J Stevens

J Stevens is a Canadian cinematographer, director, writer and producer. They have directed episodes of Astrid & Lilly Save the World, Sort Of, Stories From My Gay Grandparents, and are a co-creator of the streaming television comedy series Slo Pitch. Stevens is one of the first openly non-binary filmmakers in the Directors Guild of Canada, and Playback Magazine named them one of the "Top 10 Filmmakers to Watch" in 2022.[1]

Biography

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J Stevens (they/them) was born and raised in Calgary, and identifies as non-binary.[2] They attended Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, and were an active athlete, participating in track and field, tennis, golf, cross–country running, basketball and volleyball.[2][3] They were named the school's athlete of the year in junior high school, and additionally, they were on the honour roll and a school prefect.[3] Stevens said they always thought they were going to be a professional athlete.[2] When Stevens was in grade 10, they became interested in filmmaking when they took a film studies class. Their class project was a "one-minute, one-shot film about a blue dodge ball". Stevens recalls while filming the short video that "all of sudden it felt like all these different parts of my brain that had always worked in separate capacities just all worked as one".[2] After graduation from high school, they worked for a local TV station and then studied filmmaking at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.[2]

Career

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They started out directing and editing corporate commercials, social media content, and also worked on multiple short films.[2][4] After moving to Toronto, Stevens directed episodes of the teen drama television series Astrid & Lilly Save the World, worked as a cinematographer for the short films Defund, Body So Fluorescent, Hazy Little Thing and Adult Adoption. Stevens also directed an episode of the television sitcom Sort Of in 2022.[2]

In 2020, they co-created the web television comedy series Slo Pitch with Gwenlyn Cumyn, and Karen Knox. They also serve as a director and executive producer of the series.[2] Stevens, Knox and Cumyn hired people for the cast and crew "who have traditionally been under-represented in the film and television industry".[2] The majority of the cast and crew for the series are BIPOC, and individuals who identify as female, non-binary and LGBTQ+.[2] In 2024, they directed all 10 episodes of Stories from My Gay Grandparents,[5] and also finished production of their feature film directorial debut, Really Happy Someday, which they co-wrote and produced.[1]

In 2022, Playback Magazine named them one of the "Top 10 Filmmakers to Watch", and they are one of the first openly non-binary filmmakers in the Directors Guild of Canada.[1] They also received an Outstanding Directorial Achievement nomination for a comedy series at the 2022 Directors Guild of Canada Awards for Astrid & Lilly Save the World.[4]

In 2024, Stevens received a nomination for the DGC Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film for Really Happy Someday.[6]

Personal life

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In 2023, they founded the non-profit organization Spindle Films Foundation, which features a program that mentors transgender, non-binary, two-spirit and gender-diverse Canadian filmmakers.[1] They are also a member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, serving on the Advocacy/Outreach/Education team.[7]

Filmography

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Year Title Notes Ref.
2017 Soft Spot Director [8]
2019 Barbelle Cinematography [4]
2019 Samanthology Director [9]
2020 Avocado Toast Assistant cinematographer [10]
2020 Body So Fluorescent Cinematography [11]
2020 Cons & Pros Director [8]
2020 Hazy Little Thing Cinematography [12]
2020 March Cinematography [13]
2020 Slo Pitch Co-creator, director and executive producer [1]
2021 Defund Cinematography and editing [14]
2022 Adult Adoption Cinematography [15]
2022 Alex Cinematography and co-producer [16]
2022 Astrid & Lilly Save the World Director (two episodes) [4]
2022 Sort Of Director (one episode) [1]
2024 Stories from My Gay Grandparents Director [5]
2024 Really Happy Someday Director, producer and co-writer [1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Volmers, Eric (7 September 2023). "Calgary Filmmaker Creates Mentorship Program For Gender-Diverse Film Workers". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Volmers, Eric (20 July 2022). "Calgary Filmmaker J Stevens' Mockumentary Webseries Slo Pitch Explores The Low-Stakes, High-Drama World Of Amateur Beer Leagues". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Petkau, Rob (4 February 2010). "Sporting Life". Calgary Herald. p. P5.
  4. ^ a b c d Babiera, Angelica (13 September 2022). "Playback's 10 to Watch 2022: J Stevens". Playback. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b Complex, Valerie (3 May 2024). "Inside Out 2slgbtq+ 34th Annual Film Festival Reveals Full Lineup". Deadline Hollywood.
  6. ^ Connie Thiessen, "Sweet Angel Baby leads DGC Awards’ film nominations". Broadcast Dialogue, September 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Hutton, Joan, ed. (November 2020). "What's Up At The CSC". Canadian Cinematographer. Vol. 12, no. 6. p. 16.
  8. ^ a b Pinto, Jordan (2 July 2021). "Shaftesbury's Slo Pitch Headed To The U.S. With IFC". Playback.
  9. ^ "Samanthology". FilmAffinity.
  10. ^ Voss, Perrie (7 November 2020). "Avocado Toast - With a Side of J Stevens (director and cinematographer)". Avocado Toast Series.
  11. ^ Dupuis, Olivia (29 June 2021). "Play Ball! IFC Picks Up Softball Comedy Slo Pitch". AMC Networks (Press release).
  12. ^ "Hazy Little Thing". Calgary International Film Festival.
  13. ^ "March | Shortwork 3 | Whistler Film Festival 2020". Whistler Film Festival. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  14. ^ Taylor, Heather (9 September 2021). "Defund at TIFF21: Making Films That Matter When They Matter". Script Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  15. ^ Donovan, Liam (22 January 2023). "Adult Adoption is a Compassionate Portrait Of Toronto Loneliness". The Varsity.
  16. ^ Ewert, Sydney (31 March 2023). "York Alumni Featured at the Canadian Film Fest". Excalibur.

Further reading

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