J. Christopher Lane

Justin Christopher Lane is an American Film and Television Director, Producer, Composer, Musician and DJ. Lane performs under the moniker Champagne Lane; He is known for his House and Techno sets. Lane has had an number of commercially successful and critically acclaimed credits to his name, either as a director, producer or editor since launching his media career directing the 2010 MTV Australia 'MusicOZ Awards', and has done more to define alternative culture music video projects in the Australian EDM community than anyone else. Lane was born on January 1st 1984 in Evanston, Illinois, to Arlene Lane (Kuzdzal), a librarian and historian, and Gregory Lane, a probation officer who worked in the United States Probation Office Northern District of Illinois. His parents were both born to Polish immigrant families in Detroit, Michigan. Lane spent his younger years in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. A musician since 7, Lane has performed Classical and Jazz music with the saxophone for over 30 years. He attended Libertyville High School and later Butler University as a music composer, but dropped out to pursue a degree in media arts instead. His first paid job was as an extra in the film 'Newport South' (2000) for Paramount Pictures / Walt Disney Corporation. Later in college Lane gained notoriety in Indianapolis, Indiana and around the US Midwest as 'Intern Justin', an uncredited assistant TV producer on the television network Indy's Music Channel (IMC-TV 99), and later as an uncredited assistant radio producer on the Smiley Morning Radio Show (WZPL-99.5). Highlights included interviewing bands Sister Hazel, Bowling for Soup, Gavin DeGraw, Jason Mraz, Sum 41 and others. Shortly after his studies Lane moved to Sydney, Australia to attend the University of Sydney's Master of Film program. Briefly Lane moved to Wellington, New Zealand and New York, US to assist on TV production including 'Nailed, Slammed & Sorted' (2007), 'AA Torque Show' (2007), directing commercials with Webster Banks (2008) and assistant production on Verizon Wireless (2008). All of these were short films, television episodes or commercials. The next couple of years, Lane directed projects in Australia and Southeast Asia that would portend his future career. Among his early directing efforts were live television broadcast music award shows including 'Rolling Stone Magazine Awards' (2010, 2011) and MTV Australia's 'MusicOZ Awards' (2010). In 2012, he directed 'Morxx on Tour' (2012), a documentary series about a DJ traveling around the world. This filming style, while widely known today as Vlogging, was a new and exciting concept for online video content in the early 2010's. This attention would push Lane into the Australian EDM spotlight, booking him for video projects from 2012-2021 as a regular documentary film producer and editor for the local music scenes and musicians around Australia. Lane's credits for independent video promos within the artist, venue, event and record label communities numbers in the 700's. Having worked alongside over 350 artists across 10 countries, Lane has independently produced video content and remixed promotional tracks with world-renowned record labels and agencies including Zenon, Hommega, Iboga, Alien, Bassic, Higher Recordings, Lucky Entertainment, The Backyard Project, Progression Sessions, SFX Enterteinment, Universal Tribe, Unstable Sounds and Ruffbeatz Entertainment. He has directed music videos and produced promotional material for musicians including Freedom Fighters, Vini Vici, Nelly, Mya, Whitenoise, Tritonal, Omarion, Marlo, Carl Cox, Paris Hilton, A$AP Rocky, Pete Tong, Nelly, Tigerlily, Will Sparks, Infected Mushroom, Alex Stein, and many more. Lane has attended over 250 music events, from private events and 'Bush Doofs' to highly popular mainstream EDM events including Ultra, Pure Trance, Life in Color, Rainbow Serpent, Earth Frequency, Amsterdam Dance Event, and Esoteric Festival.