Raindance Toronto

The headquarters of Raindance Canada in Toronto. Meet our team:

Tiska Wiedermann – Creative Director

[teesh ka. - rhymes with quiche-ka] joined Raindance earlier this year to lend a creative hand to help Raindance grow in Canada. If she succeeds at this, she’ll definitely want a producer’s credit.  Contact:  tiska@raindancecanada.com

Jaimy Warner – Sales & Marketing Manger

Jaimy is a naturalist, atheist, humanist, empiricist,  pragmatist, meritocrat with more opinions, objections and passions than one could  feasibly shake a stick at (or so she would argue). Once she realized that there were so  many things in the world which needed to be shouted at people on busy street corners  through a megaphone, she knew that her destiny (metaphorically speaking- she’s no  fatalist) was to become a documentary filmmaker so she could articulate her tirades  for a living. Jaimy is currently enrolled as a double major in Film and Humanities at York University and also works as the Executive Director of Centre for Inquiry Toronto. Contact:  jaimy@raindancecanda.com

Elli Raynai – Filmmaker in Residence

Elli Raynai is a writer/director who has completed four short films, several of which have screened at Raindance events in Toronto. He produces video content for and manages courses and events. His current film, The Lonely Organist, is in pre-production. His previous films were made both in Canada and the UK and include My Loss, Your Gain (2011),  The Return (2009),  The Shave (2005), Kiosk Girl (2003) and The Elements of Phonical Towers (2000).  Visit his website:  www.alittlefx.com  Contact: elli@raindancecanada.com

Thalia Flood AKA Squid- Graphic Designer

Thalia is a graduate of the Graphic Design program at George Brown College in Toronto. During her studies she spent the majority of her free time volunteering her skills and working with both big and small businesses to help create a visual balance in whatever they required. She felt it was only natural that she become a freelance designer and continue looking for inspiration wherever it presents itself- which fortunately brought her to work with Raindance in January. Check our her website: www.thaliaflood.com

Mirell Christou – Writer

Mirella writes for our Canada newsletter. She is living the unpredictable life of a freelancer and loving it. She spent her childhood cultivating her creativity, and her 20s figuring out how to make a career out of it all. She got into journalism in university and her commitment to covering a wide range of thought-provoking stories led to a career as a print reporter and later a television producer. Her ambition to get involved in the realm of filmmaking was spurred by a love for cinema and a desire to tell visually compelling stories. She hopes to advance herself in screenwriting-directing and dive into more television and film projects. Follow her on Twitter

Elliot Grove – Raindance Founder

Few people know more filmmakers and screenwriters in Europe than Raindance founder Elliot Grove. He has presided over the launch of some of the most interesting filmmakers working today. Edgar Wright was his first intern, Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn met at a Raindance course in the mid 1990′s, Christopher Nolan and Gareth Edwards(Monsters) all launched their careers following film training courses at Raindance.

Elliot is named in the UK as the ‘one person who has provided the glue that has kept the British film industry together.’ [Mike Gubbins, ex editor Screen International].

Elliot founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993, the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, and Raindance.TV in 2007.

He has produced over 150 short films, and 5 feature films. He has written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-production. His first feature film, TABLE 5 was shot on 35mm and completed for a total of £278.38. He teaches writers and producers in the UK, Europe, Japan and America.

He has written three books which have become industry standards: RAINDANCE WRITERS LAB 2nd Edition (Focal Press 2008),  RAINDANCE PRODUCERS LAB (Focal Press 2004) and 130 PROJECTS TO GET YOU INTO FILMMAKING (Barrons 2009). His first novel THE BANDIT QUEEN is scheduled for publication in 2011.

Open University awarded Elliot an Honourary Doctorate for services to film education in 2009. The Raindance training courses that Elliot has devised are widely acknowledged as valuable and important by the film industry. Raindance has launched a post graduate film degree in London.

Stéphanie Joalland – Script Consultant

Stéphanie grew up in Brittany, France, but crossed the pond to study film & TV at UCLA. She makes movies as a writer/director/producer.

She is preparing to shoot her first supernatural feature film, produced by Sean McConville (who wrote/directed/produced “Deadline”, with Brittany Murphy and Thora Birch) and scheduled to be shot in the winter. Stéphanie also works as a script consultant in between feature film projects (no creepo-meter, rom coms are welcome as well). Contact:  stephanie@raindancecanada.com

Anthony Young – Co-founder, Raindance Toronto

Anthony has served as course director at Raindance Canada since the inception of the organization in 2005, under the directorship of the late Hector Arenas. Since the passing of Mr. Arenas, Anthony was appointed acting director from 2008 – 2010, and now serves as consultant.
Anthony has helped develop Raindance services, programs and events which are essential to independent filmmaking community. Over the years, he volunteered and led two terms as President of the Board of Director and other committees within the non-profits sector. Contact: anthony@raindancecanada.com

Hector Arenas –  Founder, Raindance Toronto

Hector was the founder in 2005 and creative driving force behind Raindance Canada. A visionary with many plans, he instantly connected with Elliot Grove and a business alliance and friendship flourished over the years.  Hector worked tirelessly to bring a fresh approach and to build Raindance’s reputation and gave independent filmmakers the tools and connections necessary to succeed in the film industry.

He had an intense appreciation of the artistry and impact of cinematographic storytelling, and his favourite film was ‘The Dark Side of the Heart’ by Argentinian filmmaker, Eliseo Subiela. Hector was a teacher, producer, and volunteered as an interpreter for Immigration Canada, at several community centers, and did charitable work, including helping orphaned children in India. He epitomized Ghandi’s words of “be the change you want to see in the world.”

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