Summary of Qualifications
. Award winning director: awards include a Genie, a Gemini,
TIFF’s John Spotton Award for Canadian Short,
Atlantic International Film Festival’s Best Canadian Short Award,
Cinequest’s Best Short Drama,
Vancouver International Film Festival Best Animated Film Award,
Laguna Beach International Film Festival
Vanguard Award for Experimentation,
Yorkton International Film Festival Best Experimental Film
· Award winning screenwriter- Flick’s International Film Festival – Best Screenplay
· Award winning editor- Atlantic International Film Festival – Best Editing
· Trained actress with over twenty-five years of experience
· Graduate of the Canadian Film Centre Director’s Program
· Bilingual
· Artist of the Year Award for province of Newfoundland - NLAC Awards 1999
. MFA - Screenwriting
. Canadian Film Centre graduate - Director's Program
Directing: Film and Television
2016 Dancer of the Board, a short documentary commissioned by the NFB.
2015 Mickael Koerner, a short documentary commissioned by the NFB.
2015 Dianna LeBlanc, a short documentary commissioned by the NFB.
2011-12 Why?, You Won’t Regret It – director, writer, producer -
webseries for babyfriendlynl.ca
2009-10 Soccer Shrines, director, 13 episodes shot internationally,
Best Boy Productions, GolTV.
2008 Heart & Soul: director and mentor, long form documentary,
Holy Heart of Mary Screen Arts Society, CBC.
2008 CBC-Kids TV: segment director, producer, writer, multiple episodes, CBC.
2007 Green Facelift- CBC Living: segment writer, director, producer
of a lifestyle series, 13 episodes, CBC.
2006 The Sparky Book: writer, director, animator,
an animated drama: NFB Atlantic/Animation East, selected
for numerous film festivals, Official selection for Short Film Face-off,
Winner of Award for Excellence in Screenwriting: Flicks International Film Festival
Winner of Best Experimental Film: Yorkton Film Festival.
2005 Robson Arms: director, 1 episode, Omni Productions, Vancouver, CTV.
2003-04 Train 48: director of 15 episodes, i
improvised soap opera, multi camera shooting,
Protocol Productions Inc., Executive Producer Steve Levitan, Global Television.
2001 Zack Files: director, 1 episode, DeCode Entertainment,
YTV, Fox Family, Fox Kids, Channel 4.
2000 Clothesline Patch: director 1 episode, comedic children's drama, Patch Productions,
Executive Producer Chris Zimmer, CBC.
Winner of 2002 Gemini for Best Short Dramatic Program,
Winner of Best Short Film: Cinequest Film Festival: San Jose, California,
Winner of first prize: Dawson City Film Festival People’s Choice Award,
Winner of the Bronze Plaque from the Chris Awards: Colombus, Ohio,
Winner of Best Art Direction: Atlantic Film Festival,
Nominated for Best Actress, Yorkton Film Festival,
Official Showcase Selection in the Best of the National Screen Institute Film Festival.
1999 Rabbit Punch: director and co-writer (with Jim Allodi),
Canadian Film Centre, Selected for several film festivals in
North America and Europe, ShowTime USA, CBC, Canal +.
1997-1999 When Ponds Freeze Over: producer, writer, director, animator, and editor,
A half hour drama with animation. Selected for best of INPUT 2000:
a global showcase of the world’s best television,
Winner of a 1998 Genie Award for Best Short Live Action Drama,
Winner of five other Best Short Film Awards, including the Toronto,
Atlantic, Laguna Beach,
California film festivals,
Winner of Best Animated film: Vancouver International Film Festival,
Winner of the Best Editing Award: Atlantic Film Festival,
Screened in film festivals world-wide, Sold for national broadcast in Canada,
the US, Poland, and Japan.
Sold to Film Departments in several universities in Canada and the US.
