The Team
Matter of Fact Media Inc. is a Toronto-based production company specializing in high concept documentary and factual programming. The company has developed an international reputation for projects that are intelligent, well-researched, with high production values and popular with viewers.
Vanessa Dylyn
Producer, Director and Writer
Vanessa is an Emmy-nominated, and Canadian Screen Award-winning producer of International factual programming. Soon to be released are “Plastic People“, a feature doc about the dangers to human health of microplastics, with White Pine Pictures. As well as “The Good Virus“, a film about a solution to superbugs, co-produced with ID Productions.
Recent credits include: “The Divided Brain” for the CBC’s Documentary Channel, featuring renowned psychiatrist Dr Iain McGilchrist; “Into the Inferno“, a Werner Herzog co-production about man’s relationship with volcanoes for Netflix; “Undercover Jihadi” for TVO, an international film featuring Mubin Shaikh, whose testimony sent eleven Jihadists to prison; a UK co-production “The Woman Who Joined the Taliban“, for the CBC, “Leslie Caron: the Reluctant Star“, an arts documentary on the career of the star of An American in Paris, for France’s ARTE and TVO. Her series concept, “Arctic Vets“, was produced by Entertainment One for CBC.
Other notable credits are “The Musical Brain“, featuring Sting and other stars Feist, and Michael Buble, a highly popular film for CTV/Nat Geo International.
Billie Mintz
Co-Director & Co-Writer
Billie Mintz, founder of INNOV8R, is an award-winning filmmaker who has produced and directed eight feature length documentaries and several narrative short films. An investigative journalist, showrunner, and documentary filmmaker, he has a passion to find good stories (or have them find him). Two successful seasons with National Geographic both in front and behind camera on their signature series “Explorer”, was broadcasted in 170 countries. Billie has just completed filming his new feature, “Gold Bars” with CBC’s documentary Channel. His last film, “Portrayal” played at over 16 international film festivals and won several awards. “The Guardians” uncovered systemic corruption of Family Court’s in the USA in the state sponsored kidnapping of elderly people for their estates. It made its World Premiere at Hot Docs 18, and was officially selected in over 30 international film Festivals, winning 9 awards for Best Documentary feature. His earlier feature documentary, “Jesus Town” USA (80min, 2014,) executive produced by SKY ATLANTIC, had its world premiere at AMDOCS and International premiere at Hot Docs. It aired on Showtime, CBC and Netflix and can now be seen on Amazon Prime.
Marcus Valentin
Editor and Co-Director
Marcus Valentin has been working in the Toronto film industry for over three decades; directing and editing TV series, commercials, and music videos.
Marcus has directed and edited numerous acclaimed TV series, encompassing genres from true crime to historical docu-dramas. Some of his notable projects include “Manson,” a TV docudrama (History Channel) about the 1969 Tate/La Bianca murders (CCE nomination for Best Editing in a Documentary), episodes of “Heroes of the Skies”, Discovery Military and History Channe; l (CCE nominee for Best Editing in a Documentary), true crime series “Dual Suspects“ & “Cold Blood” for Channel 5, along with “The Clown and The Candyman”, a 4 part mini-series chronicling the lives of serial killers John Wayne Gacy and Dean Corll for Discovery I.D.
Recently, Marcus directed and edited a compelling two-part true crime mini-series centred on the notorious Torso Killer, Richard Cottingham for A&E.
Issa Shah
Cinematographer
Issa Shah is a Toronto-based DOP who has worked as a cinematographer and camera operator for the last 10 years. His most recent feature film project Queen Tut will be released on Crave in fall 2023. Issa chose this project for its intimate nature, as a young Egyptian boy moves to Canada where he finds solace and a home with a group of drag queens. Recently he worked on a documentary series focusing on a group of young gamers who rob crypto millionaires. Issa’s skills were honed during his early years of his career while working at SubPac and the Toronto International Film Festival. At both companies, Issa produced, shot and edited in-house content with prominent names in the music and film industry. Issa has worked with notable clients such as; HBO, CBC, OutTV, Lululemon, Warner Music, TikTok, OVO and XO.
Lydia Ainsworth
Composer
Lydia Ainsworth is an internationally acclaimed singer, composer, and producer. In 2015 her debut album Right from Real was nominated for a Juno award for best electronic album and shortlisted for the Polaris Prize. In 2017 Lydia’s second LP, a still bolder set of electro art pop titled Darling of the Afterglow brought with it headlining tours of North America, Europe and Japan as well as support tours with Perfume Genius. Her 2019 third album, the self-released Phantom Forest, is a lush dream world of art and dance pop that she wrote, played, and produced largely on her own. Shortly after its release, she created string remixes of some of Phantom Forest’s tracks, further showcasing her compositional skills and knack for reinvention. That same year, “Earth Song,” her collaboration with Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, appeared in the last episode of Season 3 of Stranger Things. Lydia’s original scores for film and commercials have screened at festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, and Hot Docs.
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Donors may contribute to the film through Paypal or Interac via vanessa@matteroffactmedia.com
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