Filmmakers

10DTdirectorVerticalCHRISTOPHER COMRIE – DIRECTOR, PRODUCER

Christopher was born in Canada to a Jamaican-Cuban family and is a graduate of the New School of Drama where he studied Meisner technique as an actor. He has worked non-stop in film since his first summer job in production at 15.  He has worked on Hollywood features such as Shoot ‘Em Up, Four Brothers, Mean Girls and The Time Traveler’s Wife. He line produced If Wishes Were Horses, under the CLIPP program in Canada. Formerly an Assistant Director at Second City, famed for its comedy improvisation, Chris is co-founder, along with Samantha Swan, of Ardent Pictures and the internationally acclaimed Cygnet Theatre Company. Prior to The Devil’s Tail, now on the festival circuit, he directed the 48 Hour Film Challenge short Encore, as well as Ardent’s shorts Get Back and the prize winning The Danger of Secrets. His decade of work developing and directing original theatre has gained him accolades in Canada, the UK, and New York for his storytelling abilities and excellent ensemble casts. He is now preparing to shoot his second feature in Mexico Nothing To Declare in 2010.

SwanShotAsmallSAMANTHA SWAN – WRITER, PRODUCER

Another Second City alumnus, she has produced the documentary short How Private Goodman Survived World War II Without Firing a Single Shot Except Once While Fishing which premiered at Montreal’s Festival des Films du Monde in 2002, and the 48 Hour Film Challenge short Encore.  She wrote and produced the award winning shorts The Danger of Secrets and Get Back also for Ardent under the auspices of Filmaka in Los Angeles. As an actor, she has had roles in such films as Little Treasure (Tristar), Hendrix (Showtime) and Open Mike for the Canadian Film Centre.  Recent television roles include guest appearances on the series Wild Card and Doc. Her feature screenplay The State of Them was a semi-finalist for the Moxie! award in Santa Monica and short-listed for Praxis in Vancouver. She wrote and produced The Devil’s Tail in which she also appeared as Katie, and is currently at work on her next screenplay Nothing To Declare, a feature comedy for Ardent shooting in Mexico this year.

OCantuOLIVER CANTÚ LOZANO – CO-PRODUCER

Originally from Monterrey Mexico, Oliver Cantú began his career with the acclaimed, unconventional Mexican feature Así. This took him to The Venice Film Festival where René Villarreal cast him in his first lead role in Cumbia Callera, which has been shown at festivals in Malaga, Venezuela, Russia, Germany, and Mexico. Other roles include appearances in Mexican films such as Inertia and Beyond Myself. Television includes the lead in Muslim: A Journey To Hope for the Inspiration Network. Oliver studied film and drama at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. He has produced and directed theatre, a feature documentary, and the short Sobrecamas. The Devil’s Tail is his first truly international production. He was an assistant director on the Mexican series Glam Girls, currently airing in Mexico.

AbbottSTEVE ABBOTT – ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Steve studied under Alan DiFiore at the Vancouver Film School in their Script Development Program. After the program he honed his writing skills by writing and producing numerous short films such as The Provider, Nobody Special, and The Terrible Old Man, which was eventually sold to CBC and to the Bravo and Space channels. It also earned Steve a nomination in the Best Short Drama Screenwriting category in the 2002 Leos, the largest film industry awards event in Western Canada. His features as a screenwriter include Snapped which went into worldwide distribution through Velocity Home Entertainment after airing on MPix Movie channel on Rogers and Shaw cable networks. His television credits include segments for season 3 of Creepy Canada. His latest screenplay Every Second Counts, is currently in pre-production with Macheby Pictures Ltd. Steve’s contribution as an associate producer on The Devil’s Tail is his first project with Ardent Pictures.

NATHANIEL WARSH – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Before bringing his entrepreneurial spirit to producing, Nathaniel had 10 years consulting experience for various start-ups, including his own Elite Drivers, an innovative exotic car sharing service. He began his career in film and television assisting a producer at Rogers Cable 10 in Toronto Canada. He then went on to create and produce the spec television pilot Infinitum, a comedic science fiction show in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000. His credits as a producer include the features Earth Bound, as well as Night Vision and One Last Breath, the latter two of which he also wrote and directed, all for Incident Pictures. The Devil’s Tail, currently on the festival circuit, is Nathaniel’s first film with Ardent Pictures and he is now at work on their next feature, Nothing To Declare shooting 2010.

