Jameson Parker and David Kaye met at UBC and then were both accepted into the BFA Acting Program at UBC Theatre and Film where they became friends and collaborators, graduating in 2011. Their production company Whiskaye Films, a Vancouver-based boutique Film and Television production company, founded in 2008, started with music videos and later branched out into award-winning short films. Whiskaye Films’ first feature Prodigals is set to premiere at the Whistler Film Festival on November 30th, 2017.
From David:
“I started at UBC in my second year of university after studying abroad in England. I wanted to audition for the BFA acting program but had missed the auditions while I was away. I met Jameson in a Drama 200 class where we partnered up for a project and wrote the Lysistrusical: The Lysistrata Musical based on Aristophanes’ classic work for our assignment. The following year, we were both accepted into the BFA acting program. We became the best of friends while going through classes, rehearsals, performances, and all the shenanigans that come with being the class clowns. We were fortunate enough to be cast together in most of the productions, definitely contributing to the inevitable fact that we would remain friends long after our time at UBC had come to an end. Jameson recently got engaged, and I am very much looking forward to standing up at his wedding.
Prodigals will have its World Premiere at the 2017 Whistler Film Festival on November 30th at 6pm. Jameson and I have been working on this one for 4 years. It’s our baby and we are extremely excited to share it with the world.”
From Jameson:
“Triple agree with what David said about Prodigals. It’s an original play that I acted in during the workshop production and world premiere during and right after my time in the BFA. When I brought the idea and script to David to develop as a feature, he was unbelievably supportive and equally as enthusiastic. I will note that his performance is one of my favourites in the film. And David is an amazing creative and producing partner.
My time at UBC wholly shaped the way I view storytelling and I feel like it has put me at an advantage as I’ve made the move into producing and transitioning my career to LA. Even though I have put acting to the side while I package and produce films, I still refer to the building blocks about how a story is crafted and told every day as a producer and those fundamentals were taught in the BFA.
Our approach to material at Brightlight comes from time spent in the theatre by both myself and Shawn Williamson, our President, (who began his career as a stage manager at Vancouver’s The Arts Club Theatre) and focuses solely on script, actors and directors – if those three pillars are solid you will always have the right foundation on which to build a great film. The politics of Hollywood can be tricky to maneuver but I find that you can almost always cut through the bullshit if you truly know how to talk story and I have the UBC BFA to thank for introducing me to the inner workings of storytelling and helping me at the beginning of my career.”
Jameson Parker Biography:
Jameson Parker currently serves as the Director of Development for the Vancouver-based Brightlight Pictures (COLOSSAL, 50/50, THE COMPANY YOU KEEP). He most recently produced the feature film SUMMER OF ’84 directed by the acclaimed trio RKSS, as their directorial follow up to their indie hit TURBO KID which stars Rich Sommer (MAD MEN). His feature film PRODIGALS, in which he stars as well as produced, will premiere at the 2017 Whistler Film Festival and is slated for a 2018 release. He also served as an Executive Producer on the animated series WHITE NINJA starring Paul Scheer. Jameson is currently packaging Evan Rachel Wood’s directorial debut REMEMBER WHEN with Brightlight President Shawn Williamson.
David Kaye Biography:
David Kaye is an award-winning 29-year-old actor/producer living in Vancouver, B.C and has been working in film and TV since he booked his first role in Legends of the Fall at the age of four. At the age of eleven, he began working as a voice actor in cartoons and in video games.
In 2007, after taking an introductory course to film production, David realized a new passion and in 2008, he started a small film production company with Jameson Parker while enrolled at the University of British Columbia. David graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Acting.
In 2011, David teamed up with Director Adam Bogoch to produce a semi-autobiographical short film about Alzheimer’s disease entitled Eye of the Beholder written by Vanessa Parent. Eye of the Beholder screened at several festivals and won the audience choice award at the Toronto Underground Film Festival.
After graduation, David performed in a number of live shows, including three BC-based runs of the multiple award-winning hip-hop Shakespeare musical, The Bombitty of Errors.
In 2013, David teamed up with North of Now Films Inc. and has been working alongside Tyler Funk, producing web commercials and branded content for companies like AT&T, Chevrolet, Ford, San Disk, Axe, and Bud Light to name a few. In 2015, Whiskaye teamed up with North of Now to bring a then-defunct web comic back to life in the form of an animated web series. White Ninja garnered 30 million views and attracted over 70,000 followers in its first season.
At the same time, Whiskaye Films was producing its first feature film, Prodigals.
As a producer, David has had a hand in putting together over 60 productions including music videos, short films, web commercials, and branded content, web series and Feature Films.
Since 2016, David has received multiple awards and nominations for acting, voice acting, and producing. He is currently working as an acting coach for children at Shoreline studios, acting on Freeform’s new series Siren, as well as voicing several characters in various animated series.
http://whiskayefilms.com
http://www.brightlightpictures.com/contact.php
https://www.northofnow.ca
