Welcome to Toon Town!
Sun, Nov 3rd
1:00PM - 2:00PM
Corus 8th Floor Theatre
It’s time to put a spotlight on some of the new players in town! Epic Story Media and Headspinner Productions are two new players into the animation market led by a couple of industry veterans. Join us as they talk about launching new properties in this new world of global streaming and how they are doing things differently.
Ben McEvoy, TAAFI Chair, Friends & Enemies
Ben leads creative initiatives for agencies, brands, media companies, entrepreneurs and educators, providing brand and content strategy, as well as hands-on creative production in animation, live-action, interactive web, apps, VR/AR, game development, events and interactive public activations, on projects throughout Canada, and internationally in the US, India, Singapore and China.
As partner / executive producer, Friends & Enemies, Ben works with his team of senior creatives and a broad network of multi-disciplinary production partners creating original and branded content experiences for brands, agencies and media clientele.
Ben is also co-founder and chair of the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International (TAAFI), and teaches in the Seneca Animation and Interactive Documentary programs.
Notable clients include: Google, VICE Studios, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, CBC, Doc Channel, Teletoon, YTV, CTV, Discovery Channel, The History Channel, TVO Kids, Shaftesbury, and the National Film Board of Canada.
Ken Faier, El Presidente and CEO, Epic Story Media Inc.
Ken Faier is el presidente and CEO of Epic Story Media and its subsidiary Epic Story Interactive. The mission for both companies is to put creators at the center of compelling and engaging franchises for kids. Previously, Ken served as SVP and GM and then SVP and executive producer for DHX Media after DHX acquired Nerd Corps Entertainment, where Ken served as El Presidente for over 10 years.
Prior to Nerd Corps, Ken was vice president of production and distribution for the children’s division at Alliance Atlantis. Prior to Alliance Atlantis, Ken was with Brunico Communications where he launched KidScreen as the founding publisher and eventually KidScreen Summit. Ken brings his deep experience to market in launching Epic Story and its long-term mission of bringing joy to the world! It’s Gonna be Epic!
Michelle Melanson Cuperus, Headspinner Productions Inc., President
Emmy and Bafta Nominated, Michelle Melanson has over 25 years experience in the production business with hundreds of episodes produced and over 50 awards and nominations.
In early 2018, Michelle started Headspinner Productions with husband Ken Cuperus, an Emmy Nominated creator and showrunner. They currently have several shows in active development with broadcasters including a reboot of the Canadian classic series Hilarious House of Frightenstein.
Michelle was vice president and then president of Radical Sheep Productions from 2009-2018, executive producing such shows as the worldwide hit The Next Step, as well as Fangbone!, The Bagel & Becky Show, Tee & Mo, Stella and Sam, The Yup Yups and Ollie The Boy Who Became What He Ate. Michelle has won the Canadian Screen award, the Grand Prize of the Youth Media Alliance, mulitiple Kidscreen Awards and Cynopsis Awards. She also has a Juno Award for producing the Stella and Sam Album.
Michelle is also the founder of Women Drawn Together -a free organization that fosters learning, networking and mentorship for Women in the Animation community. In the past four years, the group has grown to 4 cities and well over 1500 members. The organization is open to all, with a focus on opportunities to learn about various departments in the animation field in a safe, comfortable environment.
Michelle graduated in 1990 from Ryerson with a BAA in Radio and Television Arts and is a Wall of Fame Alumni recipient, an award she received in 2019.