KeightleyLAURA KEIGHTLEY – ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Laura has a background in both sides of production. She studied acting at the Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts and her credits as an actor in theatre include A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, The King and I and The Secret Garden, all for the Victoria Playhouse. In film and TV she played Nicole in The Honeymoon (Zed Media) which premiered at the Festival des Films du Monde in Montreal, and she workshopped Phil the Alien as an actor for Lionsgate. Her other credits in film include working as the production coordinator on Son of  Sunshine, now on the festival circuit. As a singer-songwriter Laura plays the guitar and sings for her indie rock band The Caraways. The Devil’s Tail was Laura’s first feature film experience both as an AD and in Mexico.

Pawlowski2smallFAYE PAWLOWSKI – KEY HAIR/MAKE-UP

Faye studied at Concordia University and went on to get her esthetician’s license from KWHS. She has been a make-up artist since 2002 in the U.S. and Canada. Her career started in Key West, Florida where she keyed her first US feature and demonstrated talents in both beauty and SPFX make-up. Faye returned to Canada and settled in Toronto where she completed the renowned 6 month Comprehensive program in make-up artistry at Complections International, and the day after graduation began keying her first Canadian feature. Since then her work on the small screen can be seen in TV commercials ranging from Coors Light to Ontario Tourism. She was First Assistant Make-Up on Kim Sozzi’s music video (Revolver), and on the famed Stott Pilates work out video (Strathelaths Entertainment). She was Key Hair/Make-Up on TV shows like Megallo and Volt (TFO), on the Bravo short Boyfriend Latte and for Canadian TV’s Gemini Awards. She has keyed on films like Nothing Really Matters (Code Films) and Left Side of Night (Deus Color Media) that have been seen at film festivals around the world. The Devil’s Tail was Faye’s first feature in Mexico.

AtkinsonHEATHER ATKINSON, RMT – ON-SET MASSAGE THERAPIST

Heather is an honors graduate of the Centennial College Massage Therapy program. She provides clients with a blend of traditional Swedish, deep tissue, sports and Thai massage. She believes in the ability of massage to facilitate the body’s natural capacity to heal, while soothing the mind and cultivating self-awareness. Heather is quick to empower clients by sharing ways to maximize their own healing through knowledge and remedial care. She co-authored two articles that explore the research of massage therapy and its impact on HIV+ individuals published in The Journal of Soft Tissue Manipulation. Having practiced in different settings from clinical rehabilitation to upscale spa, she has maintained a close connection to the film, television and music industries. She has provided massage behind-the-scenes for renowned actors, directors, musicians and their hard working crew. She volunteered for the Beauty Nights event in Toronto, providing massage for marginalized women that allowed her to re-introduce ‘positive touch’ to help re-build trust, confidence and dignity for these women. She continues her efforts by donating treatments for silent auctions at charity events. The Devil’s Tail was Heather’s first experience as an on-set therapist. Given that her work is not visible on screen, the producers would like to state that Ms Atkinson is the most talented massage therapist they have ever employed.

RobinsonTANIA ROBINSON – ASSISTANT EDITOR

Tania Robinson studied film and media arts at Queens and Ryerson Universities respectively. Originally from Canada, she immigrated to New Zealand in the nineties. It was while living in Dunedin that she got hired as a television editor at TaylorMade, producers of children’s programming. From 1996 to 2006, Tania was the editor of Squirt, the children’s show famed for its on air hosts, cartoon segments and TaylorMade and Animation Research Limited’s pioneering use of “live” motion capture used in the 3D animation of the digital co-host Spike The Penguin. Tania is also a stills photographer and contributed to German artist Sylvia Schwenk’s performance that formed a giant “X” in the street using the bodies of willing participants. The Devil’s Tail is Tania’s first feature.

AguirreSEBASTIEN AGUIRRE – ASSISTANT EDITOR

Sebastian was born in Argentina but went to college in Canada where he graduated from Sheridan in Media Arts Studies in Film & Television Production.  In post production he has worked as a projectionist and in visual effects. He has worked on features in Mexico as an assistant or on 2nd Unit on Hollywood movies like Vantage Point (Sony/Columbia Pictures) and Beverly Hills Chihuahua for Disney. In Argentina he also worked on television commercials for Pepsi Max. His credits as an assistant director include Covert Affairs (Universal Cable), Family Gathering (Hallmark Channel) and the series Being Erica (Temple Street/CBC). He edited all of the spots in the commercial campaign for Canadian clothing line Withindustries. Since working on The Devil’s Tail in post production, his most recent credit is as an assistant director on the Edgar Wright film Scott Pilgrim Vs the World.

