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Pocket Film School

Meet Your

Instructors

We've brought together the best from the industry to show you what goes into award-winning work.

All of our amazing teachers are filmmakers and artists working and making thier living in the film industry. We’ve amassed a group of incredible award-winning artists and technicians with a combined hundreds of credits who have worked on films with budgets over $100,000,000.

We aim to make your learning experience at Pocket Film School as comprehensive as it can be, right from your own home.

With our teachers you can learn Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Sound Design, Music Composition, Writing, Editing, Color Grading, Costume Design, VFX, Budgeting, Scheduling and so much more.

Anna Jane Edmonds

Producer · Script Editor

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Development · Packaging & Financing · Budgeting & Scheduling · Pre-Production · Production Part 1: Beginning of the day on set · Wrapping Out · Festivals & Distribution · Collaboration
About AJ
Anna Jane (AJ) Edmonds is an experienced Los Angeles- and Toronto-based Producer and Line Producer. She brings practiced on-set and in-office production management and creative prowess. AJ thrives on working with leading-edge teams that target distinct genres of perspective. These teams have produced multi-million dollar to ‘one’ dollar productions such as The Nice Guys and Collide, to Canadian indie darling films, as the motivation has been to work with interesting people and companies, produce interesting projects and take advantage of opportunities as they arose. She has received two best picture awards, most notably one for the feature, Poor Agnes, which won The Barry Convex Award for Best Canadian Feature at Fantasia International Film Festival in 2017.
See IMDB

Charlie Hamilton

Writer · Director

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Writing: How to find your groove · Collaboration
About Charlie
Charlie Hamilton is an Ottawa born, Toronto based, award-winning filmmaker. From an early age, a manic obsession with horror films lead to the discovery of his passion; Writing and Directing. After a degree in Screenwriting, Charlie studied Directing under one of the founding pillars of independent film in Canada, Larry Kent. This instilled in him the fire to go against censorship and create the stories he wants to tell. He cites his inspirations to be Kubrick, Carpenter, and Lynch. His first short film, Next Stop, would go on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, California.
See IMDB

Deanna Sciortino

Costume Designer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Coming Soon!
About Deanna
Deanna has several years of experience, knowledge and training in both costume design and styling. She is a costume designer who has experience as a stitcher, set supervisor, and breakdown. Being trained by the Ryerson Theatre School has given her a great starting point for her career in the world of costumes. As a designer, she has learned how to delegate work within the department and be sure that the costumes are up to the standards of the directors and producers.
See IMDB

Gina Simone

Editor · Director
Producer · Assistant Director

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Budgeting & Scheduling · Production Part 1: Beginning of the day on set · Production Part 2: Set Etiquette & Relationships · Editing: Organization & Assembly · Collaboration
About Gina
Gina Simone is a producer, director, AD and picture editor based in Toronto, Canada. A graduate of the York University Film BFA program, Gina’s recent work includes producing and editing the full first season of Canal plays’ The Village Green that has gone on to screen and win awards around the world, and producing the dramatizations for CBC’s political documentary I, Pedophile which has just been nominated for a CSA of 2017. She is a member of the DGC and full-time filmmaking warrior of many talents.
See IMDB

James Young

VFX Artist · Director

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
VFX
About James
James has built a reputation as a jack of all trades who has extensive expertise in post-production visual effects supervision, picture editing, sound design, location recording, and graphic design. In 2017, James co-created the television series Bedtime Stories for Men on which he also co-directed and produced the series first season. In 2018, James was the VFX Supervisor for the critically acclaimed I’ll Take Your Dead, co-created, produced and directed the Image Killer online webseries.
See IMDB

