Modern Family Productions

cast & crew bios
Jamie Travis

Jamie Travis Writer, Director, Producer, Production Designer

Why the Anderson Children Didn’t Come to Dinner served as Travis’ graduating project from the University of British Columbia Film Programme. For the film, Travis was awarded the 2004 Leo Award for Best Production Design in a Short Drama and the 2004 Golden Sheaf Award for Best Script. His previous credits include the short films Diary of Insomniac, which premiered at the 2002 Montr�al World Film Festival, and Solitaire (2001). His new short project, Patterns, had its world premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival and continues to play on the festival circuit. Travis is currently in post-production for The Saddest Boy in the World, his next comedic indictment of suburban culture; Patterns II and III are in the works; and his first feature script, I Hate White Rabbits, is in development.

Amy Belling

Amy Belling Director of Photography, Camera Operator, Sound Designer, Producer

Belling graduated from UBC in 2003 with a double-major in Film Production and Theatre. Her graduating film, Why the Anderson Children Didn’t Come to Dinner, garnered her Leo nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design and Best Short Drama. At UBC’s 2003 Persistence of Vision Festival, her work on Anderson Children earned her awards for Outstanding Cinematography, Outstanding Film and Audience Favorite.

In 2004, Belling was both Producer and Production Manager of the short film Once A Fish, directed by Ling Chiu and funded by KickStart, Citytv, the BC Arts Council and the NFB. She worked as an Associate Producer at Soapbox Productions through a CFTPA mentorship. She also served as the Production Manager and Cinematographer for the new Bravo documentary series OnScreen!, a six-part study of seminal Canadian films which shot in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

Apart from filmmaking, Belling worked for the Vancouver International Film Festival as the Canadian Images Programme Assistant in 2003 and the Canadian Images Coordinator in 2004. She also worked, in 2004 and 2005, as a Programme Consultant for the Kingston Canadian Film Festival.

Belling is currently producing two Canada Council-funded short films: the next Modern Family Productions endeavour, The Saddest Boy in the World, for which she is also the Director of Photography; and Writer/Director Michelle Porter's The Courage to Forget.

A.J. Bond

A.J. Bond Producer, Editor

Bond graduated in 2003 from the Film Programme at the University of British Columbia. Why the Anderson Children Didn’t Come to Dinner was preceded by a short film, Repeat (2002), which he wrote, directed, produced and edited. Other editing credits include Director Alex Levine's short film My Old Man, which premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival; Director Ling Chiu's soon-to-be-released dramatic short Once a Fish; two short behind-the scenes documentaries for the DVD Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama: Live at the Apollo; and an episode of Bravo’s new documentary series OnScreen!.

Dave Webber

Dave Webber Composer

Dave Webber has been active in the Vancouver independent music scene since the mid-Seventies. He has composed and produced scores for short films and corporate videos. “I was particularly enthusiastic about scoring Anderson Children,” he says, “because it lent itself readily to so many strong, clear melodies.”

Colton Boreen

Colton Boreen Godfrey

Colton Boreen was born and raised in Vancouver. Anderson Children was his first role other than a school play; for his work as Godfrey, he won the award for Best Male Performance at Freshly Brewed Productions' 2005 Student Film Festival. He was seven years-old at the time of shooting. He studies acting at Tarlington Training in Vancouver.

Katie Eaton

Katherine Eaton Eliza

Katherine Eaton, a native of Vancouver, had her first role in Anderson Children. She was ten years old at the time of shooting. She continues to take acting classes.

Michael Kurliak

Michael Kurliak Chester

Michael Kurliak has appeared in numerous Vancouver-shot commercials. A native of Vancouver, he was eight years old at the time of shooting. He studied acting at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. With an ardent interest in anime, Michael hopes to become an animator when he grows up.

Patti Wotherspoon

Patti Wotherspoon Maud

Patti Wotherspoon was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. For Anderson Children, she was nominated for Best Female Performance at the 2004 Golden Sheaf Awards. She lives in Vancouver, where she works as an actor.