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“It is my goal to tell true, beautiful, and entertaining stories that inspire positive personal or social change.”
Gillian is a film and theatre producer (with theatre directing experience) who is transitioning into being a motion picture writer/director. She is currently in post-production on two projects: a dramatic short film called “Sonny” and a comedic short film called “Diane & Jerry”. Gillian and her husband recently relocated from Los Angeles to New York City in order to be closer to family but remain proximitous to the entertainment industry.
While Gillian works on being a film director she picks up the odd day of union background acting or miscellaneous non-union production gigs. Key areas of expertise include:
- First AD
- Script Supervisor
- Pre-production Line Producer (breakdowns, schedules, budgets)
On this blog and on twitter, Gillian wrestles with the challenges of a creative professional woman being redefined and delights in the victories along the way, small and large!
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Inspired at a young age by her passion for directing both theatre and film, Gillian began her career in her teens, as a director and actor in community theatre in her hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. She also self-produced a variety of short video projects in high school and college. Upon completing a Bachelors degree in Communication Arts, with a focus on theatre and film performance and production, Gillian commenced a career in professional theatre in Ontario, Canada as a costume designer. Perceiving a need to understand business, Gillian paused to earn a Masters of Business Administration, and transitioned into managing the acclaimed Pacific Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia. However, after a few years in professional theatre, film began to draw her back. Drawing upon undergraduate experience as a first assistant director, she reentered the independent film industry in this position.
After several years as a first assistant director, UPM and production coordinator, Gillian was asked to join the feature comedy, “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher” as producer and line producer. Concurrently, she re-embraced a passion for writing, and wrote her first few screenplays. After completion of principal photography on the feature and after working on a few work-for-hire screenplay projects, Gillian also re-engaged with her secret desire to direct, and began to write a short-film called ”Sonny” with the intent to direct it as well. With “Sonny,” Gillian has come full circle and has returned to her first love, directing.
Projects that Gillian has directed and many that she has worked on have gone on to win awards. Favourite film projects include Secret Millionaires (for which she was the cinematographer) and the award-winning The Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher (which she produced alongside three other visionary and hardworking artists) and The Hitchhiker (on which she served as first assistant director).
Favourite theatre projects include “Less Ado About Nothing” (which she directed), an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and “The Most Massive Woman Wins” (which she directed), a one-act play about eating disorders.
Gillian lives in New York City with her talented husband Ryan Fritzsche. Together they enjoy views of New Jersey with their new rambunctious kitty-cat, Gabe.
Favourite films include*:
- Redbelt (2008, David Mamet)
- Three Colors: Blue (1993, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
- Fight Club (1999, David Fincher)
- The Good Heart (2009, Dagur Kári)
- You’ve Got Mail (1998, Nora Ephron)
- Touching the Void (2003, Kevin Macdonald)
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994, Frank Darabont)
- City of God (2002, Fernando Meirelles)
- Back to the Future (1985, Robert Zemeckis)
- Cast Away (2000, Robert Zemeckis)
- Braveheart (1995, Mel Gibson)
- Network (1976, Sidney Lumet)
- Tootsie (1982, Sydney Pollack)
- Dead Poets Society (1989, Peter Weir)
- Spanglish (2004, James L. Brooks)
- A Beautiful Mind (2001, Ron Howard)
- The Game (1997, David Fincher)
- Under the Tuscan Sun (2003, Audrey Wells)
- Amélie (2001, Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
- The Apartment (1960, Billy Wilder)
- Big (1988, Penny Marshall)
- Toy Story 3 (2010, Lee Unkrich)
