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Jim Donovan
Filmmaking, Canada Ontario Toronto
 
Tel: 647 989-5052
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Impressions
Brief Summary
I am a director and have been on the creative side of media for over 20 years as a writer, director and producer. I have gained the experience necessary to see challenging projects developed, produced and succeed throughout the media spectrum.
I am interested in all facets of this industry and continue to enjoy the richness of experience, depth of knowledge and personal growth from this always evolving field. I have shot award winning ads, television shows and feature films, always with an eye for framing strong performances in unique visual and rich contexts.
Clients
Agencies: Young&Rubicam, JWT, BBDO, Sid Lee, Cossette
Clients: Budweiser, Moslon's Dry, Mercury, Via Rail Canada, Saturn Canada, Presidente beer, Brugal Rum, Black Label, Labbat's Ice, City of Montreal, Tourism Quebec
New Media: Insyde Story- augmented reality application

Professional Experience
30 years ago Jim borrowed his mother’s super-8mm camera and kidnapped his kid brother to make his first film, aptly titled... Kidnap! This was the late 70’s in Los Angeles, and every aunt and uncle who ever came to visit the family from back home in Quebec insisted on visiting Universal Studios. Drafted as one of the official tour guides, Jim’s life has never been the same since...

Flash-forward to the mid-nineties: Nirvana is all over the FM, MTV and Muchmusic are the hottest thing on TV. The internet is still for university professors and Jim, fresh out of film school, has been shooting music videos and commercial spots in his home town of Montreal. The work is getting noticed, but still the film bug won’t quit, so Jim sets his sights on doing some short films and scores some gigs in TV, anything that remotely satisfies the passion. The television work continues, and soon Jim finds himself having to juggle between international spot work for clients such as Y&R, Cossette, Publicis, JWT, Ford, Budweiser, Saturn and Labbatt’s— and riding the wave of TV assignments for networks such as CTV, Fox Family, Nickelodeon, Discovery, Showcase, Animal Planet, Nat Geo and Granada to name a few. Montreal is pumping out kids programs and Jim gets to cut his teeth on shows such as Are You Afraid of the Dark, Seriously Weird, MTV’s Undressed , then on to Toronto for Zixx Level 3 , Instant Star, and the Discovery hit series Mayday. Throughout this journey he earns multiple awards for the spot work, and a nomination for best direction in a comedy series for Naked Josh 2 at the 2006 Geminis.

Meanwhile Jim shoots his first independent feature, pure, a film that will earn him a nomination for Best Direction at the 2005 Director’s Guild of Canada Awards. He tours with the film at a few festivals in Canada and internationally, including the Festival of New Cinema in Montreal and the INDIE Festival in Brazil. The film is invited by the DGA to screen at their Finders Series at the prestigious DGA Theater in Los Angeles in 2006.

In 2008, after receiving a development grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, he writes as well as produces, shoots, co-edits, and of course... directs his next feature film project, 3 Seasons (www.3saisonslefilm.com). It premiers at the 2008 Festival of New Cinema in October 08, is invited to over 20 international film festivals where it wins multiple awards, Including The Borsos Award for best Canadian Feature and Best Actress at the Whistler Film Festival in ‘08, The Best Film and Audience Awards at the 2010 Beverly Hills Film Festival, as well as a triple nomination at the 2010 Genie Awards, including for Best Picture..

Spring 2011, Jim gets tapped to join the directorial roster for CTV/CBS’s hit primetime show Flashpoint, and directs an episode entitled “A Day in The Life” . This episode was a first for the show, intertwining 3 complex storylines and introducing a new cast member, one of Canada’s brightest rising stars, Clé Bennett. The Valentine’s day episode aired in September 2011 on CTV and CBS in the US. This fall, Jim is attending the 2011 DGC Awards for a best film nomination on his latest short Film, She Said Lenny.

Jim has come a long way from those super 8 films made with his little brother, but something of that California sun remains imprinted in his DNA. He is more than ever inspired by the power of creative ideas, captivating stories, the excitement of digital technology and the universal appeal of storytelling.

Awards and Recognition
* NOMINATED-  Best Short Film, 2011 Directors Guild of Canada Awards, (She Said Lenny)

* WINNER – Best Film , Audience Award – Beverly Hills Film Festival 2010, for 3 Saisons

*NOMINATED – Best Film, Best Editing, Best Actress, GENIE AWARDS 2010, for 3 Saisons

* WINNER – Best Director – Mexico International Film Festival 2009, for 3 Saisons

* WINNER – Borsos Award – best new Canadian  feature, best actress – Whistler Film Festival 2008 for 3 Saisons

*NOMINATED - Best direction in a comedy series, 2006 Gemini Awards   for Naked Josh 2

* WINNER – Special jury award  for pure – Canadian Filmmakers Festival  2006

*NOMINATED - Best direction in a feature film for pure -  Director’s Guild of Canada Awards  2005

* WINNER - Montreal Advertising Club - Gold Award – Quebec Literary Foundation – 2002

* WINNER - Summit Creative Awards (Seattle) - Bronze Award – Mercury Canada  campaign, 1998.

* WINNER - Montreal Advertising Club - Gold Award - Best TV spot 1997 - Labatt  Ice - "Label" - 1997

* WINNER - Quebec Advertising Association - Gold Award  - Saturn - "Baby Seat" - 1997

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