Workshops

The Life of A Writing Team

Claire Ross Dunn is currently an Executive Story Editor for Seasons 3 and 4 of CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie. Prior to that, she was Head Writer for all 3 seasons of The Smart Woman Survival Guide, a half-hour sitcom for the W Network. Claire co-developed the show, was Executive Story Editor for the first season, Co-Producer for the second and a Producer for the third, also writing 12 of the show’s 39 episodes.

Other TV credits include: co-creator of an animated series for Associated Producers called Time Travel Kids; writing on shows including Degrassi, The Next Generation (CTV/The N in the U.S.), Lunar Jim for the CBC and BBC, the YTV/BBC teen sitcom I Love Mummy, Alliance/Atlantis’ Henry’s World for Family Channel, Sullivan Entertainment’s Super Rupert (BBC/ YTV) and Anne of Green Gables, The Animated Series (PBS/TVO), for which Claire story consulted as well as wrote. Claire was a 96/97 Canadian Film Centre Writer Resident and participated in the CFC Writers' Professional Screenwriting Programme, which she later co-piloted in 2000 with Al Magee. She has published a kids’ non-fiction book with Key Porter Books in Canada and Firefly in the U.S., and her editorials have been heard on CBC Radio and read in the Globe and Mail. She is the recipient of Toronto Arts Council and Ontario Arts Council grants for her first novel, Tassels and Fishnets, which is currently in progress.

Paul Pogue grew up in luxurious Windsor, Ontario and at 17 moved to Toronto to study Film Production at York University. During his 4 years there, he was awarded a ‘Most Promising Filmmaker’ scholarship, and upon graduation moved to Los Angeles, where he achieved his lifelong dream of working in a balloon store.

Paul’s “big break” came when he sold a series, “Material World”, to the CBC and the show ran for three seasons, winning the Gemini for ‘Best Comedy Series’. In the years that followed, he has worked on an impressive range of homegrown favourites: “An American in Canada”, “Jonovision”, “The Blobheads”, “Sophie”, and currently, “Little Mosque on the Prairie”. He has also written episodes for over 20 different series, acted as creative consultant on lifestyle-oriented programs like “The Surreal Gourmet”, and spent five years on the writing staff of “Just For Laughs”, writing material for stars like John Cleese, Tina Fey and Dame Edna. During this time, he also appeared in many of the scripts he (and his friends) wrote, and was the crabby voice of ‘Mr. Agar’ on the animated tween series, “Carl Squared”. Fashionistas recognize Paul as one of the contestants on “Fashion File: Host Hunt”. He was painfully eliminated after tanking on the trivia quiz.

Paul is an Aries with a firm handshake and a smile that hints at so much more…

Jason Belleville grew up in Calgary, on the mean streets of the Canadian Prairies. There he and his father started their own production company and Jason got his first crack writing and producing music videos, documentaries, commercials and short films. At the same time he began performing at the Loose Moose Theatre - an Improv comedy hotbed and starting point for such comedy luminaries as the Kids in the Hall.

After winning the National Screen Institute’s Drama Prize as producer of the short film “237”, Jason headed for Toronto. There he attended Norman Jewison’s prestigious Canadian Film Centre and became the first ever to complete both the producer’s and prime time television residencies.

Jason has been lucky enough to work on both sides of the border. In Canada he’s written or produced for most of the country’s major networks, including the CBC, the Comedy Network, Bravo!, Muchmusic, CMT and others. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles he’s worked on feature films for Disney, Fox and The Weinstein Co.

The past year has been the busiest of his life. Jason has worked in three different writers rooms and contributed to over 45 episodes of television. He started last January with The Animated Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie, premiering this spring. Then he was thrilled to join the hit Canadian comedy series, Little Mosque on the Prairie, now seen in 60 countries. And, after a whole week off, he went back to work, this time on the broad, irreverent cult favorite Testees - from the minds of Kenny Hotz & Derek Harvie for the FX network (US) and Showcase (Canada).

Now, after a much needed month off, Jason has just returned to the team at Little Mosque for season IV.

Jason is also a regular on the alternative comedy scene and performs whenever he can with his brother, noted comic and actor, Ryan Belleville. Together the duo have developed projects for Comedy Central, the Comedy Network and most recently are excited to be creating a brand new half hour comedy for Showcase and Blueprint Entertainment.

To contact Jason: Managers: Steven Rabiner & Anne D’amato Rabiner D’Amato Entertainment 310-925-6772 rdentertainment@sbcglobal.net

Agent: James Kearney UTA - United Talent Agency 310-246-6011 KearnyJ@unitedtalent.com

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