Kirk Shaw

Last updated

Kirk Shaw (born May 23, 1956) is a Canadian-born producer who founded Insight Film Studios in 1990. From 2006 to 2009 Insight Film Studios was Canada's largest independent production house. [1] Through Insight Shaw has produced more than 100 often award-winning films, including Helen, a 2009 drama starring Ashley Judd that won a Leo Award in 2009 for Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama and was also nominated for Best Feature Length Drama.

Contents

Shaw was part of the production team for the 2008 project, The Hurt Locker , directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and Evangeline Lilly, which reached international acclaim at the 82nd Academy Awards. It was nominated for nine Oscars including Best Picture and won six including Best Director for Bigelow, the first woman to win this award. The film earned numerous awards and honours from critics' organizations, festivals and groups, including six BAFTA Awards, and was also nominated for three Golden Globes in 2010.

Shaw also produced such notable films such as Battle in Seattle in 2007, directed by Stuart Townsend and starring Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson and Joshua Jackson; the 2008 film Kill Switch with Steven Seagal; and two popular TV series: Blood Ties and Painkiller Jane .

Insight Film Studios generated $500 million in film and television projects from 2005 to 2008. [1]

In February 2012, Kirk Shaw joined Odyssey Media as a film and television content producer/packager. [2]

Career

Early career

Shaw completed a journalism diploma at Douglas College in BC with the initial intent of becoming a writer. He landed on the administrative side of journalism, and was part of the management that launched the tabloid Edmonton Sun in 1978. Upon his return to Vancouver in the mid-1980s, Shaw spent 12 years in the computer business before launching Insight Films.

Producer

Shaw initially launched Insight Films to produce self-guided audio tours for museums and branched into video after he was approached by the Museum of Vancouver to produce display videos. [1]

In 1994, Shaw began to produce his own documentaries, with Insight's first dramatic feature film released in 2001, Maximum Surge . [1]

From 2006 to 2009 Kirk Shaw's Insight Film Studios was Canada's largest independent production house. [1]

In 2012, Shaw announced his appointment to Vancouver-based, Odyssey Media Inc. as an Executive Consultant and Producer. Odyssey Media Inc. opened its doors in 2011 with offices in Vancouver BC, LA and in Brisbane Australia as Odyssey Film Studios [2] In Shaw's own words, "I'm very excited to be joining Odyssey. The entertainment industry is in the midst of a great transformation and Odyssey Media is perfectly positioned to lead the change. I know I can tailor cast, funding sources and filming locations around the globe to match the unique requirements of a variety of feature films Odyssey currently has in the works, as well as, bring my projects to Odyssey by leveraging short-term funding to back pay-or-play deals for actors, cash-flow prep and to confidently secure optimum distribution value." [2]

In 2012, Shaw and Odyssey Media packaged and produced their first film together, Absolute Deception , an action/thriller starring Academy Award Winner Cuba Gooding Jr. [3] Kirk also helped kickstart his son, Christos Shaw's acting career.

In January 2013, Odyssey announced new investor funding for a 15-film slate of films [4]

In June 2013, Odyssey Media/Odyssey Film Studios and Kirk Shaw Executive Produced the Feature Film Drive Hard starring John Cusack and Thomas Jane. [5] Hard Drive was filmed throughout Australia's Gold Coast. [6]

For 2014 Odyssey Media and Kirk Shaw packaged and produced Pound of Flesh starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Shot in China for worldwide release in 2015. [7]

In 2015, with close to 200 film and television credits to his name, Shaw is one of the leading film financiers and producers. [8]

