In 2009, Beardsley produced the documentary film Reporter, about New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof's work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Beardsley originated the Half the Sky movement,[9] a multi-year global media project aimed at improving opportunity for women and girls in the developing world, based on the critically acclaimed nonfiction book, by Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.
The documentary featured celebrity advocates America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union, and Olivia Wilde traveling to developing countries.
[10] In November of that year, Beardsley served as the keynote speaker at the first annual Global Solutions Forum at Vail Mountain School, discussing the project.
The project commissions award-winning documentary directors to produce character-driven shorts focusing on the advancement of social mobility, and the government officials leading the way.