Karl Janisse

Cinematographer · Producer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Packaging & Financing · Production Part 2: Set Etiquette & Relationships · Cinematography · Colouring · Collaboration
About Karl
Growing up in a tumultuous and trying environment, Karl developed a keen sense to observe the world around him through a camera lens so as to capture the most compelling and engaging material. He values above all else, the importance of a meaningful story, and the impact it can have on people’s lives. Karl dedicates his life to capturing the patterns that exist within human interaction at every level and translating that into feelings that can be taken off of a screen. Karl has won 4 awards as a cinematographer and producer, and is a proud associate member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and the Canadian Media Producers Association.
See IMDB

Melanie Garros

Production Designer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Production Design: Interior Set Design
About Melanie
At a very young age Melanie fell in love with creating a storytelling space for characters. She began her career in the art department and has transformed ideas and words into visual concepts as a production designer. Through her travels, Melanie has discovered different film techniques which have shaped her sense of design and helped her create sets for characters from all walks of life. Melanie has worked on award winning productions that have been featured internationally, including Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, and Cannes Film Festival.
See IMDB

Neal Schneider

Writer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Coming Soon!
About Neal
Having lost his mother as a child, Neal understands the fragility of life and attempts to inject a keen sense of self-awareness and relationship dynamics into his writing. With a BS in engineering, he's held a variety of positions at some of the most successful silicon valley tech companies and leverages this discipline and experience when approaching his passion for filmmaking. From childhood films shot on super-8 to award winning features as an adult, Neal continues the relentless pursuit o share meaningful stories.
See IMDB

Spencer Creaghan

Composer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Film Scoring
About Spencer
Spencer Creaghan is an Multi-Award-winning Film & Modern Media Composer and alumni of the Canadian Film Centre’s prestigious Slaight Family Music Lab. He has written music for over 100 combined Feature-length and short Films, along with Plays, acclaimed Webseries, Advertisements, Bumper Logos, Video Games, and a children’s Theme Park. His music has been heard in festivals around the globe, including the LA Webseries fest, Canada Top 10, Cannes Film Festival, and the Toronto Fringe Festivals.
See IMDB

Sydney Cowper

Editor

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Editing Tech & Specs
About Sydney
Sydney Cowper is a Toronto based Video Editor, originally from Norfolk County, Ontario. She first discovered editing when she was 12 years old and fell in love with the creativity and 'movie magic' that editing allows. Sydney graduated from Sheridan College's Media Arts program, with honours, focusing on Editing and Grip/Electric practices. The relationship between the pace and emotion in Sydney's work is influenced by her 12 years training as a pianist.
See IMDB

Vince Moskowec

Production Designer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Production Design: Building Sets
About Vince
Known for building kingdoms out of dust, Vince is a common name in the film industry for his unique design style. With dozens of credits to his name, he is also a dedicated teacher and mentor for emerging production designers.
See IMDB

Zach Ramelan

Director · Editor
Sound designer

YOUR TEACHER FOR:
Directing · Production Part 2: Set Etiquette & Relationships · Editing · Location Recording & Sound Design · Festivals & Distribution · Collaboration
About Zach
Obsessed with creation, Zach has directed over 50 diverse projects including an Award-winning Documentary about homelessness titled Blinders, and an award-winning feature-length POV film titled Hard Line. Zach now has channeled his motivation from being behind the lens to now in front of it. Developing impactful narratives for his online community of over 70,000 subscribers. “Don’t compare for perfection, compete for completion” Rather than being stuck on a creative hamster wheel, Zach prefers to have things done. Great stories start with creativity and are only powerful when they’re completed. Provided in his lessons Zach teaches the tricks on how to complete projects, become a better storyteller, and the creative leader a team needs.
See IMDB

Anna Jane Edmonds

Fostering her talents as a communicator from an early age, Anna Jane Edmonds (AJ) has spent her life entertaining and education audiences through film and TV. After devoting two years at Toronto’s Randolph Academy, she attended Western University and graduated in 2013 as gold medalist from FIMS. AJ then carried on to the UCLA to study the business of film producing. In 2014 she secured a job at Silver Pictures Entertainment in both the management and development office during the production of the films THE NICE GUYS and COLLIDE.