Awards

Awards for Kirk Shaw
YearAwardOutcome
1994NSI Drama PrizeWinner
1998VCAMMA Advertising Creative AwardsCertificate of Excellence
2001Banff Film Festival HDTV AwardWinner
2005BC Export Awards – New Media & EntertainmentFirst Place Winner
2007Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the YearFinalist - Hospitality, Tourism & Entertainment
2007BC Export Awards – New Media & EntertainmentFirst Place Winner
2007Playback Annual SurveyLargest Production Company in Canada
Awards for Films in which the Production Team included Kirk Shaw
YearAwardOutcome
1996AMTEC (Association of Media Technology in Education)Nominee - Battle in Seattle
2006Leo Awards Best Documentary Program or SeriesNominee - Secret Files of the Inquisition
2007Gen Art Film Festival Audience AwardWon - Numb
2007Park City Film Festival Medal for Excellence for Outstanding Achievement in Film MusicWon Gold - Numb
2007Berlin International Film Festival Golden Berlin BearWon - When a Man Falls in the Forest
2007Leo Awards Best Musical Score in a Feature Length DramaNominee - When a Man Falls in the Forest
2007Leo Awards Best Picture Editing in a Feature Length DramaNominee - When a Man Falls in the Forest
2007Leo Awards Best Production Design in a Feature Length DramaNominee - When a Man Falls in the Forest
2008Leo Awards Best Visual Effects in a Dramatic SeriesNominee - Painkiller Jane
2008Leo Awards Best Musical Score in a Dramatic SeriesWon - Painkiller Jane
2008Gemini Awards Best Original Music Score for a Program or SeriesNominee - Blood Ties
2008Leo Awards Best Cinematography in a Dramatic SeriesNominee - Blood Ties
2008WorldFest Houston Special Jury AwardWon Gold - Blood Ties
2008Leo Awards Best Feature Length DramaNominee - Battle in Seattle
2008Leo Awards Best Costume Design in a Feature Length DramaNominee - Battle in Seattle
2008Leo Awards Best Production Design in a Feature Length DramaNominee - Battle in Seattle
2008Leo Awards Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length DramaNominee - Devil's Diary
2008Leo Awards Best Cinematography in a Feature Length DramaNominee - Devil's Diary
2009Leo Awards Best Feature Length DramaNominee - Helen
2009Leo Awards Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Feature Length DramaWon - Helen
2009Leo Awards Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Feature Length DramaNominee - Helen

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirk Douglas</span> American actor (1916–2020)

Kirk Douglas was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Douglas soon developed into a leading box-office star throughout the 1950s, known for serious dramas, including westerns and war films. During his career, he appeared in more than 90 films and was known for his explosive acting style. He was named by the American Film Institute the 17th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Vinton</span> American animator (1947-2018)

William Gale Vinton was an American animator and filmmaker. Vinton was best known for his Claymation work, alongside creating iconic characters such as The California Raisins. He won an Oscar for his work alongside several Emmy Awards and Clio Awards for his studio's work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Frears</span> British film director and producer (born 1941)

Sir Stephen Arthur Frears is a British director and producer of film and television, often depicting real life stories as well as projects that explore social class through sharply-drawn characters. He has received numerous accolades including three BAFTA Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award as well as nominations for two Academy Awards. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph named Frears among the 100 most influential people in British culture. In 2009, he received the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He received a knighthood in 2023 for his contributions to the film and television industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Wells (filmmaker)</span> American producer, writer and director (born 1956)

John Marcum Wells is an American producer, writer, and director. He is best known for his role as showrunner and executive producer of the television series ER, Third Watch, The West Wing, Southland, Shameless, Animal Kingdom, and American Woman, as well as the miniseries Maid and the upcoming series Rescue: HI-Surf. His company, John Wells Productions, is currently based at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California. Wells is also a labor leader, having served as president of the Writers Guild of America, West from 1999 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2011. Wells serves on the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) Board of Governors. In 2011, he developed the series Shameless on Showtime, which ran for eleven seasons ending in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brannon Braga</span> American television producer, director, and screenwriter

Brannon Braga is an American television producer, director and screenwriter. Best known for his work in the Star Trek franchise, Braga was a key creative force behind three of the franchise's live action series. He later became an executive producer and writer on several Fox shows including 24, Terra Nova, and The Orville. His film credits include Mission: Impossible 2, Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Parker</span> Canadian actress (born 1972)

Molly Parker is a Canadian actress, writer, and director. She garnered critical attention for her portrayal of a necrophiliac medical student in the controversial drama Kissed (1996). She subsequently starred in the television thriller Intensity (1997) before landing her first major American film role in the drama Waking the Dead (2000). She gained further notice for her role as a Las Vegas escort in the drama The Center of the World (2001), for which she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.

Niamh Cusack is an Irish actress. Born to a family with deep roots in the performing arts, Cusack has been involved as a performer since a young age. She has served with the UK's two leading theatre companies, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre and has performed in a long line of major stage productions since the mid-1980s. She has made numerous appearances on television including a long-running role as Dr. Kate Rowan in the UK series Heartbeat (1992–1995) which made her a household name and favourite. She has often worked as a voice actress on radio, and her film credits include a starring role in In Love with Alma Cogan (2011).

Vancouver Film School (VFS) is a private entertainment arts school located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1987, it has achieved international recognition. The Vancouver Film School has campus locations around Downtown Vancouver and comprises six buildings. As part of the school's 20th anniversary in 2007, in August 2006 one million dollars was set aside in scholarships for new students. In March 2008, Vancouver Film School and YouTube launched a competition for three full-tuition scholarships for the creators of the three videos submitted and voted as favorites by the YouTube community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Participant (company)</span> American film production company

Participant Media, LLC is an American independent film production company founded in 2004 by Jeffrey Skoll, dedicated to entertainment intended to spur social change. The company finances and co-produces film and television content, as well as digital entertainment through its subsidiary SoulPancake, which the company acquired in 2016.

