Alec Elliot (Director)
Alec is an award winning writer director from Oakville, Ontario.
He is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Media Arts program and studied extensively at ‘The Groundling’s’ improv theatre in Los Angeles, California. He currently is the owner and creative director of Phantom Realm Productions.
Scott Ramsden
A seasoned agency producer who got his start as an on-set PA, Camera Assistant, and Lighting Tech, Scott’s combination of technical expertise and creative credentials are unique to the Makers’ ecosystem, and make him a valuable asset. Behind his natural ease and affability is a razor-sharp production mind that excels at organization and thinking ten steps ahead. And while his laudable campaigns for clients like McDonalds might be intimidating on paper, Scott’s quiet confidence and willingness to lead-by-supporting are what make him a true force to be reckoned with; as he makes teammates, clients, and collaborators alike feel respected and appreciated.
Danielle Grant (Picture Editor)
Danielle has been the supervising Picture Editor with Corus Entertainment for 16 years, as well as the co-owner of Attic Digital, a media and design company located in Hamilton.
Dwight Grant (Graphic Designer)
Dwight is a Digital New Media, Graphic Artist, as well as the co-owner of Attic Digital, a media and design company located in Hamilton.
Samuel Lehner (Filmmaker & Web Designer)
Samuel Lehner is the co-founder & president of besu (https://besu.co/), a Toronto
based creative agency. Samuel brings his last 5 years of experience in a variety of
mediums including television, film and digital to besu. Samuel has worked extensively with notable brands, including Nike, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, American Express, Lincoln, Budweiser, The Ritz-Carlton, and SiriusXM to name a few. Samuel is an Affiliate member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.
Mack Calistan, Cinematographer
Mack Calistan is a Toronto based Cinematographer.
Mack resides in Toronto after completing a four year BFA program in Film at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.
He has experience working on international campaigns for brands around the world. Mack has a love for shooting on celluloid and pushes to shoot on film as much as possible.
Anil Sankar
Anil Sankar is a media and marketing executive with a passion for storytelling and service to community. An alumni of Ryerson's Radio & Television Arts program in Screenwriting, Anil earned his MBA in Arts & Media Management from York University. A former writer, producer and executive with the CBC, Anil now works as a public speaker talking to SHSM students across several GTA boards about the business of media and marketing. He teaches Marketing in the Creative Industries Management graduate program at Sheridan College while also working independently as a voice-over actor, screenwriter and brand consultant.
Zachary Viola
Zachary Viola is a Canadian Producer / Director and owner of CBZ Productions, a production company based in Hamilton ONT. Zach has led CBZ Productions in creating documentary series, music videos, short narrative content, and commercial content. He is thrilled to bring his passion to every new project. CBZ has more than 10 broadcast credits, and Zach is excited to see the next big project, as the grind and passion for filmmaking and creating never stops.
Brandon Wickson
Brandon Wickson is an award winning writer, director, and cinematographer who has a unique voice in visual storytelling and stylization. He is currently enrolled at Sheridan College for his Bachelors of Film and Television. With a wide range and versatile skill set as a DoP, he can shoot any project that’s thrown at him. But as a writer/director, his own voice is rooted deep in horror, noir, and the surreal.
Sharon La Rose
Sharon La Rose is a seasoned media professional with a rich background in television broadcasting and accessible media. With expertise in closed captioning and described video scripting, she has contributed to making content more inclusive for diverse audiences. Sharon holds a Post-Production certificate with honours from Humber College and brings a keen editorial eye to her work. Currently, she is channeling her passion for storytelling into writing a documentary script. As a judge for this festival, she looks forward to celebrating emerging talent and compelling narratives.
Jared Marino
Jared Marino is a DP based in Toronto, Canada. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television from Sheridan College, he’s had the privilege of collaborating with talented directors and teams to craft visually striking stories. Over the past few years, Marino has built a diverse portfolio, including two feature films: Lucky Weekend (31 Twelve Films, directed by Kevin Alves of Paramount's Yellowjackets) and The God of Frogs (HighballTV), in addition to numerous short-form projects.
Alex Siles
Alex Gustavo Siles is a filmmaker and founder of COLLABZ. Multi-Media Inc., a production company dedicated to bringing creatives together and providing opportunities for filmmakers, content creators, and students. With a background in video production and photography, Alex started freelancing at 16 and later graduated from Toronto Film School, where he also worked as a Teaching Assistant.
Through COLLABZ., Alex has built strong media partnerships with film festivals, businesses, and brands across Ontario. He specializes in videography, content strategy, and storytelling, helping businesses grow their digital presence. His work spans various industries, including sports, fashion, music, and podcasts, and he continues to expand his company’s reach by investing in cutting-edge production technology.
