Mission Statement

Our mission is to create sustainable, long-term creative and economic growth for Talelight Films and for the Canadian entertainment industry.

Vision

Excellence in the art of cinematic storytelling will result in success in the international marketplace.

Mandate

• To develop, finance and produce high quality, profitable, character-driven feature films for the international marketplace
  
  
• To increase the number of quality, dynamic roles for women
  
  
• To aid in the growth of the Canadian entertainment industry and the establishment of Canada as a world-class supplier of marketable cinematic entertainment
  
  
• To encourage and support environmentally-sustainable practices in the entertainment industry

Execution

Our company is based on the only model that can be a continual success in an ever-changing industry:

Telling a great story.

We begin with a quality story and then refine it through intense collaboration guided by strong artistic vision. We create environments where people of talent are respected, supported, and encouraged, where they are allowed to apply their craft, whether it is acting, lighting, production design, or marketing. By demanding excellence of ourselves, we encourage excellence in those around us, and with open communication coupled with clear vision, we will create stories that challenge the audience's expectations of what cinema can be.

Talelight Films commends the following associations and initiatives for their work in the entertainment industry

Jeff Richards comes from a twenty-five year involvement in the performing arts, with acting, singing, writing and directing credits that include opera, contemporary theatre, Shakespeare, musical theatre and independent film. However, no matter what role he fills, whether as a director, producer, writer, or all three, he grounds his films in the truth of human experience.

Jeff firmly believes that success in the entertainment industry can only be reached through excellence in cinematic storytelling. Jeff co-founded Talelight Films Incorporated, a Vancouver-based filmed entertainment production company, to serve as an exemplar of this ideal, and through its commercial character-based films, to both enhance Canadian cinema’s ability to reach an international audience and improve the quality of roles for women.

Jeff’s remarkable ability to predict and analyze emerging trends within the film industry makes him ideally suited to his role in overseeing the Company’s strategic and project development. Additionally, his philosophy of intense collaboration guided by strong artistic vision is the foundation of the Talelight Films creative process.

Jeff most recently directed, wrote, produced and executive produced the Talelight Films calling card short film “Echoes of an Epic”. Additionally, as a screenwriter, he has six feature films in various stages of pre-production with companies based in Vancouver, Los Angeles and New York. Two of those scripts currently have star attachment: “The Ark”, starring Michael York, and “What Could Have Been”, starring Eric Johnson, Kelly McGillis and Lisa Ray, with music by Jann Arden.

Jeff is a Friend of Women in Film and Video Vancouver and a member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. Additionally, he has served in a variety of technical and advisory positions on numerous independent films.

In addition to developing Talelight Films’ internal production slates, Jeff is currently producing, with Equinoxe Films, the multi-million dollar theatrically released feature film of his screenplay “Notes from a Life”. He will then be producing and directing an additional two theatrically released feature films as part of Talelight’s three picture co-production/distribution deal with Equinoxe Films.

James Upton has had a life-long passion for the entertainment industry. He began his professional training at the University of Victoria; he then pursued his advanced training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art as well as the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. After extensive experience in the film and television industry, he discovered a passion for producing and the business of film. To further this goal, James attended the University of British Columbia where he graduated with honours from the Certificate in Entertainment Administration Program.

James co-founded Talelight Films Incorporated, a Vancouver-based filmed entertainment production company, to produce high-quality commercial live-action and animated projects for the international marketplace. With the ability to assemble exceptional levels of industry support, James excels at developing relationships with all of the entities that are vital to the success of Talelight Films. James is central to the promotion of the company and its projects, including investor, media and distributor relations as well as promotional events.

James produced and executive produced the calling card short film “Echoes of an Epic” and was instrumental in coordinating the high level of industry support, referrals and sponsorships which were the key to the incredible production value of this remarkable film.

He is a member of the Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), Union of B.C. Performers (UBCP), Canadian Actors Equity Association (CAEA), the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT), The Spoke Club in Toronto, First Weekend Club (FWC) and a friend of Women in Film and Video Vancouver (WIFVV). James is a member of the Whistler Film Festival committee at the Union of B.C. Performers, as well as the Motion Picture Production Industry Association’s (MPPIA) Communication and Marketing, Government Relations, Olympic and Business Development committees.

In addition to developing Talelight Films’ internal production slates, James is currently producing the multi-million dollar theatrically released feature film “Notes from a Life”, with Equinoxe Films. He will then be producing an additional two theatrically released feature films as part of Talelight’s three picture co-production/distribution deal with Equinoxe Films.