FILM PRODUCTION INSTRUCTORS
DAVID MICHAN
FILM PRODUCTION LEAD INSTRUCTOR
David Michán is an award-winning Mexican director with multiple feature film credits and more in production. He is an alumnus of the reknowned Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica and has more than fifteen years of experience in the direction and production of films, commercials, music videos and advertising campaigns for both cinemas and television. He is also an accomplished visual effects artist with VFX and other post-production credits on a dozen films.
Prior to his feature film projects, he completed several short films, including Mexican Dream which was the winner of three international prizes in Brussels, Germany and Austin TX for best fiction short film, and also for having been selected in more than twenty-five international festivals and A True Story, winner of short-film competition Radioactivo 2003 (Radioactive 2003) as judged by recognized filmmakers such as Alejandro G. Inarritu, Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro, Roger Avary, Alejandro Jodorowky, and more.
CHRIS JOYS
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Chris Joys is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer who has had multiple exhibitions and film festival screenings around the world.
Having had multiple photography exhibitions and film festival credits under his belt, Chris prides himself in being a meticulous solo creative while also being flexible to take on specific roles on a large scale production. He has shot and directed successful campaigns for brands such as Giorgio Armani, Discovery Channel, Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield and Newtown Jets.
KATIE WEEKLEY
PRODUCING
Katie Weekley is an award-winning producer who has worked on a range of feature films, TV series and short film productions throughout her professional career. Katie has produced feature films such as The Unseen (2016), as well as many more short film productions.
Besides producing. she has also worked in the camera department as a first and second assistant camera for a variety of films and TV series. On top of this, she was also a writer for many short film productions. Most recently, Katie has been working hard on a pilot for her exciting new podcast series.
JEREMY KLASSEN
EDITING
With over fifteen years of experience working on film and video productions, Jeremy Klassen has accumulated a diverse and practical knowledge of many intricate aspects of filmmaking. He has worked on productions ranging from corporate videos and commercials to documentaries, music videos, television series and narrative films. He’s edited several televised films including Hunted By My Ex, Secret Crush, Fatal Mistakes, Psycho Wedding Crasher, and The Murderer Upstairs, to name a few.
JULIA IVANOVA
DOCUMENTARY
Julia Ivanova has received many accolades for her compelling films, including the award for Best Canadian Feature for Family Portrait in Black and White at Hot Docs 2011. Her films include From Russia, for Love (2000); Fatherhood Dreams (2007); and Limit Is the Sky (2016), which won the Colin Low Best Canadian Documentary Award at DOXA 2017. Her documentaries have screened at Sundance, IDFA, and the Chicago and LA film festivals, among many others; she is currently working on the feature Pipeline in Paradise, about two opposite human forces in Canada that are connected by the Trans Mountain Pipeline.
Born and raised in Moscow, Ivanova immigrated to Vancouver in the 1990s; since then, she’s established herself as a balanced and empathetic cinematic voice, digging into the dilemmas perpetuated by the search for a place, love, family and meaning by those who have two homes and two identities. With a focus on capturing the complexities of human nature, Ivanova brings her signature non-judgmental style to the telling of unique Canadian stories.
She has made a number of intimate films on the topics of love, adoption, cultural differences and family, partnering with CBC, Global TV, Knowledge Network, PBS and Discovery. Ivanova has been actively involved in the documentary filmmaking community by organizing professional development workshops for DOC BC, co-chairing DOC BC, being on the Board of Hot Docs Festival and mentoring emerging filmmakers through “Giving Voice” DOC program. Being a director/editor/cinematographer and an avid fan of international documentaries, she believes in the emotional power of visual storytelling and poetic cinema.
ROXANA CHAPELA
PRODUCTION DESIGN/ART DEPARTMENT
Roxana Chapela is a Mexican/Canadian filmmaker. She is an Architect with a certificate in Fine Arts and a Permaculture Design diploma. She has walked the last 21 years of her professional journey in film and theater, by designing sets for different kinds of universes such as: The Flash (2017), Continuum (2012), DC Legends of Tomorrow (2017), Hive 3 Cultural Olympiad 2010 and La Casa Del Teatro Mexico. She has worked for world renowned Directors such as Stephen Soderberg on Che: Part One (2008), as well as on the web series The Ten Commandments of La Vida Loca (2009). This ultimately led her to win an award for Best Production Design for the film Los Trashumantes (2012).
Roxana won a grant from The Canadian Council of Arts to develop the script of her first feature film as Director, called Feminine: a redemption tale, which was also part of the script development program at the Female Eye Film Festival 2023.
On top of this, she has also directed multiple-award winning short documentaries, including Upcyclers: Fashion’s Climate Frontliners (2021), The Peaceful Revolution (2021) and Sashiko As Cultural Sustainability (2021).
Roxana also was the lead film committee and curator of the sustainable Film Festival Vida Vert, San Francisco 21/22.
ROBERT CHOMIAK
SCREENWRITING
Robert Chomiak is co-writer of the award-winning zombie-comedy cult feature Fido. He has written English adaptations for three animated theatrical features (Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, Escaflowne – The Movie) and 207 episodes on seven animated series (Gundam Seed, Zoids, Inuyasha) which have aired on Cartoon Network and Teletoon.