Passionate about community and collaboration, Alex envisions creating a hub for creators to learn, work, and grow together. Whether behind the camera or mentoring the next generation, he remains dedicated to pushing creative boundaries and shaping the future of multimedia production.
Liam Hoban Thrush
Liam Hoban Thrush is a young Canadian writer/director/producer in the Greater Toronto Area. He attended 2 full years in Sheridan’s Bachelor of Film and Television program before leaving to pursue film on his own accord. He primarily focuses his talents on narrative-based content with something always in the works.
Liam tries hard to always stay original with his work and likes to challenge himself by taking on any genre possible to create a wide range of films to evoke different emotions from an audience. He has spent the last three years working in the industry on series such as Amazon Prime’s Reacher and Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia.
Megan Catalfamo
MEGAN CATALFAMO is a producer, filmmaker and HMU artist from Toronto, Ontario. She has experience in producing film, theatre, and commercials in both Canada and the United States. Megan has worked on films such as Teen Getaway (Grand Jury Prize for Best Live Action at TIFF), Minor and Operation: Cavity. Most recently, she was a producer on Trapped, which won the Special Jury Award at SXSW Film Festival. Aside from filmmaking, Megan has made a career in education, with a strong focus on the arts.
Nick Marinac
Nick has worked in a variety of different media facets from Sports to music to corporate etc. Nick was the 110th CFL Grey Cup Content Producer through the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and works as a Concert and Tour photographer/videographer as well as running a Wedding Media Company (Lights and Lines Productions) and a Corporate Content Creation company (Adaptive MMG). Having toured with bands like James Barker Band, Josh Ross, Kidd G, Alli Walker, and Robyn Ottolini, and worked with some internationally known bands like Nickelback, Shania Twain, Shaggy, Journey, Toto, Carrie Underwood, and many more!
Following the "Jack of all trades" mentality has led Nick to a career dealing with all sorts of media creation from professional sets to live event shooting. With a very acute eye for technical details and an overall love for bright visuals and dynamic storytelling, Nick truly loves being a creator and brings that passion to any project he takes on!
Adam Clark (Owner - Toronto Sound)
Adam Clark is a veteran in the film/television/web series and commercial industry in Toronto. With an honours Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production from York University, seven years of international industry experience under his belt as a location sound recordist and more than a thousand credits to his name - he has developed a strong identity of excellence within Toronto's film and sound industry. Adam is the co-founder of one of Toronto's leading providers of post and location sound -- Toronto Sound (www.torontosound.ca).
Alec Elliot (Director)
Alec is an award winning writer director from Oakville, Ontario.
He is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Media Arts program and studied extensively at ‘The Groundling’s’ improv theatre in Los Angeles, California. He currently is the creative director at Kamra On Productions and head of his own Production Company Rolston Rye.
Jenny Cowley (Producer - CBC Marketplace)
Jenny Cowley is an investigative journalist and television producer with CBC News. She has a love of busting scams and holding companies accountable. Her work includes the series "Buzzkill," a digital-first segment using creative visuals to highlight issues with items advertised on social media, and the pilot episode to bring back the 90s cult classic "Street Cents." Other investigations include going undercover to sell Bell products, exposing a so-called 'Doc of Detox', and revealing chemicals found in fast fashion.
See her work at www.youtube.com/jennycowley
Justin Black, Director of Photography
Justin Black is a DP based in Toronto, Canada. His TV credits include HARDY BOYS season 3 on Hulu, season 1 of CIRCUIT BREAKERS on Apple TV+, and season 3 of GHOSTWRITER shot in 2021 for Sesame Workshop and Sinking Ship Entertainment. Film credits include the feature film RUN WOMAN RUN, with Director Zoe Leigh Hopkins, produced by Big Soul Productions and Devonshire Productions, which won Best Film at the 2021 American Indian Film Festival and Best Feature at the 2022 Vancouver International Women’s Film Festival. The short film TERMINALLY IN LOVE, for which he was co-director and DP, was selected for Telefilm’s Not Short on Talent showcase at the Cannes Film Festival, Best Short Film at the Canadian Film Festival, Jury Special Mention at Inside Out Film Festival, Vimeo Staff Pick, and was featured in Canadian Cinematographer and Directors Notes.
Justin received a Bachelor of Arts from the RTA School of Media at Ryerson University. He is a member of the IATSE 667 International Cinematographers Guild, and an Associate Member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.
Monica Meng (Producer/Owner of 17MM Film, Creative Services Specialist at TD Insurance)
Monica is currently a freelance producer and the owner of 17mm Film. She helps organizations create commercials and PSAs through both live action and animation. During the day, she works as a Creative Services Specialist at TD Insurance and functions as a videographer, editor and graphic designer on her team.
She started as a camera assistant and lighting tech in the film/commercial industry, previously being a part of IATSE 667 as a camera trainee. She is fluent in all things video and also dabbles a bit in live streaming and events production.