Star Trek fan productions are productions made by fans using elements of the Star Trek franchise. Paramount Pictures, CBS, and their licensees are the only organizations legally allowed to create commercial products with the Star Trek name and trademark. The fan film community has received some coverage from the mainstream media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Damon</span> American film actor, producer

Mark Damon is an American film producer and former actor. He won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor for his performance in Roger Corman's House of Usher, before moving to Italy and becoming a notable Spaghetti Western star and member of the 1960s 'Dolce Vita' set of actors and actresses in Rome.

Jon Jones is a Welsh film and television writer and director working primarily in the United Kingdom and the United States. He has directed numerous dramas for British and American television including the award-winning When I'm Sixty-Four, The Diary of Anne Frank, Blood Strangers, The Alan Clark Diaries, A Very Social Secretary, Northanger Abbey, Zen, Mr Selfridge and Going Postal.

Betsy Beers is an American television and film producer whose credits include ShondaLand's Grey's Anatomy,Scandal,Private Practice, How to Get Away with Murder, The Catch, Station 19, For the People, and Bridgerton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Leitch</span> American actor and director (born 1975)

David M. Leitch is an American filmmaker, actor, stunt performer and stunt coordinator who made his directorial debut on the 2014 action film John Wick with Chad Stahelski, though only Stahelski was credited. Leitch then directed the 2017 thriller film Atomic Blonde, starring Charlize Theron, and 2018's Deadpool 2. In 2019, he directed Hobbs & Shaw, a spin-off of the Fast & Furious franchise, and in 2022 directed Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Davidge</span> British composer (born 1962)

Neil Davidge is an English record producer, songwriter, film score composer, musician, and occasional backing vocalist. Once an associate of dance producers DNA, he is best known as the long-term co-writer and producer for the music production outfit Massive Attack. In 1997, he also produced the Sunna album One Minute Science. During that time he has established a career as a film score composer including projects such as Push, Bullet Boy, Trouble the Water, and additional music for Clash of the Titans.

Thunderbird Entertainment Group is a Canadian film and television entertainment company, with offices in both Canada and the United States of America. Thunderbird's multiple divisions develop movies and television programs for various demographics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryna Productions</span> American film production company

Bryna Productions is an American independent film and television production company established by actor Kirk Douglas in 1949. The company also produced a handful of films through its subsidiaries, Michael Productions, Joel Productions and Douglas and Lewis Productions, and outside the United States through Brynaprod. Other subsidiaries included Eric Productions, which produced stage plays, Peter Vincent Music, a music publishing company, Bryna International, a photographic service company, and Public Relations Consultants, which supervised the publicity of its early films. Douglas named the main company after his mother, Bryna Demsky, while its primary subsidiaries were named after his sons: Michael Douglas, Joel Douglas, Peter Douglas and Eric Douglas. In 1970, Bryna Productions was renamed The Bryna Company, when Douglas welcomed his children and second wife into the firm. Nevertheless, Michael, Joel and Peter, wanting to establish individual identities, went on to form their own independent film production companies.

Bron Studios is a Canadian motion picture company based in British Columbia owned by Bron Media Corporation. Bron's notable productions include Joker, Bombshell, Queen & Slim, Greyhound, Judas and the Black Messiah,The Mule, Henchmen, Roman J. Israel, Esq.,Rudderless, Welcome to Me, The Addams Family,TheWilloughbys, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleven (company)</span> British television production company

Eleven is a British television production company founded by Jamie Campbell and Joel Wilson and owned by Sony Pictures Television. It was formed in 2006 and was the first drama production company to benefit from the Channel 4 Growth Fund, set up to nurture independent creative companies based in the UK.

Trish Dolman is a Canadian film and television director and producer. She is most noted for her 2017 documentary film Canada in a Day, for which she won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Direction in a Documentary Program at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Insight Film Studios". Insightfilm.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "It's official: Veteran producer Kirk Shaw has joined Odyssey Media" . Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  3. "Cameras roll on Odyssey Media's Deception" . Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  4. "Odyssey Media gets $20M in investor backing for new film slate" . Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  5. "Production Companies in Los Angeles CA". Odysseymediainc.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  6. "Cusack films car chase through Surfers Local Gold Coast News | goldcoast.com.au | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia". Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  7. "Production Companies in Los Angeles CA". Odysseymediainc.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  8. "Focus on Independent Film Producer, Kirk Shaw". Moviecritical.net. Retrieved 28 October 2018.