Other television work includes the sitcom Alienated and the Gemini-nominated children’s special Twisteeria. Robert’s pilot script “Slaughter Landing” has been optioned to Frantic Films and MarVista and is currently out to broadcasters.
His screenplays have received development funding from Telefilm, Harold Greenberg, and BC Film. He is co-writer of the R-rated comedy screenplay “My A**hole Neighbour” which was selected for the Comedy Exchange program sponsored by the Canadian Film Centre. Most recently his comedy feature project “ex-gf’s” was awarded $50,000 in development from the NSI/Corus Script to Screen program.
Robert graduated with a BA in Dramatic Arts from the University of Lethbridge and studied for two years in the Simon Fraser University film program.
STEPHANIE WELLS
ASSISTANT DIRECTING
Stephanie Wells lives in Vancouver, BC and currently works as an Assistant Director in the local film industry. Stephanie has worked on a wide variety of projects including feature films Child’s Play (2019), To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021) and The Intruder (2019).
Along with working in the film industry in Vancouver, Stephanie has also been working toward her own production goals and has a number of scripts and ideas that are at various stages of development.
JACKIE BLACKMORE
ACTING
Jackie Blackmore is a professional Film & TV Actor, Director, Sketch Comedian, Improviser, Award-winning Playwright & Comedy Writer with over 30 years of experience.
She has a BFA in Media Arts from Emily Carr University. As an Instructor, Jackie has taught at InFocus Film School, Vancouver Film School, Instant Theatre, Carousel Theatre, and Arts Umbrella. During the 11 years she taught Sketch Comedy Writing at Vancouver Film School she also directed up to 6-9 sketch comedy shows a year with the VFS Sketch Company. As a writer, Jackie has written sketches, plays & short films, was a comedy TV writer for Off Centre Television, and is currently developing two feature film screenplays. Jackie is extremely passionate about comedy & storytelling and she loves to inspire new writers to use comedy to entertain & incite change!
MICHAEL KHAZEN
MUSIC VIDEOS
Michael Khazen, founder of High Deaf Productions, started his career in film ten years ago making music videos and short films. He has since gone on to produce award-winning feature and television content that’s been screened on multiple platforms the world over. He has recently finished a slate of feature films being released in 2018-2019. All of which have received distribution; the metaphysical horror Welcome to the Circle, the edgy art house film The Age of Adulting, and the hard-hitting documentary Ken Foster. He also has one more hot off his post-production pipeline for planned release in 2020, the coming of age teenage comedy Last Night in Suburbia. Michael has a keen eye for strong projects with great distribution potential. With over 30 producing credits under his belt, he has earned the reputation of being one of Western Canada’s most sought after independent producers.
BRISHKAY AHMED
DOCUMENTARY
Brishkay Ahmed (DGC/WGC) is an Afghan – Canadian filmmaker.
She studied film at New York University and the Iranian Young Cinema Society. She holds a degree in Communication from Simon Fraser University.
As a documentary filmmaker, she’s drawn to social issues and investigative topics. Brishkay’s films include the award-winning features Unveiled: The Kohistan Video Scandal and In The Rumbling Belly of Motherland.
Her 2022 web documentary, Fatima In Kabul, was nominated for the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards and a 2022 Banff Rockie Awards.
Throughout her career, Brishkay Ahmed has collaborated with the CBC, Super Channel, NFB, Bravo TV, Java Films, Women Make Movies, Telefilm, Cinema Politica and RTA on projects.
I acknowledge, I live and work on the unceded Indigenous land belonging to the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō (Stolo), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
DOLORES DRAKE
ACTING
Dolores Drake has been working in Theatre, Film and TV for 35 years.
In feature film she has worked with world-renowned directors Joel Schumacher, Bill Forsythe, Anne Wheeler and Alan Rudolph. Most recent film credits include, The Professor, Always Be My Maybe (for Netflix) Cop and a Half, and Starstruck A Cinderalla Story (HBO).
For TV she has played Principal and Supporting Lead Roles in numerous TV Movies: Coyote Creek Christmas, Love Stuck Café, Love Once and Always, A Carousal Christmas and Love In Action. Check out her full list on IMDB. Roles in TV series include The Mighty Ducks and Turner and Hooch.
In Theatre she has worked for numerous companies across the country, Theatre North West, Arts Club, The Belfry, The Citadel, and Richmond Gateway. Dolores has also written, produced and performed in three of her own ONE WOMAN PLAYS. Randall’s Wake, From Away and The Distance Between Newfoundland and Toronto.
As a Writer/Director she has created several plays for youth, and is in in high demand as a Private Coach.
She has been teaching and coaching for 20 years and Created her own Professional Development Program for Youth and who want to act. She also teaches a Beginner TV and Film class at Langara College.
She is a graduate of Studio 58.
JESS SEYMOUR
Jess Seymour is a live action, animation and event producer currently working in Vancouver, BC. Presently she is the Development Producer for Wasabi Entertainment, leading the creation of all IP content including novel series, TV shows, feature films and digital apps.
She studied Film Production and Philosophy at Simon Fraser University where she specialized in Cinematography. In 2007, she started ‘Focus Pull Productions’ – a media company focused on creating commercial and short form content both in Canada and overseas. She is a founding member of OK Social, an after-work event for people in the creative industries. She has been a keynote speaker on the creation of high-quality video for your brand and enjoys experimenting with new technologies as a means of storytelling.
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