Kelowna Campus

Sean Ridgway - 2D, EPM, and VHA Department Head and 3D Instructor

Muhammad Zubair - Network Security Specialist Department Head

As a child Muhammad always loved to break his toys so he could look inside to find out what exactly was going on in there.  His curiosity lead to a strong appreciation of logic of any kind.  He completed his B.Sc computer sciences major in programming and developed a curiosity for wanting to know what actually happens during communication and how to secure that info which lead him to pursue his network communication major in M.S computer sciences.

Muhammad has been in the IT and education industry for more than 10 years.  He has authored a computer book series for kids; “Quickway to Learn Computers” and worked in the industry as a Systems Analyst, Network Administrator and as a Security Professional.  His work has travelled him around various parts of the world including the United States, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Canada.

Nicolas Morin - Audio Engineering Department Head

Nicolas Morin is the Audio Engineering Department Head and has been an instructor for over 5 years.  Access to the Centre’s world class studio supports his efforts in training tomorrow’s keenest audio engineering professionals.  Nicolas graduated with dominant academic standing in the 2 yr Audio Production Program at CDIS in Vancouver and is extremely energetic and passionate when it comes to this industry.  

Nicolas is the producer of the successful Studio Sessions projects at the Centre where a band is invited in the Centre’s recording studio to produce an album.  The project is designed to synchronize all components of the entertainment industry collectively, leveraging all the Centre’s program disciplines that are involved.  Nicolas also teaches several programming classes (mysql, action script, java script, ajax) for the Graphic and Digital Media Design department.  

Graham Cairns - Digital Filmmaking Department Head

Graham Cairns is the Department Head of the Digital Film Program at the Centre for Arts and Technology.  Graham grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and produced his first TV show at the age of 12 for the local community station ‘Telecable 10’.  Years later after receiving a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology from the University of Saskatchewan, he decided to again to enter the film and TV world relocating to Vancouver, BC and working  towards being accepted as a member of the Directors Guild of Canada.  Graham has worked as an Assistant Director on shows such as Stargate SG1, Scary Movie 3, White Noise, Firewall, Stargate Atlantis, The Andromeda Strain, Whistler, and The Legend of Earthsea.  Graham has also run his own video production company ‘ Graham Cairns Films’ and worked on corporate, commercial  and music videos in the areas of Directing, Camera, Sound, and Editing.

Halifax Campus

Lil Thomas - Audio Engineering Department Head

Thor Henrikson - Digital Filmmaking Department Head

Thor began his filmmaking career in 1987 as a sound editor before quickly moving through the ranks as a picture editor and then as a producer and director. His work includes the documentary film ‘Train of Thought,’ which was aired on CBC, the Genie Award nominated epic short-film ‘Elimination Dance,’ and CTV’s ‘Table Hockey.’

He is a pioneer in digital filmmaking having created the first QuickTime Movie Trailer distributed on the Internet and the CBC documentary ‘Webhead’ which was the first film in Canada, to be streamed free over the Internet for the public to view.

Thor is an alumni member of the Canadian Film Centre’s prestigious and highly competitive Directors’ Lab Program and in his spare time produces projects through his own production company, Blue Squid Productions Inc., based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

Ully Bleil - Digital Photography Instructor

Ully Bleil is a professional Photographer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Fluent in German with a strong background as an Architectural Technologist, Ully has 25 years of photography experience specializing in commercial, industrial, editorial and stock photography.  He received professional training at the New York Institute of Photography and has produced work for clients such as Maclean’s Magazine, Canadian Geographic Magazine and the New York Times.   

 Fredericton Campus

Larry Mersereau - 3D Animation and Event and Promotions Management - Department Head

Larry comes to us from the Kansas City Art Institute as a professor of animation. He has 14 years instructional experience in Classical and 3D Animation and has developed and delivered curriculum at such educational institutions as Sheridan College and McMaster University. As well as running an animation studio employing several artists, Larry has worked on large –scale professional projects such as, Spielberg’s, “An American Tale: Fieval Goes West”.   His experience and passion for this industry do our students and the school a great service.

Jon Collicott - Digital Filmmaking Instructor

Jonathan Collicott has been working in the Film & Television industry in Atlantic Canada since 1997 and has worked with such nationally recognized organizations as History Television, The National Film Board of Canada, CBC Nature of Things, Bravo, A&E and Discovery.  He enjoys working in both documentary and dramatic films. 

He does Producing, Directing & DOP freelance work out of Fredericton, New Brunswick for his Production company DARK BLUE HORIZONS. He works for various independent production companies such as Hudson Design, Egg Films, Atlantic Media Works and Outreach Productions. 

He teaches Cinematography, Production and Directing courses for the Centre of Arts & Technology and the New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-operative. 

His most recent Camera credits include "Sitansisk" (S16mm) and "Apostles of Beauty" (S16mm)

Gary Weekes - Digital Photography Instructor

Gary Weekes was born in London, England in 1966.  In 1980 he emigrated with his family to live in New York, USA and here is where his love of photography began.  Gary briefly attended St. John’s University in Queens, NY and while attending he became the Art/Photo Editor on the university’s humour magazine.  

In 1990 Gary returned to England and began working in the retail sector with Hasselblad UK.  Here he instructed Professional Photographers as well as those that were just coming into the industry, on new products, lighting, cameras, film and chemistry.  With the advent of digital photography, the industry changed tremendously along with the skills and techniques needed.  With Hasselblad UK, Gary moved smoothly with the rapidly changing technologies associated with Medium Format Digital and DSLRs.  

“In 2007, life and photography have brought my family and myself to Canada.  Starting anew in another country has been an incredible experience.  From a photographic standpoint, “seeing” is what our business is all about and so the move from one vast city to one considerably smaller has been inspiring.  Discovering new areas in my photography is an ongoing passion of mine.  I hope to begin exhibiting my personal projects--past and present--in the near future.”