Our WORK IS inspired by the American West and catered to honor the independent filmmaker.
Before it was a film studio, Penalty Productions was a creative dare.
It began in the cold quiet of a Michigan forest, where a small, scrappy crew shot a short film called The Penalty. It wasn’t a big production—just a camera, a few close collaborators, and a story that needed to be told. No permits. No budget. No guarantees.
But it had urgency. It had AMBITION.
sINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE PRODUCED 15 AWARD-WINNING TITLES THAT HAVE GARNERED ATTENTION THROUGH INDIE FILM FESTIVALS AND DISTRIBUTORS ALIKE.
aND WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
Where We Started.
Adaobi Ugoagu serves as Head of Content for Penalty Productions®, where she leads creative strategy and oversees the development and greenlighting of projects across the company’s media slate. With nearly a decade of experience shaping high-impact storytelling, she has led creative work for globally recognized brands including Chipotle, Disney, and Converse.
At Penalty Productions®, Ugoagu is responsible for guiding projects from concept through execution, ensuring each aligns with the company’s creative standards, brand identity, and long-term growth strategy. Her background in brand-driven narrative development brings a commercially informed perspective to the studio’s original content, strengthening Penalty Productions®’ ability to deliver compelling, market-ready stories across film and media platforms.
Writer / PRoducer
Logan Mansberger is an American film director, producer, and writer, and the Founder & CEO of Penalty Productions®, an independent film and media studio based in Los Angeles.
Born in Truckee, California, and raised in Oregon, Mansberger began directing films at an early age, establishing a career defined by creative independence and disciplined storytelling. His early work includes My Brother (2011), a World War II thriller, and Charlotte, an award-winning short film produced on a modest budget.
In 2018, he founded Penalty Productions®, launching the studio with John, Do Your Will, later acquired by Amazon Prime. Since then, the company has produced over 15 titles across narrative film, commercial, and literary media. Mansberger followed with At Noon (2020) and Contingency (2021), the latter earning multiple awards at U.S. and European festivals.
As Founder & CEO, Mansberger oversees development, production, and creative direction, building Penalty Productions® as a scalable independent studio focused on long-term IP and consistent output.
