Andrew Williamson
Andrew Williamson is a seasoned producer, business owner, and climate change consultant. Currently managing the Sustainable Workforce Coalition at the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC), Andrew plays a pivotal role in facilitating a just and equitable transition for workers in British Columbia to a net-zero economy.
Andrew has led high-profile environmental projects, such as The Magnitude of All Things with the National Film Board of Canada and collaborated with prominent figures like Seth Klein and organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation. His experience extends to producing impactful documentary series like Emergency Room: Life and Death at VGH (Knowledge Network/Discovery), filmed at Vancouver General Hospital, and Gastown Gamble (Oprah Network), shot in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. These projects underscore his capacity to influence public discourse and drive strategic change.
As a producer for most of his career, Andrew’s talent is identifying strong ideas, working with creatives to execute them and deliver these projects on time and budget. As the past Chair of the Industrial Relations Committee at the Canadian Motion Picture Producers Association, he has jointly negotiated with the US Film Studios. Through Cedar Island Films, he continues to lead purpose-driven content creation while championing sustainability and climate action to audiences around the world.
Catch him at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 9:15am: State of the Industry: The Evolution of Film in the Yukon
- Sunday, November 17, 12pm: Exploring Sustainable Production Practices: Tools, Requirements, and Trends
Kelly Milner
Kelly Milner was raised by wolves in the Yukon, then cut her professional teeth working across the North as a journalist before getting drawn into world of land claims and wildlife co-management. In 2014 she established Shot in the Dark, combining her experience working with communities across the North with her creative storytelling roots. Telling stories that matter is what drives her. She is now a producer, director and writer and her films have won numerous national and international awards.
Catch her at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 10:30am: Case Study of Northern Tails
Camilla MacEachern
Camilla is a third generation Northerner so her work as Northwest Territories (NWT) Film Commissioner, promoting the NWT as a filming destination comes second nature to her. She is honoured to represent the NWT’s film and media sector and looks forward to continued work and collaborations with northern film producers and neighboring territories to see the North’s film and media sector flourish.
Catch her at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 11am: Northern Perspectives
Neil Macdonald
Born and raised in the Yukon, Neil began making movies as a young boy. He is an alumnus of the UBC Film Program and the National Screen Institute. With a varied career in the film and television industry Neil has worked as a Producer, Director, Cinematographer, and Gaffer. His credits include A.R.C.H.I.E. 2, GOLD RUSH, SKYMASTER DOWN, NANCY DREW, TRON LEGACY, and the TWILIGHT SAGA to name a few. In 2022, Neil stepped away from production to take on the role of Film Commissioner and Manager, Media Development for the Yukon Government.
Catch him at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 11am: Northern Perspectives
- Sunday, November 17, 12pm: Exploring Sustainable Production Practices: Tools, Requirements, and Trends
Mike Gravitis
After a number of years bouncing around the film and music industry’s in various roles – Mike Gravitis now manages Northwestel Community TV. As one of the few broadcasters in the north, it’s an exciting opportunity to be able to work with a wide variety of creators of all types to help bring their projects to life.
Catch him at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 11am: Northern Perspectives
Paul Rutledge
Paul Rutledge is an Award Winning Stunt Performer and Stunt Coordinator, he was awarded the Actra Stunt Achievement Award in 2023, as well one of the stunts he performed in was nominated for Stunt Ensemble that year, in 2024 a horse stunt he performed was also nominated for the Stunt Ensemble Award.
Paul has been involved in the film industry for 40yrs. His credits range from stunt performer, stunt coordinator, actor and Animal Wrangler.
He was given the opportunity for his first job, jumping from running horse to running horse in a three-piece suit holding a briefcase, through a creek. He had three days, he said let me pick my horses and I’ll be ready. He worked his horses for those three days and got the job done. From there he gained a reputation for being the horse stunt guy in Ontario, he also branched out and has done a huge variety of stunts from driving, high falls, car hits, fire burns, fights and air rams.
Paul has hundreds of credits, he’s doubled actors such as Robin Williams, Robert DeNiro, Rob Lowe, Willem Dafoe, Eugene Levy, Paul Gross and many more.
Fifteen years ago, Paul started taking on Animal Coordinating jobs, specializing in difficult and high impact horse stunts. At the end of the day his passion has always been horse stunts, but his career has involved stunts in all aspects and still does.
