Paul Jones is a Toronto-based prosthetic designer, SPFX make-up artist, puppet-builder. He is known for his work on Silent Hill, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Resident Evil: Retribution, and What we Do in the Shadows.
Stefan Kuchar (Executive Producer + Director + Writer) is a Toronto based filmmaker who is passionate about creating and sharing films. A producer and director with Sudden Impulse Productions and the founder and producer of the annual Sudden Impulse Film Festival, showcasing local Toronto and GTA short films since 2011.
In 2019, Stefan was awarded Best International Director at the Atlanta Comedy Film Festival for his work on the web series French Off the Boat. In 2018 his short comedy Legends of the Falls, about a group of Niagara Falls mascots, played at 7 festivals across 3 countries. His latest short film was a finalist at the 48 Hour Toronto Film Project and is currently in the festival circuit, while more projects are in the works.
Stefan became interested in making films in grade six when he received his first video camera from his parents and soon after landed his first television experience, lasting three summers, acting on YTV’s System Crash. During high school, he attended acting classes at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton and Second City in Toronto. After he went on to continue his education at Brock University for Film Studies and Sheridan College for Directing and Cinematography in their Advanced Television and Film Program.
Since graduating in 2008 Stefan has worked in various aspects of the film and television industry: camera, lighting, teaching, editing, running a short film festival, producing and directing. Excelling in comedy and with a passion to make people laugh, Stefan is a director with the knowledge and experience to communicate with both his cast and crew, while drawing on his network of talented friends that he has met along the way.
Riley O’Connor (Composer) is a sought-after Canadian drummer and songwriter with a Humber Music background who is established as an international touring musician and session player in genres ranging from jazz, r&b, pop and country to heavy rock. Riley is excited to release his debut solo album of all original music in 2020. He also writes and records original music as a member of the pop duo CR Extraordinaire. Riley’s past collaborations and drumming have been featured on CBC Television, Lionsgate Pictures, The Edge 102.1 and MUCH. Riley has recently performed with critically acclaimed Canadian artists such as Chris Antonik, Michael Schatte, Nick Maclean, Brownman Ali, Scott Kemp, Dan McCarthy and shared the stage with Buddy Guy.
Karlee Morse (Executive Producer + Puppeteer + Writer) is a prosthetic designer, puppet builder, stuff-maker, make-up artist living and working in Toronto. She runs a small special FX studio in the city and has designed prosthetic/practical FX for numerous films and television series - including CBC’s Baroness von Sketch Show
(seasons 3 - 5).
Her love of puppetry is what drew her into Film/TV work initially and her first on-set jobs were puppet wrangling for kid’s TV. Among her diverse portfolio of work, she has joyfully worked on several children’s television productions: Ruffus the Dog (Steampunk Adventure), Dino Dana, Odd Squad, Annedroids, Bookaboo.
She has also done prosthetic work on: What We Do in The Shadows, Star Trek: Discovery, The Boys, In the Tall Grass, Hemlock Grove. Other clients include: Ubisoft Toronto, Disney, Blizzard Entertainment.
A graduate of both Brock University (BA in Fine Arts/Interactive Arts) and Sheridan College (Post-Grad in Advanced Special Effects and Prosthetics), her focus is on the visuals and function of a project - how can we make this look fantastic but feasible, and how does it affect the audience? She is interested in pushing the limits of practical FX in ways that are meaningful and heartfelt.
When she isn’t flinging silicone, building robots or “glueing stuff to people’s faces”, she’s a part-time professor at Sheridan College (teaching bodypainting and prosthetic application in the Make-up for Media and Creative Arts program). She also keeps busy raising a very sweet little dog, doing yoga, or attempting to grow plants.
Her favourite muppet is Gonzo because she finds funny-looking martian characters very sympathetic - hey wait a sec’…
Owen Deveney (Cinematographer) is a Canadian cinematographer working in film, television and video games. He has had the good fortune to work the past 6 years on productions that have sent him around the world. Coast to coast in Canada (including the Arctic), across America five times over and to Kenya three years in a row. He is also fortunate to work with incredible talent during this time. He knows how to shoot, how to travel and how to handle working with incredible people (And with their incredible timelines). Owen is equally comfortable shooting as the 2nd Unit Director/DP alone on the bow of a speeding boat in Qaummaarviit as he is managing 3 camera teams shooting commercial content at The Forum in LA. There is a time and place for both.
He is pragmatic and still knows how to dream.
PROJECT CONSULTANTS
We are delighted to collaborate on "A the Alien" with the following individuals who have offered their expert advice and guidance:
Karlee Morse FX Make-up Artist
"Frankie Flowers" (Frank Feragine) is arguably Canada’s most popular and trusted gardening expert and weatherman. He is known for his ability to combine practical gardening advice with humour, and loves to share his passion for everything outdoors with the world. He has offered his expertise in consulting on the series.
Danielle Dobbyn (Production Designer) is a young and upcoming Production Designer in the GTA. With a post graduate in Puppet and Props design and 4 years in children’s educational shows, Danielle lends herself well to the bright and fantastical world we look to create. A look into her work includes children’s shows such as, Playdate (Props 2016), Odd Squad (Set Decorator 2016-2019), Dino Dana ( Prop Master 2017-2018), CBC’s Detention Adventures (Builder and Prop Master 2018-2020). She has also worked in a wide range of genres with titles such as CBC’s Decoys (Production Designer 2019), History Erased Season 2 (Art Director 2019), Vicious Fun (Props 2019), Romance Retreat (Set Decorator 2019), and Sincerely, Yours Truly (Prop Master 2019) to name a few.
Danielle’s work has garnered Daytime Emmy Nominations for two years in a row for Outstanding Art Direction/ Set Decoration/ Scenic Design for her work on Odd Squad Season 2. Danielle is thrilled to be a part of this project and excited to bring these incredible
scripts to life.
OUR HOST - "JEN" THE HORTICULTURALIST
We reached out to the hilarious Jennifer Whalen to see if she might be interested in performing in the role of 'Jen' and she excitedly said yes! We will be pursuing booking her for this role if A the Alien is selected to go to camera - a great collaboration, we are very excited that Jenn is a supporter of our project!
An alumnus of Second City Toronto, Jennifer Whalen is a co-creator, executive producer, writer and star of Baroness von Sketch Show. She was head writer for the award-winning satirical comedy This Hour Has 22 Minutes and developed long-running shows Little Mosque On the Prairie (CBC/Mind’s Eye) and Instant Star (CTV/Epitome). She has also worked on The Ron James Show (CBC), The Jon Dore Show (Comedy Network/IFC) and the critically acclaimed Gavin Crawford Show (Comedy Network/Shaftsbury). She originated the role of the Aviatrix in the Tony Award Winning Drowsy Chaperone.
Whalen won a CSA for Best Show and one for Best Writing for her work on Baroness von Sketch Show and has been nominated for three Geminis, four Canadian Comedy Awards and won both a WGC Award and a Canadian Comedy Award for her work on This Hour Has 22 Minutes.