A.J. Bond - News

A.J. began his film career as an actor appearing in several Canadian films including Gary Burns’ Kitchen Party and Anne Wheeler’s Better Than Chocolate. In 2003, A.J. graduated from the UBC Film Programme where he produced and edited the award-winning short, Why the Anderson Children Didn’t Come to Dinner (TIFF ’03). A.J. began working as a producer on several successful short films including The Saddest Boy in the World (TIFF ’06) and The Patterns Trilogy (TIFF ’06) both with director Jamie Travis. A.J. formed the production company The Siblings in 2006 with Amy Belling to produce his debut as a writer and director, the award-winning short film Hirsute. The short premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007 and went on to play at over 50 film festivals around the world. Hirsute was nominated for 7 Leo Awards and won 9 film festival prizes. A.J. has been invited to attend both the Berlinale Talent Campus and TIFF Talent Lab as an emerging writer/director. His most recent short film, the fantasy/horror Madame Perrault’s Bluebeard, was selected to screen Coup de Coeur at the 2011 Cannes Short Film Corner. A.J. is currently finishing his first feature film, Stress Position, as well as developing the psychological thriller, Wisteria.

NEWS

• April 23, 2012 - That's a wrap!

After a 21 day shoot, we have officially wrapped principal photography on Stress Position. Congratulations to everyone involved and a big thank you to all of our amazing and talented cast and crew for their hard work and dedication! Now the editing begins...

Follow along on the The Siblings blog.

• March 5, 2012 - Preproduction begins on Stress Position:

We are thrilled to announce that A.J. is going into preproduction on his first feature film, Stress Position:

A psychological experiment between two friends spirals out of control.

Follow along on the The Siblings blog for project updates, concept art, references and more.

• January 18, 2012 - A.J. on CBC's Here and Now:

A.J. was interviewed on CBC's Here and Now Toronto along with his co-writing/co-eating team from The Kimchi Diaries. Find out what the CBC thinks about our one-hit tumblr! Listen to the complete interview here (and now).

• January 10, 2012 - The Kimchi Diaries in Toronto Life:

The Kimchi Diaries is featured in Toronto Life this week:

"We’ve seen our share of “ate my way through ____” blogs, but The Kimchi Diaries has a quiet humour that makes us think it’ll be worth the trip."

• January 8, 2012 - The Kimchi Diaries:

A.J. is joining his friends Dan and Beth on a culinary adventure over the next year, systematically trying every restaurant in Toronto's Koreatown. Follow along on their blog, The Kimchi Diaries!

• November 15, 2011 - Bad Choices music video finally released!

After months of painstaking editing (much of the video involved cutting every 6 frames, or 4 cuts per second), our music video for Bad Choices by Shout Out Out Out Out is finally complete!

• October 24, 2011 – Madame Perrault's Bluebeard and Q&A at Cucalorus in Wilmington, NC:

A.J. will be heading to Wilmington, North Carolina next month for the Cucalorus Film Festival, where Madame Perrault's Bluebeard will be screening in the programme Tortured Surface Shorts. A.J. will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

Details:
Saturday, November 12
10:30pm
Jengo's Playhouse
815 Princess Street / 910-343-5995

• August 17, 2011 – Madame Perrault's Bluebeard and Q&A at A World of Shorts:

A.J. will be in Toronto on Wednesday, August 17 for a screening of his short film Madame Perrault's Bluebeard as part of the Worldwide Short Film Festival's monthly screening series, in the programme Fairy Tale Redux. The programme plays at 6pm and 8pm at the NFB Mediatheque, and A.J. will be in attendance for a Q&A following both screenings.

• August 16, 2011 – The Patterns Trilogy and Q&A at Out On Screen:

A.J. will be in Vancouver on Tuesday, August 16th for a special Q&A and screening of several short films he produced and edited at Out On Screen, including a rare chance to see The Patterns Trilogy on the big screen, as part of a retrospective of the work of director Jamie Travis. The screening starts at 7pm at Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas.

• July 29, 2011 – Every Woman I Slept With Before I Met You in the Globe & Mail:

So, lover - what's your 'number'?

"The largely autobiographical, one-man show follows a guy who unwittingly reveals the bulk of his sexual history to a new girlfriend over dinner. (The audience stands in for the girlfriend.)"

• July 15, 2011 – Every Woman I Slept With Before I Met You is the Patrons' Pick:

"Patrons' Pick Performances are one more chance for you to see the shows everyone’s been talking about. On July 17th, each venue has an encore performance of the venues’ most attended shows."

That means there are now two final chances to see the show this Sunday in Toronto.

We are also pleased to announce a special one-night only preview of the show in Vancouver!

