Sawtooth Mountain
Vancouver, Canada | Film Feature
Thriller, Horror
When Keira and her friends discover their Bigfoot sighting to be a fake, the brothers behind the hoax become desperate to protect their secret - they must silence the college friends. In a tense violent showdown of generational clash, Keira must outsmart the brothers to survive and expose the truth.
Sawtooth Mountain
Vancouver, Canada | Film Feature
Thriller, Horror
1 Campaigns | British Columbia, Canada
Green Light
This campaign raised C$20,343 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
55 supporters | followers
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When Keira and her friends discover their Bigfoot sighting to be a fake, the brothers behind the hoax become desperate to protect their secret - they must silence the college friends. In a tense violent showdown of generational clash, Keira must outsmart the brothers to survive and expose the truth.
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In the remote woods, two paranormal-obsessed brothers, Bobby and Clint, run a Bigfoot-themed cabin. A group of college friends, Kiera, Dillon and Liv, decide to rent the cabin for a weekend of fun but their journey into the supernatural will take a dark turn.
The friends get entangled in a horrifying ordeal when they stumble upon a secret.
In a tense violent showdown of generational clash, Keira and her friends must outsmart the brothers to survive and expose the truth. Turning their weekend escape into a deadly game of survival.
Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Wendigo - it's been called many names but it’s still a mystery. This ongoing mystery of Bigfoot inspired me to write SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN. I grew up on Vancouver Island, where one of the earlier recorded sightings of Bigfoot took place in 1901. For years, I would hear stories of sightings all up and down the island. This always made me wonder about the intersection of myth and truth. Is it real if you believe in it enough? Does it become a myth from all the stories we tell? Who gets to ultimately decide what truths become a legend and what is a lie?
I’m exploring this complex dilemma through the lens of a horror/psychological thriller as the genre allows for subversion and with a cast that reflects modern generational clash. The brothers and townspeople like their status quo while the cabin guests break down heteronormative archetypes and celebrate the very real and complicated ways we live now.
Coming from a background in micro-budget filmmaking, I've always relished the challenge of telling compelling character-driven stories with very limited resources. Now, I want to push my boundaries and tackle a more ambitious project. This film explores the ethical dilemma of exposing a hoax or preserving a secret and the lengths people will go to protect them. A universal story at heart that will challenge horror tropes and subvert conventional stereotypes.
SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN will feature a rich, atmospheric palette, capturing the eerie beauty of the remote woods. We aim to create a visual experience that feels both grounded and otherworldly, using a mix of natural lighting and moody shadows to heighten the suspense like in The Witch, which features the remote woods like another character in the story.
The camera will utilize wide shots to convey the vast, isolating landscape. Exterior filming will showcase rugged, untouched wilderness, reminiscent of the dense forests and harsh terrains in The Edge. These natural settings will enhance the film’s sense of isolation and vulnerability.
Close-ups to capture the characters' raw emotions, emphasizing the tension and paranoia, and handheld camera work to add an intimate, immersive feel, pulling the audience into the heart of the action.
The production design will blend the brooding, atmospheric elements of The Revenant with the minimalist, isolated interiors reminiscent of The Rental, Knock at the Door, and Secret Window. Interiors will feature sparse furnishings and fun Bigfoot-themed novelties. We hope to create a visually cohesive and emotionally gripping atmosphere by combining dark, moody exteriors and simplistic, isolated interiors.
Drawing inspiration from modern thrillers like Fargo, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Children of Men and The Rental, the cinematography will blend the stark realism of the setting with the heightened drama of the narrative.
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT…
The beauty and isolation of our film takes place in the remote woods and highlights the natural landscape of the Pacific Northwest. We really can’t get this same effect in a studio! But because we’re filming on location, there are some additional costs such as portable washrooms, as well as catering/crafty for our cast and crew so they don’t feel like they’re roughing it in the middle of the woods during those long filming days.