Her motivation is drawn from the desire to affect those around her and leave the world to come in a better place than where she found it. Film and TV, in her words, are the most powerful mediums for change; and she intends to be at the helm of the changes to come.

Charles Hamilton

Charlie Hamilton is an Ottawa born, Toronto based, award-winning filmmaker. From an early age, a manic obsession with horror films lead to the discovery of his passion; Writing and Directing. After a degree in Screenwriting, Charlie studied Directing under one of the founding pillars of independent film in Canada, Larry Kent. This instilled in him the fire to go against censorship and create the stories he wants to tell. He loves to mesh genre’s with his personal favourite, blending them with other styles to give a realistic feel with an 80’s aesthetic. He cites his inspirations to be Kubrick, Carpenter, and Lynch. His first short film, Next Stop, would go on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, California. 

Gina Simone

Gina Simone is a producer, director, AD and picture editor based in Toronto, Canada. A graduate of the York University Film BFA program, Gina’s recent work includes producing and editing the full first season of Canal plays’ The Village Green that has gone on to screen and win awards around the world, and producing the dramatizations for CBC’s political documentary I, Pedophile which has just been nominated for a CSA of 2017. In 2017 she finished co-directing season 1 of a web series called Second Generation, as well as co produced the full first season of a new series titled Walking on Sunshine.

Her 2018 kicked off with becoming a new member of the DGC as an assistant director, as well as receiving the Harold Greenberg and Bell Media Shorts to Features funding for a short indigenous film called Whale that she will be producing, to be shot on Vancouver island summer of 2019.

When not running a production or cutting it together, Gina feeds her passion for documentary by travelling and finding unique stories to tell. Her most recent documentary projects include a short shot in Mexico on a Belgium artist Peter Terrin, and a mental health short doc titled I Need My Best Friend Back, which was featured at the Rendezvous With Madness festival in Toronto.

Producer Reel

James Young

James was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. Founding Spiderclown in 2011 with Nikolas Benn, he has spent the last ten years working professionally from pre-pro to post in the Toronto film industry for a variety of production companies including Black Fawn Films & 920 Films.

As a producer, James is able to piece together the big picture quickly and efficiently, and is able to work closely in collaboration with any crew in order to create grander and more involving stories. In addition to his work as a producer, James has built a reputation as a jack of all trades who has extensive expertise in post-production visual effects supervision, picture editing, sound design, location recording, and graphic design. 

In 2017, James co-created the television series Bedtime Stories for Men on which he also co-directed and produced the series first season. In 2018, James was the VFX Supervisor for the critically acclaimed I’ll Take Your Dead, co-created, produced and directed the Image Killer online webseries and was the Assistant Production Manager on V71’s latest feature film: A Perfect Plan, starring William Forsythe, Carlo Rota and Yannick Bisson.

Currently, James is producing the genre bending series, Amortal, a brand new live action science fiction webseries that follows two test subjects as they take the first steps to becoming the world’s first immortals.

Karl Janisse

Born and raised in Burlington, ON. Karl Janisse has been working professionally in film and television from the age of 18. With a heartfelt combination of determination and humility, Karl founded Blackout Media with the intention of fostering talent, conversation, and innovation through all forms of motion-based media. Growing up in a tumultuous and trying environment, Karl developed a keen sense to observe the world around him through a camera lens so as to capture the most compelling and engaging material. He values above all else, the importance of a meaningful story, and the impact it can have on people’s lives. 

It is his belief that exploration of alternate (cinematic) realities is paramount to unlocking the secrets of the human mind and bring people to a place where they can explore their psychological boundaries free from limitations. Karl dedicates his life to capturing the patterns that exist within human interaction at every level and translating that into feelings that can be taken off of a screen. In this, we will find a comprehensive language with which all cultures and creeds can communicate equally.

Karl has won 4 awards as a cinematographer and producer, and has had his work screened in over 25 countries. Karl is a proud associate member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers and the Canadian Media Producers Association.

