iFilmGroup Production Team Leaders
mATTHEW MARSHALL
Head of Film ProductionS
Matthew Marshall is an award-winning producer, director and playwright with his own production company- m & s Marshall Productions, who has over twenty-five years in the film and theatre industry.
DON HICKEY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Don is an award-winning writer and producer. Don like most folks in this industry, does many tasks. Don has been in Print Media for over 30 years. He shares his knowledge in Voice Acting demonstrating his voice talent for broadcasting.
Don has his finger on the pulse of the community and has a passion for helping teenagers and young adults advance their careers and passions within the media and production industry.
Hickey has been on several productions, in front of the camera as an actor as well as his hard work behind the camera in various roles. Don has been with a Writers’ Guild for over 30 years.
Don has countless connections within his network and has found locations and people for various films that he has been a part of. Within his network, Don has also brought several people on board as crew members for productions that have led them to advance roles within the industry.
Don's favourite place is the iFilmGroup Studio where he coordinates the building of the different sets for various productions. Don loves to have people new to the film industry learn from him the different aspects of working in the studio environment. From set-up of lighting, camera, sound recording and then the many acting requirements. It’s a full ‘hands-on’ teaching format. Studio training for newcomers is a very important Workshop that iFilmGroup promotes.
DAVID PARISIAN
ACTING COACH / ACTOR
David is a Canadian actor from Toronto, Ontario. He has an extensive resume of over 50 roles in TV series and films. He is a character actor in the truest sense of the word. He has brought to life characters ranging from those you feel sorry for, to those you love, to those you hate. His range is extraordinary and his drive to be better is to be envied.
David has been a part of two iFilmGroup films. Including playing the leading role of Richard Pratt in the short film “Not Ready” and the Minister in the short film Blue Love.
David brings a depth of knowledge in the art of acting to his association with iFilmGroup as an Acting Coach. He has extensive experience in acting, auditioning, film along with his vast accomplishments within the craft of performing, he is able to give that knowledge to others who are leaning and through his teaching, he compliments the mandate of helping youth and seniors with acting within the iFilmGroup.
BRIE BENNETT
ACTING COACH / ACTOR
Brie is a Canadian actor who has a BA in Theatre, Specialized in Devised at York University in Toronto, Ontario. The program offers students an intensive curriculum in devising and performing original theatre pieces. This interdisciplinary series of courses is overseen and taught by faculty from all three areas of the department: Acting, Production, Performance Creation, and Research.
Through the knowledge within this intense program, Brie now is branching out into teaching and coaching actors who are up and coming.
Brie has credits in film, theatre, and voice acting with a wide range of companies and organizations. Brie previously worked with iFilmGroup on the film “Social Disobedience” where Brie played the role of “Bailey” and also assisted in the cinematography of the film.
Brie is now using the acting training from the program to create in-person workshops and virtual training for iFilmGroup’s online training segments. Brie loves acting and feels really passionate when it comes to teaching others about acting. Brie loves seeing what people can do when they are given the tools to learn the art and craft of acting.
JULIA BROWN
ACTOR / MENTOR AND COACH
Julia is a Canadian actor with an Acting for Film and Television diploma from Niagara College. Through the on-screen parts of the program, Julia gained knowledge and skills related to improv, character voices, dialect work, scene study, audition techniques, and stunt fighting. Behind the scenes, she learned how to screenwrite, direct, film, and edit all of her own work. She also has experience training at Walter Alza’s award-winning acting studio in Toronto and the Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York City (home of the Sandford Meisner technique).
Julia has been studying vocal music, musical theatre, and various dance genres (Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Modern) since the age of 6.
Julia has film, television, and voice acting credits from a range of projects including a national commercial campaign, a radio show, and doing voices for video game characters. She previously worked with iFilmGroup on the film “Tuned In”.
Julia has passions for Film and Television and mentoring others, she wants to pass on the knowledge she has to up-and-coming actors.
ANGEL BILAGOT
Registered Psychotherapist and Drama Therapist
Angel Bilagot is a Registered Psychotherapist and Drama Therapist. Angel graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a combined degree in Psychology and Theatre. She completed her Master’s Degree at Concordia University, specializing in Drama Therapy. She continued her training in Drama Therapy in New York City while working as a Therapist at the PTSD Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut. She was provided with the opportunity to have gained professional experiences to work, teach, and develop programs for environments such as the Jewish General Hospital (Montreal), The Canadian Institute for Neuro-Integrative Development (Montreal), The Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, and The University of Alberta (Edmonton).
Drama therapy uses drama and theatre to achieve therapeutic goals. Simply put, a drama therapist uses drama in a skilled and intentional way to help others. In drama therapy, dramatic play can be done in a safe environment under the guidance of a trained therapist who can use these moments of play to help a child heal and grow.
It is through the art of drama and play that many people learn to express themselves better and gain confidence in interaction in the world as well as how to effectively deal with personal matters and worldly issues in a more effective way. Drama and acting can be a tool in which those involved can gain some amazing benefits and encourage personal growth within individuals and positive meaningful change in a person’s life.
She is dedicated to helping children, teens, and families through the use of art. She has worked nationally and internationally and strives to provide a safe, supportive and creative space that encourages personal growth and change in a meaningful way.
Dramatic play, whether formal (theatre experience) or informal (playing at home) allows children, youth and teens to safely express themselves, try on different characters, experiment with a different voice, and make brave choices.
TIM HARVEY
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER/SOUND ENGINEER
DRONE PILOT / CAMERA OPERATOR
Tim Harvey is a photographer, Sound Engineer, and Drone Pilot, who has worked with the iFilmGroup team on a number of the iFilmGroup films.
He was a still photographer, Sound Editor, and Sound Engineer on “Malicious Attack”, Drone Pilot/Camera Operator on “Not Ready”, Still Photographer and Camera Operator on “Struggles Within”, and Still Photographer on “Tuned In”.
Tim owns and operates “White Pine Photography” and “Sparta Sound”.
He is a gifted photographer who has done a number of headshots for iFilmGroup members. He does headshots and portfolios for actors. He also does Wedding, Family, Special Events, Pets, Models, and Commercial photography.
If you are need of a headshot, Tim can be contacted through an inquiry to iFilmGroup. We will pass the contact info on to Tim (White Pine Photography) for you to be contacted about his pricing.
SHARON O’LEARY
FUNDRAISING & PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT
Sharon brings over 30 years within ‘not for profits’ and ‘social services’. A passion for the arts with her first job with Bath Theatre Royal in Marketing. She is a Director with Elsistema South London giving young people opportunities to musical instruments and group instruction. Sharon brings substantial experience of grant-giving having assessed grants for the Ontario Trillium Foundation and BBC Children in Need. Sharon strongly believes in giving young people opportunities to grow.
Sharon has been a part of the Production Team on various productions including being an Assistant Director on two productions. She has also served as a member of the judging panel of the iFilmGroup Social Distancing Monologue Challenge.
YANNIS KAPA
MUSIC RESEARCHER
Yannis is an experienced musician of over 30 years with diverse knowledge in the music industry, he is currently working on his music degree of classical guitar in Greece and also studying at Berklee Online for the Guitar and Songwriting Master Certificate, he has performed in various countries (Greece, Turkey, Germany) and collaborated with other professional musicians from around the world in several music projects. He is connected with professional musicians from all over the world. He also has worked for the Theatrical Company "Horos" as a Production Assistant/Public Relations Manager in Greece. Yannis has worked as a music career consultant in Europe and helped a lot of musicians establish their careers as professional musicians.
iFilmGroup.org - Production Team Leaders - 08-25-23