Check out our latest review, from The More the Merrier Arts Radio: "Woody Allen’s characters never had it so good or bad as David, and it’s this honesty as well as his engaging delivery that makes this show such an appealing ride. ... The fact that he gets knocked down by love but perseveres with giddiness and passion is admirable, pathetic, and funny."

• July 11, 2011 – Amusing article in Metro Toronto about Every Woman I Slept With Before I Met You:

Taking to the Stage to Bare his Soul:

"Together with director A.J. Bond, Amito has created a comical if at times disturbingly honest reflection on the romantic and sexual conquests of a man who clearly still believes in true love." – Urban Compass by Lia Grainger, Metro Toronto

• July 5, 2011 – Every Woman I Slept With Before I Met You premieres July 6th:

Our one-man show Every Woman I Slept With Before I Met You is now playing at the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival. The show runs 8 nights over two weeks in the Solo Room beside the Annex Theatre, the show is an uproarious and brutally honest comedy starring David Amito and directed by A.J. Bond. If you're in Toronto come check it out!

• July 1, 2011 – CFC Go West Lab complete:

Producers Amy Belling and Jessica Cheung recently completed the Canadian Film Centre's Go West Lab in Whistler, BC with our feature script Wisteria. Amy described the lab as an "Incredible experience! The caliber of the guests, and the one-on-one time we received with each guest exceeded my expectations."

Other participants included Tony Wosk, E Jane Thompson, Cher Hawrysh and Corey Marr.

• June 21, 2011 – Wisteria selected for CFC Go West Lab in Whistler:

"Six producers from across Canada have been selected to participate in the fifth annual CFC GO WEST Project Lab. Presented by the Whistler Film Festival in association with Telefilm Canada, the CFC GO WEST Project Lab is an intense five day business and marketplace immersion experience held in Whistler June 26 to 30th, 2011."

• June 08, 2011 – Madame Perrault's Bluebeard wins three Leo Awards:

Our short film Madame Perrault's Bluebeard took home 3 Leo Awards last night, Best Cinematography for Amy Belling, Best Sound Editing and Best Overall Sound both for Kevin Hamilton of Fresh Air Audio. The short was also nominated for Best Short Film and Best Score. Congratulations to all the winners!

• May 12, 2011 – Packaged Goods Q&A with A.J. Bond and Scott Mackenzie of Radke:

• May 12, 2011 – Off to Cannes!

Our short film Madame Perrault's Bluebeard was selected to screen Coup de Coeur at the Cannes Short Film Corner. Director A.J. Bond, Producer and Cinematographer Amy Belling and Writer Paul Victor Schoucair will be in Cannes representing the film.

• May 11, 2011 – Hirsute plays at the TIFF Lightbox as part of Packaged Goods:

"This exciting new series surveys some of the most innovative music videos, short films and TV spots from around the world, revealing the richness and invention of this often overlooked sphere of filmmaking. ... Special guests include independent director A.J. Bond and Scott Mackenzie, executive producer of Toronto-based commercial production house Radke, who will discuss the ups and downs on the road to directorial success."

• May 09, 2011 – Soft Serve nominated for a Leo Award:

Our music video for Soft Serve by Audio Ahdeo Awdio has been nominated for Best Music Video at the 2011 Leo Awards. Congrats to everyone involved!

• May 09, 2011 – Trampoline Hall Lecture:

A.J. will be giving the cryptically titled lecture, Forgetting Really Important Things at the Trampoline Hall lecture series in Toronto tonight.

• May 02, 2011 – Wisteria awarded Jim Murphy Bursary:

"The $2,500 bursary is presented annually to a filmmaking team going through the NSI Features First training program with an inventive and creatively-integrated marketing plan for their feature film."

• May 30, 2011 – Photography complete for Bad Choices music video:

We just finished shooting in Vancouver and are beginning the lengthy and complicated editing process in Toronto on the new music video for Shout Out Out Out Out.

• November 29, 2010 – Wisteria selected for NSI Features First:

"NSI Features First is a 10-month professional development program for Canadian filmmakers working on their first or second feature."

• September 15, 2010 – Soft Serve wins Olio Festival Music Video competition:

We are delighted that our music video Soft Serve was selected as the winner of the Olio Festival's Music Video competition by one of our favourite Canadian bands, Shout Out Out Out Out. The prize is a $2000 gift certificate from PS Production Services and we get to make a video for Shout Out Out Out Out's new track, Bad Choices!

• March 21, 2010 – A.J. Bond interviews "art porn" provocateur Bruce LaBruce for Ion Magazine:

"I caught up with LaBruce shortly after a sneak preview of L.A. Zombie at the Peres Projects gallery in Berlin to discuss art porn, zombie porn, torture porn, emotional porn and just straight up porn."

c. A.J. Bond, 2012