Entrepreneurs to Watch in BC’s Entertainment Industry

Denise Jones

Denise Jones has been making people laugh for over 25 years in film, tv and stage but it was in 2003 that she discovered the transformative power of improvisation. Jones held her own onstage with comedy legends Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles, then as Artistic Director of Vancouver’s Improv Centre and in the spirit of true entrepreneurship (during the pandemic no less), moved on to launch The Comedy Department with fellow funny-person-business-partner David Milchard. Catch what I believe is the gold standard in improv at one of their shows in Vancouver’s west end, or on-tour throughout BC at various venues. Says Jones, “Being an entrepreneur in the entertainment industry is like navigating a maze where the walls keep shifting—nothing stays the same for long, and that’s what keeps it exciting but also unnerving at times. And we’re not just selling a product; we’re creating experiences that resonate, connect, and sometimes even change people. The awesome growth we’ve seen with The Comedy Department keeps reinforcing for us that if we just live in the moment, say yes to what comes stay connected and joyful, we’re on the right path. It’s a weird path, with lots of winding detours, but that’s exactly why we’re on it.”

 

Brian Scudamore

1-800-GOT-JUNK? founder and CEO Brian Scudamore will join Dragons’ Den on CBC for Season 19 beginning September 26. The visionary behind one of Canada’s most recognizable brands and the world’s largest junk removal company, Scudamore enters the Den as a true entrepreneur deserving of a seat at the table, or in this case, the sofa.

A high school dropout, at 18 years old Scudamore bought a $700 pickup truck to start a one-man junk removal service in Vancouver. Today his business boasts 174 franchises across Canada, the US and Australia. Scudamore’s ideas didn’t stop there. He also created WOW 1 DAY PAINTING and Shack Shine under the umbrella company O2E Brands, which has been named one of Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces.

 

Christopher Gaze

Christopher Gaze is the Founding Artistic Director of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, which is celebrating its 35th season presently. Gaze also hosts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s popular Tea & Trumpets series and Traditional Christmas concerts and is a true advocate for the arts in his entrepreneurship. Honoured for his commitment and dedication to elevating the arts in our province, he has received Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal, Honorary Doctorates from UBC & SFU, the Mayor’s Arts Award for Theatre, the Order of British Columbia and, most recently, the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

 

Amy Lee Lavoie and Omari Newton

Amy Lee Lavoie and Omari Newton are an award-winning writing team and married

couple with decades-long careers in theatre, film and television. Newton is an actor, writer, director and Head of the Acting Department and Film Production program at Vancouver Film School. As a writer, his original Hip Hop theatre piece Sal Capone has received critical acclaim. He’s won a Jessie Richardson as an actor, directed Red Velvet for The Arts Club Theatre, and upcoming Miracle on 34th Street to close their season. Lavoie is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Playwriting

Program. She was Head Digital Writer for the CBC drama Strange Empire, which won a Gracie Award. With her husband, the pair premiered their play Redbone Coonhound in 2023 at The Arts Club Theatre, Tarragon Theatre and Imago Theatre. The play was named one of Toronto Star’s “Ten Best Theatre Shows in 2023” and won six METAs (Montreal English Theatre Awards), including Outstanding New Text, and was nominated for five others. This entrepreneurial couple have projects in development like Little Darlin’, a Silver Commission from Arts Club Theatre, Blackfly, an adaptation of Titus Andronicus, Inferno, an adaptation of Dante’s Inferno for re:Naissance Opera and Megalodon for Geordie Theatre’s 2024/25 season.

 

Michael van den Bos

Michael van den Bos shares his love of cinema and deep historical knowledge with audiences and students by hosting classic film history presentations in theatres with entertaining lectures and colourful commentary. Providing an entertaining backstory about many popular and iconic films since 2014, Michael has curated, written, edited, and produced over 50 unique presentations on themes ranging from classic movies to 20th century music genres, like jazz and rock & roll.  You’ll often see van den Bos hosting screenings at Vancouver’s The Cinematheque and at the VIFF Centre.  Earlier this year Michael launched his Film Studies program at the VIFF Centre with a 6-part series focused on the American screwball comedy film genre. Since 1997, Michael has taught film history courses at the Vancouver Film School, the Pacific Audio-Visual Institute and he currently a course on Animation History at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Catch his upcoming presentation at Massey Theatre in New Westminster, focusing on dance legend Bob Fosse.

 

Medhi Walerski

Medhi Walerski, Ballet BC’s Artistic Director began a partnership with Marcus Eriksson, a well-respected Swedish photographer based in Vancouver to explore a collaboration that has since elevated the dance company by its stunning visual branding. Walerski’s vision appeals to a new and younger demographic (under 40) that are buying tickets to the ballet, boosting sales by a 32% increase in single ticket revenue in the past year. 20,000 new Instagram followers since 2022 is nothing to balk at either.

 

Jeff Petry and Nathan Drillot

Emerging Vancouver-based filmmaker duo Jeff Petry and Nathan Drillot refer to themselves as Salazar and their recent documentary, Ari’s Theme, was selected as the festival opener at VIFF this year, a prestigious honour. The duo has filmed across 21 countries and have filmed feature length documentary Wizard Mode premiering at the Hot Docs International Film Festival and acquired by Netflix US, writing and show running a ten-episode broadcast docu-series, The Wrestlers premiering on Viceland globally, a Juno and Grammy nomination for best full length music documentary with Tegan and Sara, and documentary campaigns for Adidas Originals, and Lululemon. Be sure and catch I’ll Tell You When I’m Ready at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and online this month as well.

 

Brian Markinson

Actor Brian Markinson plays lawyer Max Portman on CBC’s shot-and-set-in-BC series Allegiance. Aside from Markinson’s impressive 30-yr resume of on-screen and on-stage roles, he mentors and teaches up-and-coming actors at Vancouver’s Railtown Actors Studio. A transplanted New Yorker who’s appeared onstage off-Broadway and has worked with demanding film directors Mike Nichols and Woody Allen, Markinson’s passion for acting is what drives him to inspire young talent. Watch the debut season of Allegiance by streaming all episodes for free on CBC Gem. The second season is currently shooting in and around Metro Vancouver and is expected to premiere sometime next year in Winter 2025.

 

Dane Sung

At just 17 years old, Dane Sung has endured surgeries, casts, and months of limited mobility, and was inspired to give back in a meaningful way, through his music. Dane’s passion sustained him through difficult times when he couldn’t even hold a pencil, let alone his guitar. In late August, Sung organized a benefit concert with other musicians for BC Children’s Hospital, where he received the best care himself, and raised a whopping $127,041 in one night. “I’ve learned firsthand how music can uplift and heal,” Dane reflects. “It’s been my rock when I couldn’t rely on anything else.”