1989-1990 Come Into My Parlour: Producer, writer, director:
a five minute film with animation,
Sold for national broadcast in Canada: CBC-TV,
Purchased by the National Art Gallery of Canada for the permanent collection,
Exhibited by the Art Gallery of Ontario in a Retrospective of Newfoundland Cinema,
Sold to Film Departments in several Canadian universities,
Screened in numerous Film Festivals in North America and Europe.
Writing: Film and Television
2016 - 20 Butterfly Jump, an original feature film in development.
writer, director.
2016 – 20 February, a feature film in development based on the
award-winning novel by Lisa Moore
writer, producer.
2011- 12 Weigh In: Creator/Writer, a half hour comic television drama-
pilot for series-development.
2011-12 Why?, You Won’t Regret It, What Breasts are For– director, writer, producer
- webseries for babyfriendlynl.ca
2007 Green Facelift- CBC Living: segment writer, director, producer of a
lifestyle series, 13 episodes, CBC.
2006 The Sparky Book: writer, director, animator, an animated drama:
NFB Atlantic/Animation East,
selected for numerous film festivals,
Official selection for Short Film Face-off
Winner of Award for Excellence in Screenwriting: Flicks International Film Festival,
Winner of Best Experimental Film: Yorkton Film Festival.
1999 Rabbit Punch: director and co-writer (with Jim Allodi),
Canadian Film Centre, Selected for several film festivals in North America and Europe,
ShowTime USA, CBC, Canal +.
1997-1999 When Ponds Freeze Over: producer, writer, director, animator, and editor,
A half hour drama with animation. Selected for best of INPUT 2000:
a global showcase of the best television,
Winner of a 1998 Genie Award for Best Short Live Action Drama,
Winner of five other Best Short Film Awards, including the Toronto, Atlantic,
Laguna Beach, California film festivals,
Winner of Best Animated film: Vancouver International Film Festival,
Winner of the Best Editing Award: Atlantic Film Festival,
Screened in film festivals world-wide, Sold for national broadcast in Canada,
the US, Poland, and Japan,
Sold to Film Departments in several universities in Canada and the US.
1989-1990 Come Into My Parlour: Producer, writer, director:
a five minute film with animation, Sold for national broadcast in Canada: CBC-TV,
Purchased by the National Art Gallery of Canada for the permanent collection,
Exhibited by the Art Gallery of Ontario in a Newfoundland Cinema Retrospective,
Sold to Film Departments in several Canadian universities,
Screened in numerous Film Festivals in North America and Europe.
Other
Animation
2009 WFF animated logo,
Designed and created the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival animated logo
2009 Vive La Rose: animator, directed by Bruce Alcock,
produced by Global Mechanic and NFB
2006 The Sparky Book: writer, director, animator, see above.
1999 Rabbit Punch: director and co-writer (with Jim Allodi), see above.
1997-1999 When Ponds Freeze Over: producer, writer, director,
animator, and editor, see above.
1989-1990 Come Into My Parlour: Producer, writer, director:
a five minute film with animation, see above.
Teaching
2020 Sessional Instructor - Toronto Film School
Instructor of Production 2 - Marketing and Promotion
January 2020 - April 2020 - 2 sections (2 three-hours classes/week)
2020 Sessional Instructor - University of Guelph
Professor of Screenwriting - Intermediate Screenwriting
January 2020 - April 2020 - 1 three-hour class/week
2019 Sessional Instructor - Toronto Film School
Instructor of Production 1
September 2019 - December 2019 - 2 sections (2 three-hours classes/week)
2019 Sessional Instructor - Toronto Film School
Instructor of Writing for Television - the 1 hour drama
September 2019 - December 2019 - 1 five hour class/week
2018 Sessional Instructor - Ryerson University - School of RTA
Professor of Media Production - a graduate studio course
January 2018 - April 2018 - 1 three hour class/week
2016 Sessional Instructor - Ryerson University - School of IMA
Professor of Film Production - 2nd year- MPF 322
September 2016 - December 2016 - 1 three hour class/week
2016 Sessional Instructor - Ryerson University - School of IMA
Professor of Business of Film - MPF 201
September 2016 - December 2016 - 1 three hour class/week
2015 Screen Acting Coach - Performing Arts Camp
Introduction to Film Production - Acting on Screen
A summer camp for teenagers - St. John's, NL.
