From his first job as an usher at a cinema on a Canadian base in Germany, J has spent two decades working in professionally media. During his undergraduate at Queen's University he started a recording group that toured with acts such as The Tragically Hip, Wilco, and Primus. After graduation he directed award-winning short films and gained experience at every level of production on film and television in Toronto. Relocating to Vancouver he founded dimeRocker (OverInteractive Media) an award winning digital agency focused on branded gamification and social TV strategies for clients that include CBC, Disney/ABC, Weinstein Company, Telus and PwC. He has participated in industry panels including: Banff WMF, Merging + Media, nextMedia, X-Summit, Digital Dialogues, Petchakucha, Prime Time and SXSW. J. sits on the board of the Vancouver International Film Festival, and as a National Advisor for the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Merging + Media & X-Summit. In May 2012 he founded CineCoup that was accelerated and received intial investment GrowLab. The Canadian pilot launched to the public on February 28th and will roll out internationally in late 2013.
Brian Wideen — Founder & COO
A former programmer, Brian's executive management career enjoyed stops in telecom and video games, including a 13-year stint at Electronic Arts Canada. His time at EA focused on providing multidisciplinary teams an environment to excel, while ensuring on-time delivery of properties that met fiscal goals. This work required directing specific game teams, production groups made up of multiple game teams, a directed graphic research group during the transition to new technologies and techniques, and EA's Digital Information Resource Centre. His last role was as COO for Need For Speed (NFS), one of the industry's largest ever titles. During his time on NFS, Brian focused on launching NFS's first digitally-delivered freemium version. After experimenting with retirement, Brian became enthralled with OMI and it's CEO J Joly. Given his interest in social media and new business models, he joined J as COO for OMI.
Amy Lennon — Senior Producer
After graduating with a journalism degree, Amy co-produced an independent documentary for television. Living the dream, broke, she began moonlighting with ad agencies as a copywriter and producer for a new digital platform called the world wide web. Since then, she has continued to evolve her professional skills in sync with changing business models, technologies and audiences. Amy brings 15 years' experience executing strategy and content for a range of brand marketing and communications initiatives. Most recently, as the Development Manager at dimeRocker, she led a talented team on three successful social media platforms for CBC: Cover Me Canada, Battle of the Blades and Kraft Hockeyville. Before joining dimeRocker, she was the interactive producer at Knowledge Network, BC's public educational broadcaster. Now as Senior Producer at CineCoup, Amy is at the intersection of the platform's design strategy, content development and PR / marketing efforts. She's stoked to help stage this coup...
With over 20 years' experience in all aspects of program distribution, Theatrical, Home Entertainment, Television and Digital content licensing, Mr. Pelman has an enviable contact list and a no nonsense approach to business. Mr. Pelman recently departed Alliance Films as Executive VP, Distribution following the sale of Maple Pictures Corp, a company he co-founded and served as co-president since 2005. He presided over a team of 46 distribution professionals releasing over 20 theatrical films per year, and over 100 direct to video/on demand titles per year. The company grew from $24M annually to over $80M in revenue. Mr. Pelman's relationships span the distribution value chain, from traditional retail and theatrical outlets to new media broadcast and digital opportunities. Mr. Pelman prides himself on those relationships built as a distribution executive and his understanding of the Canadian system provides an unmatched advantage to any collaboration he undertakes. In addition, he currently serves as co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Canada's leading film and television training facility, the National Screen Institute.
Bill Marks — Head of Film Production
Marks' film career spans over two decades, and includes numerous writer, director (14 Days in Paradise and Curse of the Iron Mask) and producer roles. His producer credits include A Dark Truth, starring Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria and Forest Whitaker; Compulsion, starring Heather Graham and Carrie-Anne Moss; Split Decision starring Brendan Fraser and Dominic Purcell; Swearnet, starring the former Trailer Park Boys; Sidney J. Furie’s A Pride of Lions; horror film The Returned; and A Fighting Man, starring Dominic Purcell, James Caan, Famke Janssen and Lou Gossett Jr.. Marks also produced Casino Jack, starring Kevin Spacey, which was a Gala Premier at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.
In his previous life, Marks co-founded Modern Imageworks Design, a multiple Juno Award-winning company catering to a broad range of corporate and entertainment industry clients. Prior to that he founded Vortex Comics Inc. and built the company to be one of the top-ten publishers of English-language comic books in the world.