DHeiseDARREN HEISE – VISUAL EFFECTS

Darren’s work as a graphic designer encompasses a portfolio in animation, print, identity and photography. Animation includes countless pay-per-view promos for long-term clients like Bell ExpressVu. Work in print includes promotional folders for The Equestrian and the illustration of brochures for Riversides.org. His work in identity branding includes designing logos for the Canadian Broadcast Distributers Association, Shpig Rider (animated short film), Turtle Totes & Shells (logo and stationery), and Warmington Interiors. His commercial photography can also be seen online. The Devil’s Tail was Darren’s first experience in visual effects on a feature film.

 

DAVID RODRIGUEZ JARAMILLO – VISUAL EFFECTS

David was born in Mexico City and grew up in neighbouring small city Pachuca, where he attended both visual arts and music schools for several years and where he made his first short films. After traveling extensively around Mexico to learn directly from filmmakers like Rafael Corkidi, Alan Coton and Eduardo Zerov, David spent a couple years in Toronto Canada where he graduated from the Toronto Film School of the International Academy of Design and Technology. He wrote and directed the short films Minotaur and Fermata, which had its Canadian premiere at the Moving Image Film Festival in Toronto in 2009. Other film credits include his work as co-director and editor of the music video for Say About Us by Michie Mee. He was Editor on Martin Edralin’s shorts The Tragedy of Henry J Bellini and Sara & Jim; and his work in Visual Effects as a digital compositor include the Czech/Mexico co-productions of Fausto Estrada Guerrero’s shorts The Beetle & the Fly and Welcome. The Devil’s Tail is David’s first feature.

PacoLPACO LUVIANO – COMPOSER

A native of Mexico, Luviano was taught in the Jazz tradition by his father, Macario Luviano, a well known saxophonist and bandleader. Moving to Canada in the early nineties, Paco established himself as a versatile acoustic and electric bassist, educator and session musician. He won the Montreal Jazz Festival’s prestigious “Prix du Jazz” award in 2001 and was nominated numerous times at the National Jazz Awards for Electric Jazz Group of the year. He has performed with such internationally renowned artists as Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Steve Morse, Al Di Meola and Leona Boyd, amongst others. Paco currently serves on faculty at Humber College in the Jazz Department. He has written and recorded music for projects ranging from the Oakville Symphony Orchestra to his collaborative project with vocalist Hannah Burgé, with whom he partners in the Music Village.

HannahBHANNAH BURGÉ – COMPOSER, VOCALIST

Hannah is one of Canada’s most dynamic Jazz & World Music vocalist-composers. Her voice is a hybrid of Contemporary Jazz, Latin, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian influences. Founded in 2004, Hannah’s Contemporary Jazz Project is a standout of jazz harmony and World-Music composition. Singing originals and standards in English, Portuguese and Spanish, Hannah is backed by a band of Canada’s top talent. She is a member of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Canada’s first professional chorus devoted to Afro-centric music. Long a part of the World Music community, she has performed with Njacko Backo and Kalimba Kalimba, Rick Lazar’s Samba Squad, Madagascar composer Donné Roberts, and Maracatu Nunca Antes led by percussionist Aline Morales. With the Nathaniel Dett Chorale she has performed at the National Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the Toronto Centre for the Arts, and frequently tours Canada and the US as well as having a varied discography and catalogue of music. Hannah is currently at work recording her new album.

GEORGE FLORES (CAS, MPSE) – SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR & RE-RECORDING MIXER

Originally from Mexico City, George is an independent sound editor, designer, and re-recording mixer for film and television. George’s credentials include: Cinema Audio Society and Motion Picture Sound Editor accreditations, an Emmy award nomination and SOCAN. As a lifelong student of sound, acoustics and psycho-acoustics, George has a solid understanding of the of physics of sound and has acted as consultant for projects such as The National School of Theatre Arts in Mexico City, The City of Dallas Revitalization competition project, and the Mexican Pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai’s World Fair. Further to this, George conducts Sound Post-Production workshops and has presented at LIFT, the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and at Quatro Sound Productions. To complement his hands on work experience, George has an art and technical background from the Ontario College of Art and from Trebas Institute. Feature film credits include Night Vision and Earth Bound, both for Incident Pictures. He was sound editor and mixer on English Butler Masala Chai and Medium Raw, and sound designer on Open Diaries. The Devil’s Tail is George’s first project with Ardent Pictures. (www.quatrosoundproductions.com)