2014 Sessional Instructor - Ryerson University - School of IMA
Professor of Film Production - 4rth year
September 2014 - December 2014 - 1 three hour class/week
2014 Screen Acting Coach - Performing Arts Camp
Introduction to Film Production - Acting on Screen
A summer camp for teenagers - St. John's, NL.
2013 Graduate Teaching Assistant - York University
Graduate TA - Introduction to Screenwriting
September 2013- December 2013 - 2 three-hour classes/week
2011 Sessional Instructor - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Professor of - Introduction to Screenwriting
January 2011 - April 2011 - 1 three hour class/week
2008 Sessional Instructor - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Professor of - Introduction to Screenwriting
September 2008 - December 2008 - 1 three hour class/week
2008 Sessional Instructor - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Professor of - Advanced Screenwriting
September 2008 - December 2008 - 1 three hour class/week
2007-2008 Director and mentor - Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School
Mentored a team of high school film students in making a documentary film about the cultural legacy of
a high school. Completed November 2008. Broadcast on CBC 2009.
2006-2007 2D in 2 Days, Mentored, directed and produced a short animated
film in a teaching workshop for junior high students as part of the
St. John’s Women’s International Film Festival.
2005 Animation Workshop, Designed and delivered an animation workshop
for teenagers from Labrador.
2000 Children’s Acting Coach, Random Passage: An eight part mini-series
directed by John N. Smith. Broadcast on CBC, BBC:
Performance: Theatre, Radio, Television and Film
1985-2013
Mary has performed nationally and internationally in theatre,
radio, television, and film. Credits include:
Theatre (lead roles): Copenhagen, Woyzek, Macbeth,
The Occupation of Heather Rose, Richard III, 1949,
A Streetcar Named Desire, A Winter’s Tale, Uncle Vanya, Later That Same Life,
Crime and Punishment, Chickens.
Film: Relative Happiness, Grown Up Movie Star, Down to the Dirt,
Extraordinary Visitor, Boat in the Grass,
The Elf, Cruceros, Secret Nation, Ram Teri Ganga Mali (shot in Bombay, India)
Television: Murdoch Mysteries, Republic of Doyle, Above and Beyond, Random Passage,
several appearances in the HBO comedy series Kids in the Hall
Audio Books: has recorded numerous audio books including Open,
The Lure of The Labrador Wild, Bishop's Road, First Light, Last Snow, T
The Wreckage, The Innocents, Galore, Hunting Houses, February, Flannery.
Radio: Elvis and Mavis, The Life of Mina Hubbard (CBC: Ideas), and Booster McCrane.
Education
2012-14 MFA – Screenwriting – York University
2003 After Effects Training course: digital animation, titling, and compositing
1998-99 Canadian Film Centre- Director’s Lab and Short Dramatic Film Program
1997 Non-Linear digital editing training course, 9 weeks long, NIFCO
1991-1993 Creative Writing Workshop, Innis College: University of Toronto
1984-1987 Bachelor of Arts, English Literature Major/ French Literature Minor,
Memorial University of Newfoundland
1983-1984 Acting Program, National Theatre School of Canada
1981-1983 Certificate of Social Sciences, Le Petit Seminaire de Quebec: CEGEP
Professional Associations
Peer jury service: Media Arts Film Production Grants:
The Canada Council for the Arts: 2011, 2007, 2000.
Peer jury service: Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council: 2010, 2007. 2004.
Peer jury service: the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
ACTRA- Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists
Writer’s Guild of Canada
Producer’s Association of Newfoundland
Newfoundland Independent Filmmaker's Cooperative