And the horror and mystic of our film wouldn’t be complete without a genuine Bigfoot and a substantial amount of prosthetics to bring the horror of these kills to life. This original Bigfoot creature build needs to be made from scratch, starting with a mold to perfectly fit the actor before the creature building can even begin. And we’re beyond thrilled to be working with an incredible builder whose imagination and talents will create this crucial part of our film. We could never afford this level of expertise, but our builder has generously donated a portion of in-kind labour to help make our authentic Bigfoot build. We believe in realistic gore so we need a specialized team to deliver our vision, extra time, as well as raw materials that we unfortunately can’t get through in-kind support.
We’re so grateful to have a large portion of our budget in place to cover locations, camera rentals, insurance, permits, and a modest compensation for our cast and crew - but we need a little more to fully bring our vision to life.
We'll be splitting funds raised between the practical effects, portable washrooms, catering/crafty, and additional compensation for our team needed to get us into production.
HITTING OUR GOAL OF $15K WILL ALLOW US TO...
PURCHASE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS CREATURE BUILD to turn all the glorious horror into reality, including specialized silicone needed for prosthetics and silicone mold to create the base of our creature build as well as many unique fabrics and materials.
RENT PORTABLE WASHROOMS NEEDED FOR CAST AND CREW so we don’t have to rough it out there in the woods. We live in Canada and that can attract bears! So these washrooms are for the safety AND hygiene of our entire team.
COMPENSATE OUR CAST AND CREW who believe in this project!! We currently are able to modestly compensate our team but we’d like to pay our cast and crew more for the talent and expertise they all bring to create the movie magic that gives our film life.
PURCHASE CATERING / CRAFTY FOR OUR CAST AND CREW so we can properly nourish and hydrate our hardworking team with more than just Hot Cheetos and pizza! We plan on supporting as many local restaurants and businesses as possible.
And if we reach our goal, our stretch goal of $5000 helps increase our budget for production design, upgrade our camera, and get a head start on post-production. Our amazing cabin location comes empty so we need a lot of fun original Bigfoot memorabilia to help realize our vision for the cabin! We already have a great RED Komodo on hand, but our dream scenario would be to rent an ARRI and shoot anamorphic to get that widescreen look and really feature the woods as a character. And once we’re done shooting in early October, we’re hoping to jump right into editing so we’d be able to compensate an editor for all the time and effort it takes to assemble an entire feature film.
CONTRIBUTE & PLEDGE
You can make a contribution by making a pledge (we need to collect at least 80% of our crowdfunding goal in order to keep our funds). You can choose an incentive or make a pledge to a specific wishlist item. You decide what fits your budget. No pledge is too small. Seriously. Your pledge, no matter the size, will make a significant difference in making this film a reality. So we thank you for being part of our journey!
SPREAD THE WORD!
SHARING our campaign with your networks makes a HUGE impact for us!
Please share this page with anyone who may be interested in supporting this project!! Follow and share our official Instagram page @sawtoothmountainfilm to get all the latest updates on #SawtoothMountainFilm.
Please help us get the word out to share this project we all believe in!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Special Effects Makeup Materials and Creature Build
Costs C$3,000
We need all the right materials to create an authentic creature build of Bigfoot! Including realistic prosthetics and LOTS of fake blood.
Portable Washrooms
Costs C$4,000
As we’re filming out in the remote woods, we want to be environmentally friendly and pack in, pack out + leave no trace…including our waste!
Crafty and Catering
Costs C$4,000
We need to feed our cast + crew to keep us going through those long filming days. There’s only so far Hot Cheetos can take you for 11 days!
Cast and Crew
Costs C$4,000
We have an incredible cast and crew who believe in our project so much! We would love to give them more to reflect the expertise they bring!
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
About This Team
Sawtooth Mountain features an award-winning team of Canadian-based talent both behind and in front of the camera, including:
writer / director - Matt Kincses
Matt Kincses (He/Him) works in both the thick of Vancouver’s major film and TV production environment, and also has extensive experience producing and directing independent features. Matt's independent films have found homes on major streaming platforms including Tubi, Amazon Prime, Plex, Cineverse and many others.
