored.

How do Neil Laird's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 74th percentile, the median of the 20 of 21 with a score; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 73rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 45 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed22

Most divisive · producer

Truth Behind the Moon Landing (2019)

90th percentile spread · 55% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Hoop Dreams (1994)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 43/100 and the plot and story 56/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Neil Laird work with?

People who share at least 2 of Neil Laird's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Andrew Lessner shares the most, 16.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles