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FILM RESUME

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Hearse Chasing (2025)

Producer

Telus Originals

Mid-length documentary about a musicians journey with C-PTSD. Coming soon.

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Secrets of the Bunnyranch (2025)

Archive Producer

A+E Networks

6-part docuseries about legal brothels in Nevada. Premieres June 12th in the US on A+E.​

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The Ballad Of Judi Singh (2025)

Archive Producer

Knowledge Network, Premiere at DOXA

Feature documentary about the Canadian jazz singer Judi Singh 

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Saints & Warriors (2025)

Archive Producer

Crave Originals, Premiere at Big Sky Documentary Festival

Feature documentary about indigenous basketball

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Toe Pick (2024)

Producer

Crazy8's

Short film - Official Selection at Whistler Film Festival,

Opening Night film at Vancouver International Youth Film Festival

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Searching for Satoshi (2023)

Archive producer

NOMINATED FOR 2025 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARD FOR VISUAL RESEARCH

CBC, Passionate Eye

Feature documentary about the mysterious disappearance of Bitcoin's creator. 

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Satan Wants You (2023)

Producer

CBC, Tubi Originals

Feature documentary about the origins of the Satanic Panic

WORLD PREMIERE SXSW 2023​

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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.

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Our Time To Be Kind (2023)

Archival Producer

Telus Originals

Feature documentary about BC public health officer Bonnie Henry 

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I'm Just Here For The Riot (2023)

Archival Producer

ESPN 30 for 30 

Feature documentary about the 2011 Stanley Cup riots

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Bloomberg.com (2022)

Field Producer - Bloomberg

Short documentary profiling environmental shipping company headquartered in Vancouver. 

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Freethink Challengers Series (2021)

Field Producer - Freethink Magazine

Short documentary produced by US-based news magazine Freethink about ocean robotics. 

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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. 

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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. 

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Holmes Family Effect (2020)

Story Producer, Integrations Manager - CTV

Primetime factual series for CTV starring Mike Holmes, renovating non-profit spaces across Canada. 

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Well Versed (2019)

Archive Producer - Knowledge Network

10-part short documentary series for Knowledge Network about BC books,​

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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.

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Rag Doll (2018)

Production Manager, 1st AD 

Animated short - stop motion and live action 

Official Selection VIFF. Over 1M views on Youtube

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Reunion (2018)

Co-producer, Production Manager 
Narrative short. 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.

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Avenues of Escape (2017)

Co-Producer

Feature documentary on CBC Documentary Channel.

Winner of four Leo Awards including Best Feature Documentary. 

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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. 

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Human Harvest (2014)

Associate Producer

Winner of the 2014 Peabody Award, the Association of International Broadcasters Award, IDFA Honorary Award.

Canadian Screen Award nominee. 

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How to be a Wild Elephant (2014)

Production Manager - CBC

TV documentary for CBC's The Nature of Things about an elephant sanctuary in Kenya. 

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Venus and Mars (2013)

Digital Marketing & Publicity Associate - CBC

TV documentary for CBC Doc Zone. 

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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. 

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Abandon Ship (2011)

Archival, Visual Research & Clearances - CBC

TV documentary for CBC Doc Zone. 

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For the Love of Elephants (2010)

Digital Marketing & Publicity Associate - CBC

TV nature documentary for CBC The Nature of Things. 

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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 

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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.

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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

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VOLUNTEER 

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DOXA documentary film festival: Screening Committee, 2019-current

Reel Causes impact film society: Board of Directors , 2017-2018

 

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LANGUAGES

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Fully Bilingual (English/French)

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Melissa James - Copyright 2023

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Respectfully acknowledging the Coast Salish Territory that I live and work on: This is the unceded Traditional Lands and Waters of the É™sÉ™lilÌ“wÉ™taʔɬ,  XÊ·mÉ™θkwÉ™y̓əm, & Sḵwx̱wú7meshsi Nations and all their ancestors

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