He recently wrote, directed and produced; "Through the Door" (2024), "The Week They Won" (2022) and "John from Home" (2021).
director of photography - Kaio Kathriner
Kaio Kathriner is a bilingual Swiss-Canadian director who in 2019 received The Flaming Faun Award for Best of Switzerland – Audience Choice Award at Shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival 2019. From shooting at Everest Base Camp to on-ice with NHL superstar Connor McDavid, his filmmaking adventures have landed him in Nepal, Cambodia, Peru and across the US, while shooting for FIFA+, NHL Studios, NBC Sports, CBC Arts, and Warner Music Canada along the way.
His short fiction THE DAY WE LEFT had an 18 month run on CRAVE and is in feature development through Bell Media’s Harold Greenberg Fund. His debut feature film, the historical adventure doc THE LAST STOP: CANADA’S LOST LOCOMOTIVE recently premiered at Sudbury International Film Festival, and is currently on the festival circuit. Kaio’s work navigates both documentary and fiction, exploring themes of disability, sport, history and adventure through the lens of his rural Canadian upbringing.
producer / cast (Violet) - Nhi Do
Nhi Do (she/her) is a second generation Canadian-Vietnamese actor, voice actor, and an emerging producer with a passion for socially relevant and character-driven narratives. As an actor, Nhi has worked on numerous hit projects, such as Watchmen (WB); NarcoLeap (Canadian Screen Award-nominated, Leo award-winning); and Upstairs Amy (Shaftesbury). Currently, Nhi is voicing the lead playable character in the critically acclaimed sci-fi video game, 1000xRESIST (Steam, Nintendo Switch) and guest starring on the new crime drama series, Sight Unseen (CTV/CW).
She recently produced and starred in the horror thriller short “The Sorrow” (2023), world premiering at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival and that same year, Nhi produced the period horror short “Jeffrey” (2023), winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Art, and Audience Choice at the Run N Gun 48 Hour Film Festival in Vancouver.
Recent acting projects include: Invasion (AppleTV+); The Irrational (NBC); Spread (Tubi); Door Mouse (Elevation Pictures/Gravitas Ventures); LEGO Friends: Heartlake Stories (Netflix); Hope Street Pods: A Classical Christmas Chord (Apple Podcasts).
Nhi is an STC graduate of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and in addition to acting, she’s a mentor with the UBCP/ACTRA BIPOC Mentorship program and the official in-game host for the Vancouver Warriors. With her diverse portfolio behind and in front of the camera, Nhi is quickly establishing herself as a producer who excels in genre projects.
producer / cast (Kiera) - Sydney Scotia
Sydney Scotia is a Canadian-American actor, director and producer known for her role in "Some Assembly Required" on Netflix. Her career spans TV, film, and theatre, with roles that include "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," "The Thundermans," "Frank and Penelope," and "Prom Queen: The Musical."
Sydney made her creative producer and directorial debut with "This Hits Home," a feature distributed by Gravitas Ventures and available on Amazon Prime Video.
She recently starred in two seasons of the Canadian sitcom "Pillow Talk" for which she received a Leo nomination for comedy and will star in three upcoming feature films including "Ruthless Bastards," releasing fall 2024 and “Slant,” releasing in 2025. She is also co-developing a new Canadian sitcom as creative producer/lead.
In addition to acting and directing, Sydney is actively writing, with two feature scripts completed and a docu-series and additional feature in progress.
producer / cast (Clint) - Gabriel Carter
Gabriel Carter is an actor, writer, director, and producer originally from San Francisco, California where he graduated from the American Conservatory Theater MFA program. On stage, Gabriel's highlights include a lead role in the world premiere of Darwin's Finches by Claire Chafee. Upon his move to NYC, he was a voice over director for Don Buchwald and Associates where he coached such luminaries as Ally Sheedy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Billy Crudup and Lisa Bonet, amongst others.
Returning to the west coast, Gabriel moved to Vancouver where he transitioned to film/television on projects such as: Supernatural (CW), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (Summit Entertainment) and The Man in the High Castle (Amazon Studios). Some of his recent credits include: The Power (Amazon Studios), Riverdale (CW), Fire Country (CBS), Goosebumps (Disney+), Door Mouse (Elevation Pictures) and many award-winning independent projects.
