MELISSA JAMES
SIGIL FILMS • PRODUCER • DIRECTOR • ARCHIVAL
FILM
Hearse Chasing (In Production)
Producer
Telus Originals
Short documentary about a musicians journey with C-PTSD.
The Bunnyranch (In Production)
Archive Producer
A&E Networks
Doc series about legal brothels in Nevada
The Ballad Of Judi Singh (In Production)
Archive Producer
Knowledge Network
Feature documentary about the Canadian jazz singer Judi Singh
Saints & Warriors (In Production)
Archive Producer
Crave Originals
Feature documentary about indigenous basketball
Searching for Satoshi (2023)
Archive producer
CBC, Passionate Eye
Feature documentary about the mysterious disappearance of Bitcoin's creator.
Satan Wants You (2023)
Producer
CBC, Tubi Originals
Feature documentary about the origins of the Satanic Panic
WITCH HUNT (2023)
Director, Producer
Short documentary about witchcraft and the magic resistance. Premiered at Salem Horror Fest.
Winner Best Documentary at Denver Underground Film Festival.
Our Time To Be Kind (2023)
Archival Producer - Telus Originals
Feature documentary about BC public health officer Bonnie Henry
I'm Just Here For The Riot (2023)
Archival Producer - ESPN's 30 for 30 series
Feature documentary about the 2011 Stanley Cup riots
Bloomberg.com (2022)
Field Producer - Bloomberg
Short documentary profiling environmental shipping company headquartered in Vancouver.
Freethink Challengers Series (2021)
Field Producer - Freethink Magazine
Short documentary produced by US-based news magazine Freethink about ocean robotics.
Precious Leader Woman (2021)
Impact Producer - Telus/ESPN
Impact and digital marketing consultant for feature documentary about Indigenous Olympic athlete Spencer O'Brien.
Audience Award BANFF Mountain Film Festival, Official Selection Whistler Film Festival.
Someone Like Me (2020)
Visual & Archival Researcher - NFB
Feature documentary for the NFB about LGBTQ+ refugees from Kenya relocating to Canada via the Rainbow Refugee organization.
Holmes Family Effect (2020)
Story Producer, Integrations Manager - CTV
Primetime factual series for CTV starring Mike Holmes, renovating non-profit spaces across Canada. 2 x eps.
Well Versed (2019)
Archive Producer - Knowledge Network
10-part short documentary series for Knowledge Network about BC books, produced by Nookta Street Film Co.
Letter from Masanjia (2019)
Co-Producer
Feature documentary qualified for 2019 Academy Awards, nominated for Best Documentary at the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards.
World premiere and Top 20 Audience Favourite at Hot Docs 2018.
Winner of over 15 festival awards. Called "a potent documentary… well-told" by The New York Times.
Rag Doll (2018)
Production Manager, 1st AD
Animated short - stop motion and live action
Reunion (2018)
Co-producer, Production Manager
Narrative short. Won Best International Short Film at the Portland Short Film Festival
Ravage (2018)
Co-producer, Production Manager
Narrative short. Premiered at the Global Impact Film Festival in Washington DC.
Official selection San Diego International Film Festival.
Avenues of Escape (2017)
Co-Producer
Feature documentary on CBC Documentary Channel. Winner of four Leo Awards including Best Feature Documentary.
The Bleeding Edge (2016)
Associate Producer, Impact Producer
Narrative feature. Recipient of the Gabriel Award for humanitarian film.
Screened at UK Parliament hosted by the Speaker of the House the Rt Hon John Bercow.
Human Harvest (2014)
Associate Producer
Feature documentary, winner of the 2014 Peabody Award, the Association of International Broadcasters Award, IDFA Honorary Award. Canadian Screen Awards nominee.
How to be a Wild Elephant (2014)
Production Manager
TV documentary for CBC's The Nature of Things about an elephant sanctuary in Kenya.
Venus and Mars (2013)
Digital Marketing & Publicity Associate - CBC
TV documentary for CBC Doc Zone.
The Devil You Know (2010-2012)
Archival, Visuals & Music Supervisor - Investigation Discovery/OWN,
20 x 1 hour episodes true-crime documentary series.
Responsible for reenactments, creative B-Roll, archival material, music & clearances.
Abandon Ship (2011)
Archival, Visual Research & Clearances - CBC
TV documentary for CBC Doc Zone.
For the Love of Elephants (2010)
Digital Marketing & Publicity Associate - CBC
TV nature documentary for CBC The Nature of Things.
No Fun City (2010)
Director, Producer, Writer
Feature documentary, aired on Superchannel. Winner of best documentary at Victoria Film Festival & Best Feature at the Toronto Independent Film Festival. Screened at CMJ music festival in NYC
Featured in Maclean's and the Globe & Mail
Shake Rattle & Roll (2008)
Director, Producer, Writer
Short documentary. Winner of the CBC Award for Excellence & the Deluxe TV Award.
Screened at various festivals including "Don't Knock the Rock" in LA curated by acclaimed indie director Allison Anders.
COMMS & MARKETING
Hello Cool World (2021)
Writer, Impact Producer, Webinar Series Producer
Award-winning full service creative & digital agency
Clients include The Corporation, The New Corporation, The Grizzlies, Indian Horse, 65_Redroses, Dark Cloud
Skillen & Co (current) - Producer, Production Manager
Delivering meaningful doc-style commercial projects from concept through to post.
Clients include TEDX, Telus, BC NDP, Emily Carr University.
Flying Cloud Productions – Vancouver, BC – 2014-2018
Award-winning Canadian production company with human rights focus
Digital Marketing Manager, Web Project Manager, Creative Lead, Graphic Design
Make Believe Media – Vancouver, BC – 2010-2013
Award-winning TV documentary production company
Digital Marketing, Web Project Manager, Publicity
L’Oreal Canada – Montreal, QC – 2003-2006
Marketing for L’Oreal Paris, Maybelline & Garnier brands
Marketing Coordinator (bilingual)
Arlene’s Grocery Music Venue – NYC, USA – 2000-2002
Indie Rock Music Venue in the Lower East Side of Manhattan
Assistant Manager, Booker, Publicity, Co-creator of the Picture Show Film Festival
LD Communications – London, UK - 1999-2000
Boutique A-List PR firm, clients include: The Rolling Stones, The Brit Awards, Shania Twain, Janet Jackson
Jr. Publicist/ Executive Assistant
INTERACTIVE
Films for Freedom (2017)
Interactive Producer, Digital Marketing Manager
CMF-funded digital platform and online community for short films with a focus on human rights.
Life in a Labour Camp (2016)
Interactive Producer, Creative Lead
CMF-funded rich interactive website that takes user into the realities of labour camps in China.
Human Harvest Interactive (2015)
Interactive Producer, Project Manager
CMF-funded rich interactive site companion to the documentary Human Harvest.
EDUCATION
2018 Canadian Media Producers Association - Audience Development Intensive Program
2017 Canadian Media Producers Association - Digital Bootcamp
2015 Project Management for Digital Media - UBC
2015 Web Design, CSS & HTML - Ladies Learning Code
2014 Writing for Web & Multimedia - UBC
2006-2008 Diploma in Broadcast Television/Communications – BCIT (with honours)
2005-2006 Video Production – Concordia University Montreal
VOLUNTEER
DOXA documentary film festival: Screening Committee, 2019-current
Reel Causes impact film society: Board of Directors , 2017-2018
LANGUAGES
Fully Bilingual (English/French)