Catch him at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 12:45pm: Behind the Action: Paul Rutledge on Stunt Coordination, Logistics, and Best Practices in Film
Lily Gontard
Lily Gontard is a settler grateful to be living in Whitehorse, the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. She is a co-founder of Cookie Hammer Inc productions and has a background as a writer, editor, event organizer and filmmaker. She produced and directed the short documentary film “Whalefall” (2022) and the award-winning short documentary film “Inspiration in Nature” (2021), both screened at festivals around the world. She was on the writing team of season one of the puppet show Northern Tails (Shot in the Dark Productions) and is the author of the award-winning non-fiction book Beyond Mile Zero: the vanishing Alaska Highway lodge community.
Catch her at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 1:45pm: SPYA Producer Bootcamp Success
Yasmine Renaud
Yasmine Renaud is a French-Canadian cultural producer, arts administrator, and filmmaker based in Dawson City, Yukon Territory. Yasmine is a long-time performer and her work focuses on telling local stories and building capacity in her community.
Catch the screening of her trailer at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 1:45pm: SPYA Producer Bootcamp Success
Pavlina Sudrich
Pavlina is a content creator from the Yukon who shares stories of life in the Yukon with her over half million followers. With a mission to share her love for nature and make the outdoors safe, accessible, and inclusive, Pavlina has carved out a niche for herself as an advocate for outdoor exploration. Through her camping, fishing and hunting content she inspires others to embrace the beauty of the wilderness and encourages responsible outdoor practices. Her work not only showcases the stunning landscapes of the Yukon but also serves as a platform for empowerment in outdoor recreation and education about Canada’s north.
Catch her at the conference:
Saturday, November 16, 2:15pm: Going Viral: Pavlina Sudrich on Building an Online Presence, Creating Content, and Growing Audiences
Brianne Bremner
With a background in health behaviour change and social marketing, Brianne brings vast campaign and community engagement experience to her years of work in film and photography production. She also takes pride in ensuring that all of GBP’s projects are done in a good way, bringing to the foreground the importance of relationship building, and thrives on work that helps uplift communities.
Catch her at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 3:15pm: Tales from the set: Lessons learned
Colin MacKenzie
Colin MacKenzie is the owner of Snowshoot Productions which specializes in film projects throughout the North including Yukon, North West Territories , Nunavut, and the Arctic. Colin has been a location/unit manager for the past 15 years. Always drawn to adventure, Colin has spent most of his life playing and working in the mountains. His intimate knowledge of the terrain, local nuances and logistical aspects gives him the expertise to get things done. He’s known for being a quick-thinking problem solver and the result is a quality project that goes off without a hitch. Colin also consults with commercial and industrial clients requiring avalanche and snow safety expertise.
Catch him at the conference:
- Saturday, November 16, 3:15pm: Tales from the set: Lessons learned
Selene Vakharia
Selene Vakharia is the Owner of SMRT POP UPS and a queer, biracial, non-binary social innovator whose vision is to lead and inspire positive change. They have been a marketing strategist for 20 years working with organizations, businesses, and award-winning ad agencies across Canada. In 2014, they moved to Whitehorse, Yukon, where they continue to reside today.
SMRT POP UPS quickly established a reputation for designing and delivering engagement, marketing plans and social media plans that stand out from the crowd and spark conversations. Our Smart-fun approach colours everything we do – we believe that when learning is made fun everybody wins. Partnerships, entertainment and out of the box approaches are at the heart of what we do.
SMRT POP UPS’ low cost, high impact marketing campaigns have been key to Yukon arts organizations and arts festivals selling out shows, building enthusiastic audiences, and gaining national media attention.
Selene has been featured in the news and on entrepreneurship podcasts, including Canadian Living Magazine, is a past winner of the Startup Canada Entrepreneur Support Award, has been nominated for the Women of Influence Award, was a Top150 Finalist for the Women of Inspiration Award, and (perhaps most importantly) won a Great Canadian Science Competition in high school for a coding project.
Catch them at the conference:
- Sunday, November 17, 2pm: Turning Clicks to Hits: Rocking Social Media for Films
Daniel Ashley
Daniel Ashley also known as DASH, is a multi-talented music producer, composer, performer, and sound engineer based in Yukon, Canada. He has composed music for numerous commercial videos, films, video games, and new media projects. Composing in a diversity of styles, Ashley uses his music to engage and enthrall audiences. Ashley specializes in EDM, Downtempo, Orchestral Electronic Fusion, Funky, Cultural Fusion and Remix, Anthems and Theme Songs.
Catch DASH at the Yukon Screen Media Industry Awards Gala
- Saturday, November 16, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