He recently transitioned to producing with The Week They Won (Tubi) and co-produced the award-winning horror short, Devoured.
producer - Peter Roumeliotis
producer - Helen Roumeliotis
executive producer - David Aboussafy
executive producer - Avan Jogia
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In the remote woods, two paranormal-obsessed brothers, Bobby and Clint, run a Bigfoot-themed cabin. A group of college friends, Kiera, Dillon and Liv, decide to rent the cabin for a weekend of fun but their journey into the supernatural will take a dark turn.
The friends get entangled in a horrifying ordeal when they stumble upon a secret.
In a tense violent showdown of generational clash, Keira and her friends must outsmart the brothers to survive and expose the truth. Turning their weekend escape into a deadly game of survival.
Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Wendigo - it's been called many names but it’s still a mystery. This ongoing mystery of Bigfoot inspired me to write SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN. I grew up on Vancouver Island, where one of the earlier recorded sightings of Bigfoot took place in 1901. For years, I would hear stories of sightings all up and down the island. This always made me wonder about the intersection of myth and truth. Is it real if you believe in it enough? Does it become a myth from all the stories we tell? Who gets to ultimately decide what truths become a legend and what is a lie?
I’m exploring this complex dilemma through the lens of a horror/psychological thriller as the genre allows for subversion and with a cast that reflects modern generational clash. The brothers and townspeople like their status quo while the cabin guests break down heteronormative archetypes and celebrate the very real and complicated ways we live now.
Coming from a background in micro-budget filmmaking, I've always relished the challenge of telling compelling character-driven stories with very limited resources. Now, I want to push my boundaries and tackle a more ambitious project. This film explores the ethical dilemma of exposing a hoax or preserving a secret and the lengths people will go to protect them. A universal story at heart that will challenge horror tropes and subvert conventional stereotypes.
SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN will feature a rich, atmospheric palette, capturing the eerie beauty of the remote woods. We aim to create a visual experience that feels both grounded and otherworldly, using a mix of natural lighting and moody shadows to heighten the suspense like in The Witch, which features the remote woods like another character in the story.
The camera will utilize wide shots to convey the vast, isolating landscape. Exterior filming will showcase rugged, untouched wilderness, reminiscent of the dense forests and harsh terrains in The Edge. These natural settings will enhance the film’s sense of isolation and vulnerability.
Close-ups to capture the characters' raw emotions, emphasizing the tension and paranoia, and handheld camera work to add an intimate, immersive feel, pulling the audience into the heart of the action.
The production design will blend the brooding, atmospheric elements of The Revenant with the minimalist, isolated interiors reminiscent of The Rental, Knock at the Door, and Secret Window. Interiors will feature sparse furnishings and fun Bigfoot-themed novelties. We hope to create a visually cohesive and emotionally gripping atmosphere by combining dark, moody exteriors and simplistic, isolated interiors.
Drawing inspiration from modern thrillers like Fargo, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Children of Men and The Rental, the cinematography will blend the stark realism of the setting with the heightened drama of the narrative.
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT…
The beauty and isolation of our film takes place in the remote woods and highlights the natural landscape of the Pacific Northwest. We really can’t get this same effect in a studio! But because we’re filming on location, there are some additional costs such as portable washrooms, as well as catering/crafty for our cast and crew so they don’t feel like they’re roughing it in the middle of the woods during those long filming days.
And the horror and mystic of our film wouldn’t be complete without a genuine Bigfoot and a substantial amount of prosthetics to bring the horror of these kills to life. This original Bigfoot creature build needs to be made from scratch, starting with a mold to perfectly fit the actor before the creature building can even begin. And we’re beyond thrilled to be working with an incredible builder whose imagination and talents will create this crucial part of our film. We could never afford this level of expertise, but our builder has generously donated a portion of in-kind labour to help make our authentic Bigfoot build. We believe in realistic gore so we need a specialized team to deliver our vision, extra time, as well as raw materials that we unfortunately can’t get through in-kind support.
