Allison Beda

Director/Writer Allison Beda formed her film production company A Muse Productions to create films that inspire and entertain. Allison absolutely adores dark comedy and particularly loves making films about women who cause a lot of trouble! Her first narrative short film Fallen (a very twisted love story, featuring a writer who creates a lot of chaos in the name of 'research') is a BC Film/DGC 2005 'Kickstart' award recipient, premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival and aired on CBC 'Zed'. Her first documentary (based on her experiences as a fashion model) is the ironically titled feature length How To Be a Model (a 12 step plan), which gives models a chance to talk back. It garnered her a Don Haig Award Nomination, is presently airing on The Documentary Channel and was described by critics as "An intriguing inside look, filled with insight and shattered stereotypes". She has also made a number of award winning experimental shorts films including Know your Alphabet, which toured Europe with the likes of Stan Brackhage, and You Are Not The Boss of Me (a contemporary fairytale about an anorexic princess) which was recently honored at the Sadho Poetry Festival in India and has been screening around the world for over ten years! Her most recent short films are 30-Love (made for Bravo TV) and the dark comedy Tea Party, described as 'Amusingly bitchy' and a 'Critics Pick' of The Vancouver Sun. Allison is a 'birth abroad' born to Canadian parents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but grew up in Vancouver, Canada. She has a BA in film from Simon Fraser University, an MFA in film production from UBC and has won awards for her work as a director and a writer, but also as an editor and cinematographer! She is one of only about six women in western Canada recognized by I.A.T.S.E. local 669 as a qualified camera operator, operating most recently on the CBC/CW network's new TV Series Aliens In America. Allison was an episode director for the last three seasons of The Shopping Bags and continues to be engaged by numerous up and coming bands to direct their EPKS and music videos. In 2008 Allison was one of eight participants selected from across Canada for the DGC, BC Film and UBCP sponsored Women in the Director's Chair 2008 program at the Banff Centre. She is presently developing, with Telefilm Canada, the NSI 'Features First' recipient feature comedy The Take Out Girl, written by Lara McKinnon.