Melanie Garros

At a very young age Melanie fell in love with creating a storytelling space for characters.
She began her career in the art department and has transformed ideas and words into visual concepts as a production designer.

Through her travels, Melanie has discovered different film techniques which have shaped her sense of design and helped her create sets for characters from all walks of life. She enjoys designing different physical environments as they become the backdrop to the story.

Melanie has worked on award winning productions that have been featured internationally, including Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, and Cannes Film Festival.

Website

Spencer Creaghan

Spencer Creaghan is an Multi-Award-winning Film & Modern Media Composer and alumni of the Canadian Film Centre’s prestigious Slaight Family Music Lab. He has written music for over 100 combined Feature-length and short Films, along with Plays, acclaimed Webseries, Advertisements, Bumper Logos, Video Games, and a children’s Theme Park. He is most known for his music for the series’ Teenagers and All For One; the thrilling Dark-comedy, Nobody Famous, and the Jean-Claude Van Damme & Dolph Lundgren action thriller Black Water. His music has been heard in festivals around the globe, including the LA Webseries fest, Canada Top 10, Cannes Film Festival, and the Toronto Fringe Festivals. He also provides synth design, production, additional music, and programming work as assistant to esteemed Canadian composer Lesley Barber, most recently contributing to the Netflix Romantic Comedy Irreplaceable You and the Coming of Age Thriller/Horror Boarding School.

Outside the film world, Creaghan creates grand orchestral arrangements for many Symphonic Metal acts, world-wide – most known for his work with Cradle of Filth’s keyboardist Lindsay Schoolcraft and Evanescence and We Are The Fallen Drummer/Guitarist Rocky Gray. When not composing for media, Spencer produces grandiose records fusing many different styles of music, often in unexpected ways, recent of which is the upcoming Symphonic Metal Opera Di Amorte: The Red Opera, to be released through Dark Star and Sony Records.

Website

Zach Ramelan

Zach Ramelan is an award-winning Director and editor from Kitchener Ontario. 

Obsesseed with creation, Zach has been behind the camera for 7 years. He has directed over 50 diverse projects including an Award-winning Documentary about homelessness titled Blinders, and an award-winning feature-length zombie film titled Dead Rush, a narrative captured entirely from the main characters POV. Zach now has channeled his motivation in a new direction, transitioning from being behind the lens to now in front of it. Developing impactful narratives for his online community of over 54 thousand subscribers.

“Don’t compare for perfection, compete for completion” 

Completion is the key ingredient to Ramelan’ s success. Rather than being stuck on a creative hamster wheel, he prefers to have things done. Great stories start with creativity and are only powerful when they’re completed. Provided In his lessons Zach teaches the tricks on how to complete projects, become a better storyteller, and be the creative leader a team needs. 

Past Directed Projects: 

Blinders – Short Documentary – WINNER – CANADIAN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD – BUFFER FESTIVAL 

Dead Rush – Feature Narrative – WINNER – AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD – CANADIAN FILM FEST


Companionship – Short Narrative – WINNER -BEST ACTOR AWARD – NATIONAL SCREEN INSTITUTE

Lariat – Short Narrative – WINNER – BEST SHORT FILM – 48HOUR FILM COMPETITION

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    Fostering her talents as a communicator from an early age, Anna Jane Edmonds (AJ) has spent her life entertaining and education audiences through film and TV. After devoting two years at Toronto’s Randolph Academy, she attended Western University and graduated in 2013 as gold medalist from FIMS. AJ then carried on to the UCLA to study the business of film producing. In 2014 she secured a job at Silver Pictures Entertainment in both the management and development office during the production of the films THE NICE GUYS and COLLIDE.

    Her motivation is drawn from the desire to affect those around her and leave the world to come in a better place than where she found it. Film and TV, in her words, are the most powerful mediums for change; and she intends to be at the helm of the changes to come.

    Anna Jane Edmonds

    The Nice Guys

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    Collide

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