We’re so grateful to have a large portion of our budget in place to cover locations, camera rentals, insurance, permits, and a modest compensation for our cast and crew - but we need a little more to fully bring our vision to life.
We'll be splitting funds raised between the practical effects, portable washrooms, catering/crafty, and additional compensation for our team needed to get us into production.
HITTING OUR GOAL OF $15K WILL ALLOW US TO...
PURCHASE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS CREATURE BUILD to turn all the glorious horror into reality, including specialized silicone needed for prosthetics and silicone mold to create the base of our creature build as well as many unique fabrics and materials.
RENT PORTABLE WASHROOMS NEEDED FOR CAST AND CREW so we don’t have to rough it out there in the woods. We live in Canada and that can attract bears! So these washrooms are for the safety AND hygiene of our entire team.
COMPENSATE OUR CAST AND CREW who believe in this project!! We currently are able to modestly compensate our team but we’d like to pay our cast and crew more for the talent and expertise they all bring to create the movie magic that gives our film life.
PURCHASE CATERING / CRAFTY FOR OUR CAST AND CREW so we can properly nourish and hydrate our hardworking team with more than just Hot Cheetos and pizza! We plan on supporting as many local restaurants and businesses as possible.
And if we reach our goal, our stretch goal of $5000 helps increase our budget for production design, upgrade our camera, and get a head start on post-production. Our amazing cabin location comes empty so we need a lot of fun original Bigfoot memorabilia to help realize our vision for the cabin! We already have a great RED Komodo on hand, but our dream scenario would be to rent an ARRI and shoot anamorphic to get that widescreen look and really feature the woods as a character. And once we’re done shooting in early October, we’re hoping to jump right into editing so we’d be able to compensate an editor for all the time and effort it takes to assemble an entire feature film.
CONTRIBUTE & PLEDGE
You can make a contribution by making a pledge (we need to collect at least 80% of our crowdfunding goal in order to keep our funds). You can choose an incentive or make a pledge to a specific wishlist item. You decide what fits your budget. No pledge is too small. Seriously. Your pledge, no matter the size, will make a significant difference in making this film a reality. So we thank you for being part of our journey!
SPREAD THE WORD!
SHARING our campaign with your networks makes a HUGE impact for us!
Please share this page with anyone who may be interested in supporting this project!! Follow and share our official Instagram page @sawtoothmountainfilm to get all the latest updates on #SawtoothMountainFilm.
Please help us get the word out to share this project we all believe in!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Special Effects Makeup Materials and Creature Build
Costs C$3,000
We need all the right materials to create an authentic creature build of Bigfoot! Including realistic prosthetics and LOTS of fake blood.
Portable Washrooms
Costs C$4,000
As we’re filming out in the remote woods, we want to be environmentally friendly and pack in, pack out + leave no trace…including our waste!
Crafty and Catering
Costs C$4,000
We need to feed our cast + crew to keep us going through those long filming days. There’s only so far Hot Cheetos can take you for 11 days!
Cast and Crew
Costs C$4,000
We have an incredible cast and crew who believe in our project so much! We would love to give them more to reflect the expertise they bring!
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
About This Team
Sawtooth Mountain features an award-winning team of Canadian-based talent both behind and in front of the camera, including:
writer / director - Matt Kincses
Matt Kincses (He/Him) works in both the thick of Vancouver’s major film and TV production environment, and also has extensive experience producing and directing independent features. Matt's independent films have found homes on major streaming platforms including Tubi, Amazon Prime, Plex, Cineverse and many others.
He recently wrote, directed and produced; "Through the Door" (2024), "The Week They Won" (2022) and "John from Home" (2021).
director of photography - Kaio Kathriner
Kaio Kathriner is a bilingual Swiss-Canadian director who in 2019 received The Flaming Faun Award for Best of Switzerland – Audience Choice Award at Shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival 2019. From shooting at Everest Base Camp to on-ice with NHL superstar Connor McDavid, his filmmaking adventures have landed him in Nepal, Cambodia, Peru and across the US, while shooting for FIFA+, NHL Studios, NBC Sports, CBC Arts, and Warner Music Canada along the way.
