Gretchen McGowan is currently the Head of Production for Goldcrest Features in New York City, a new branch of the company's established London-based Sales and Post divisions. Goldcrest Features is developing a slate of 3-4 productions each year ranging between $5M and $15M.

In 2008 Gretchen traveled to Spain to produce Jim Jarmusch's new feature film, The Limits of Control, a Focus Features release. Gretchen produced the Magnolia Pictures March 2009 release American Swing, a well-received doc about New York's infamous Plato's Retreat sex club.

Previous to her freelance work as a producer, Gretchen was the Head of Production with HDNet Films for four years. She has overseen the production of over 15 documentaries and narrative features for the company, including Brian De Palma's Redacted, Alex Gibney's Oscar-winning Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Diggers (Paul Rudd), All Fall Down (Anthony LaPaglia), Zoe Cassavetes' Broken English and Steven Soderbergh's Bubble.

In December 1999, Gretchen McGowan began working with BLOW UP PICTURES and OPEN CITY FILMS as the Head of Production. Blow Up's digitally originated projects for theatrical distribution have included Miguel Arteta's Chuck and Buck, Dan Minahan's Series 7 and Nicole Holofcener's feature, Lovely and Amazing.

With Blow Up, Gretchen produced Peter Mattei's Love in the Time of Money starring Steve Buscemi, Rosario Dawson and Michael Imperioli. Gretchen co-produced The Guys, a Focus Features release with Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPaglia. Gretchen co-produced Jim Jarmusch's feature, Coffee and Cigarettes, released by United Artists in 2004.

Since 1987, Gretchen has developed, produced, managed and secured distribution for several acclaimed documentaries. Sony Pictures Classics acquired Martha and Ethel at the Sundance Film Festival for theatrical distribution. The HBO/BBC film Unmade Beds was recognized and promoted to theaters for a six-month run and The Dancemaker was nominated for an Academy Award in 1999. As a line producer, her projects include Buffalo '66, Two Girls and a Guy, Heavy, The Citizen and American Psycho.

Gretchen led IFP's narrative rough cut lab with Scott Macauley for the third consecutive year in the Spring of 2009.