David Vaisbord - Director / Producer Writer / Writer

David Vaisbord is a Gemini nominated Canadian filmmaker who brings a unique vision and a dramatic intensity to all of the films that he makes. . 

 David’ first one-hour documentary titled MISCHA was an international search for clues about the life of his brilliant but reclusive uncle, the violin-prodigy Mischa Weisbord.  Completed in 1996 with funding from the Canada Council, NFB and the CBC (Adrienne Clarkson Presents) it received awards and nominations including a Gold Apple (USA), and a nomination for The Chalmers Award (Canada). Vaisbord then produced, directed and wrote a psychedelic road trip titled JUICY DANGER MEETS BURNING MAN supported by TVO, CTV, and BRAVO! It was one of TVO’s highest rated documentaries of 1998, made celebrities out of its two leads -- the hair-raising comedic/thrill-seeking duo Tom Comet and Christine Taylor -- and received the Special Jury Prize at the Yorkton Short Film festival.  

David then moved on to develop new projects with new partners. As co-producer, director and writer David collaborated with Screen Siren Pictures on BRITANNIA BEACH (1998 – 2001) and on DRAWING OUT THE DEMONS: A film about the artist Attila Richard Lukacs (1999 – 2004).  BRITANNIA BEACH, the story of a mining town, the dreams of its residents, and its legacy of environmental devastation, was made with support from the BC Cultural Fund, CTV, TVO, SCN, Knowledge, and the NFB. A Gala premiere at Toronto’s Planet in Focus film festival was followed by broadcast on the CBC’s “Docs on the Coast.”  DRAWING OUT THE DEMONS: A film about the artist Attila Richard Lukacs was funded by BRAVO! TVO and Telefilm Canada. Shot to a large extent by the director himself as he accompanied the artist through some of his darkest days in his New York Studio, the film follows gifted “bad-boy” of the art world, Attila Lukacs, on a very intimate journey from drug addiction to spiritual and creative renewal. Since it’s premiere in Toronto at Hot Docs 2004, the film has screened at over a dozen international festivals including the Cork (Ireland) International Film Festival and the Northwest (USA) Film and Video Festival.  Nominated for 2 Gemini Awards including Best Director of a Documentary, and Best Arts Documentary, the Globe and Mail calls the film "wonderfully voyeuristic" and "compulsively watchable," while the Atlantic Film Festival contends that, "Drawing Out the Demons may be the most honest and substantial documentary ever made about a world-class artist."

 With Laughing Mountain Communications David directed and co-wrote the one-hour docu-drama DARK PINES for BRAVO! which premiered in October of 2005.Lightspeed Productions Ltd. (David’s company) loans out David’s services as a director “for hire”.  For Insight Productions and Global Television David has directed for the series DRIVER’S SEAT (13 X 30) and for History Television one half-hour episode of GHOST TOWNS OF SASKATCHEWAN.  

As producer, co-director and co-writer David is currently in development with CBC’s Passionate Eye on the feature documentary DOGS BY ACCIDENT:  The lives and imagined future of Herb Williams and the SUPERDOGS.

David is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, speaks fluent French, and resides in Vancouver with wife Sheril Gelmon and young daughter Madeleine.

February 2006  

Feature Documentaries

DOGS BY ACCIDENT - The lives and imagined future of Herb Williams and the SUPERDOGS
--- in development ---
- Producer, Co-Director & Co-Writer
- Produced by Lightspeed Productions
- Broadcaster:  CBC

DARK PINES - A Documentary Investigation into the Death of Tom Thomson
48 minutes / digital video / 2005 
- Director & Co-Writer
- Produced by Laughing Mountain Communications
- Broadcaster:  BRAVO!

DRAWING OUT THE DEMONS - A Film about the Artist Attila Richard Lukacs
78 minutes & 48 minutes (TV) / digital video / 2004
- Director, Co-Producer, Writer
- Produced by Screen Siren Pictures
- Broadcasters: BRAVO! & TVOntario

BRITANNIA BEACH 
56 minutes / digital video / 2002 / "Director’s Cut"
- Director, Writer, Co-producer & Narrator
- Produced by Screen Siren Pictures
- Broadcaster: TVOntario & Knowledge Network

BRITANNIA BEACH : A COMPANY TOWN
 45 minutes / digital video / 2000
- Director, Co-producer
- Produced by Screen Siren Pictures & The National Film Board of Canada
- Broadcaster: CTV

ISLAND OF SHADOWS: The D'Arcy Island Leper Colony
 45 min / film & video / 2000
- Executive Producer
- Produced and Directed by Erik Paulsson, Red Storm Productions
- Broadcaster: CTV

JUICY DANGER MEETS BURNING MAN
 45 min & 55 min / Film & Video / 1998
- Director, Producer, & Writer
- Produced by Herkules Productions

- Award: Special Jury Prize - Yorkton Short Film Festival

MISCHA
45 minutes / 16mm film / 1996
- Director, Writer, & Narrator
- Produced by the National Film Board of Canada

- Award: Best Director - AMTEC 1996, Canada
- Award: Gold Apple 1997 - National Educational Media Network

Documentary Series

Ghost Town Trail: Saskatchewan
Episode # 13: 30 Minutes / digital video / 2002
- Director
- Produced by Insight Film & Video Productions

Series Television

Driver’s Seat
13 x 30 minute episodes. Season: Spring/Summer 2002
-Director
-Produced by Insight Film & Video Productions

Short drama and Music videos

NICKELBACK - A LEADER OF MEN
Music video / 5 minutes / 16 mm film / 1999
Broadcast:  Muchmusic 1999

THE VOYAGE OF HERKULES
Drama / 12 minutes / 16mm / 1989
Official Selection Berlin International Film Festival, 1988

KINO
Drama / 5 minutes / 16mm / 1985

Teaching Experience

1999 Professional workshops "Thinking Documentary" on documentary filmmaking for Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Co-operative.

1997 Video production instructor at ST. JOHN'S SCHOOL.

1990 - 1997 Video production instructor at ARTS UMBRELLA.
Originated their Moviemaking courses and taught all levels.

1986 - 1991 Video and Photography instructor at THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA - LANGUAGE INSTITUTE.

Education

1999 Introduction to the Avid Media Composer 4000 - Cineworks

1991 Business Skills for Filmmakers - Sharon McGowan

1989 Women in Film, Producer's workshop - Various instructors

1988 BFA Bachelor of Fine Arts / Media Arts Honours diploma
EMILY CARR INSTITUTE OF ART AND DESIGN

1983 BA Bachelor of Arts
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Associations

David Vaisbord has served as a jury member for the Vancouver International Film Festival, the B.C. Cultural Fund, the Leo Awards, and the National Screen Institute.

David Vaisbord's films are distributed by the NFB, Mind's Eye International, and Moving Images. He is member of the CIFC, Cineworks & The Canadian Academy of Cinema. David attends international film conferences (Fellowship winner: BTVF 1998 / Amsterdam Documentary Forum 2001) and maintains media contacts worldwide.

348 East 40th Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5W 1L9
Telephone/Fax: 604.731.6990
vaisbord (at) telus (dot) net