His short fiction THE DAY WE LEFT had an 18 month run on CRAVE and is in feature development through Bell Media’s Harold Greenberg Fund. His debut feature film, the historical adventure doc THE LAST STOP: CANADA’S LOST LOCOMOTIVE recently premiered at Sudbury International Film Festival, and is currently on the festival circuit. Kaio’s work navigates both documentary and fiction, exploring themes of disability, sport, history and adventure through the lens of his rural Canadian upbringing.
producer / cast (Violet) - Nhi Do
Nhi Do (she/her) is a second generation Canadian-Vietnamese actor, voice actor, and an emerging producer with a passion for socially relevant and character-driven narratives. As an actor, Nhi has worked on numerous hit projects, such as Watchmen (WB); NarcoLeap (Canadian Screen Award-nominated, Leo award-winning); and Upstairs Amy (Shaftesbury). Currently, Nhi is voicing the lead playable character in the critically acclaimed sci-fi video game, 1000xRESIST (Steam, Nintendo Switch) and guest starring on the new crime drama series, Sight Unseen (CTV/CW).
She recently produced and starred in the horror thriller short “The Sorrow” (2023), world premiering at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival and that same year, Nhi produced the period horror short “Jeffrey” (2023), winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Art, and Audience Choice at the Run N Gun 48 Hour Film Festival in Vancouver.
Recent acting projects include: Invasion (AppleTV+); The Irrational (NBC); Spread (Tubi); Door Mouse (Elevation Pictures/Gravitas Ventures); LEGO Friends: Heartlake Stories (Netflix); Hope Street Pods: A Classical Christmas Chord (Apple Podcasts).
Nhi is an STC graduate of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and in addition to acting, she’s a mentor with the UBCP/ACTRA BIPOC Mentorship program and the official in-game host for the Vancouver Warriors. With her diverse portfolio behind and in front of the camera, Nhi is quickly establishing herself as a producer who excels in genre projects.
producer / cast (Kiera) - Sydney Scotia
Sydney Scotia is a Canadian-American actor, director and producer known for her role in "Some Assembly Required" on Netflix. Her career spans TV, film, and theatre, with roles that include "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," "The Thundermans," "Frank and Penelope," and "Prom Queen: The Musical."
Sydney made her creative producer and directorial debut with "This Hits Home," a feature distributed by Gravitas Ventures and available on Amazon Prime Video.
She recently starred in two seasons of the Canadian sitcom "Pillow Talk" for which she received a Leo nomination for comedy and will star in three upcoming feature films including "Ruthless Bastards," releasing fall 2024 and “Slant,” releasing in 2025. She is also co-developing a new Canadian sitcom as creative producer/lead.
In addition to acting and directing, Sydney is actively writing, with two feature scripts completed and a docu-series and additional feature in progress.
producer / cast (Clint) - Gabriel Carter
Gabriel Carter is an actor, writer, director, and producer originally from San Francisco, California where he graduated from the American Conservatory Theater MFA program. On stage, Gabriel's highlights include a lead role in the world premiere of Darwin's Finches by Claire Chafee. Upon his move to NYC, he was a voice over director for Don Buchwald and Associates where he coached such luminaries as Ally Sheedy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Billy Crudup and Lisa Bonet, amongst others.
Returning to the west coast, Gabriel moved to Vancouver where he transitioned to film/television on projects such as: Supernatural (CW), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (Summit Entertainment) and The Man in the High Castle (Amazon Studios). Some of his recent credits include: The Power (Amazon Studios), Riverdale (CW), Fire Country (CBS), Goosebumps (Disney+), Door Mouse (Elevation Pictures) and many award-winning independent projects.
He recently transitioned to producing with The Week They Won (Tubi) and co-produced the award-winning horror short, Devoured.
producer - Peter Roumeliotis
producer - Helen Roumeliotis
executive producer - David Aboussafy
executive producer - Avan Jogia