Wild bear REscue

The little series that could
PRODUCED BY Omnifilm Entertainment

May 2016, Omnifilm Entertainment contracted me to show-run Wild Bear Rescue, their new documentary series for Animal Planet. Under the guidance of Executive Producer David Gullason, my challenge was to produce a high quality documentary series with just a fraction of the budget I’d been used to working on other factual series.  My son Nick and I invested in professional 4K-camera gear and set off to a wildlife shelter in Northern BC that specialized in rehabilitating orphaned bear cubs. Very quickly Nick’s incredible camera work established the look for the series, and he became the Director of Photography for the series. I directed and shot alongside Nick the first season, then the next two seasons we brought two other great camera operators to help us film bear releases. As the series showrunner, I had the pleasure of working with a small, but highly talented postproduction team to shape a series, that’s been lauded for its beauty, authenticity, and gripping animal stories.  Wild Bear Rescue has gone on to be broadcast in Canada by Knowledge Network, Animal Planet and Discovery. It’s been sold Animal Planet US and to many other broadcasters around the world. 

Highway Thru Hell - Great Pacific TV

Brad wrote, directed, and shot on four seasons of "Highway Thru Hell", a documentary series following Jamie Davis' towing company based out of Hope, B.C. and Fort McMurray, Alberta. Notoriously bad road and weather conditions make for busy and dangerous work. "It was also a very interesting series to film as you  are called out in the worst weather to shoot on the edge of slick icey highway with traffic rolling by, where there has just been a dramatic accident". The series was created and produced by Great Pacific TV, with record breaking viewership on Canada's  Discovery Channel.  It has been sold worldwide. 

Ice Pilots - OmniFilm Productions

Brad directed four seasons of "Ice Pilots NWT", a documentary series on bush pilots based out of the Northwest Territories, in northern Canada. "Filming in Yellowknife during  the winter with the Buffalo Airways crew, and flying around in vintage WWII aircraft and filming rookie pilots was both terrifying and exhilarating." The series was created and produced by Omni Films and broadcast on History Channel here in Canada and numerous countries worldwide.  

Pyros - OmniFilm productions

Pyros followed Montreal based pyrotechnic company Groupe Fiatlux-Ampleman (GFA) as they travelled around the world putting on amazing fireworks displays. "Traveling and filming huge celebrations in France, Germany, England, China, Chile, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and Quebec, with the terrific people at GFA, was among the enjoyable productions I have ever participated in".  Pyros was made for Discovery Channel Canada, but aired in over 120 countries worldwide. 

THE DOLPHIN DEALER (2008)

CREATED, WRITTEN, & DIRECTED BY BRAD QUENVILLE

PRODUCED BY OMNIFILMS

The Dolphin Dealer tells the story of a former dolphin trainer turned dolphin trader, Chris Porter, who went to the remote Solomon Islands where locals hunt dolphins and use their teeth for currency to buy brides. As a lucrative alternative to killing them, Porter began trading live dolphins to overseas dolphin resorts. Though caught up in a storm of controversy with dolphin campaigners like Ric O'Barry (The Cove)  trying to shut him down, Porter provided full access to his captive dolphin operation.  Porter’s only condition was that as well as telling the animal rights and environmentalist’s points of view, that he also be allowed to tell his side of the story.  It took five years and self-financing shoots in the Solomon Islands, but eventually with the support of Omni Films, this documentary was picked up to launch CBC’s flagship documentary series, Doc Zone.

CONSUMED - PAPERNY ENTERTAINMENT

Consumed challenged hoarding families to clear their clutter and survive thirty days with only the bare essentials. The family itself would decide which of their possessions they truly needed and which would be donated. "This was a very challenging to direct, because each month we went into a family's home and captured the dramatic upheaval as we purged them of their hoarder-like quantities of clutter and then renovated  their homes."   Consumed was produced by Paperny Entertainment and aired on HGTV.  

VANITY INSANITY - INSIGHT FILMS

For Brad, directing and story editing Insight Film’s “Vanity Insanity” series was some of the most bizarre he's had in this business.  Shooting in New York Fashion Week, interviewing Hugh Hefner at the Playboy mansion about the history of the bikini, and filming some very dramatic surgery with America’s top plastic surgeons  "The challenge in this series was to capture the human stories behind these drastic body modifications in a sensitive and empathetic manner".  Vanity Insanity was produced by Insight Films for Global TV. 

STUNT DAWGS - OMNI FILM PRODUCTIONS

Brad wrote and directed six of the thirteen episodes of Stuntdawgs, a documentary series led by Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double, and true Terminator, Peter Kent. Peter and his team of stunt professionals recreated Hollywood stunts in order for the public to understand the meticulous preparation and execution involved behind the scenes of their favourite blockbuster hits. "The most terrifying day of my directing career was during the recreation of Terminator motorcycle jump, when Peter Kent was almost thrown off a motorcycle suspended 90 feet above a rock quarry and then later the same day, a car rigged with explosives and drums of fuel inexplicably exploded 3 minutes before it was supposed to putting stuntmen and film crew in jeopardy". The series was produced by Omni Films for Movie Central. 

FALL OUT! (2002)

CREATED, WRITTEN, & DIRECTED BY BRAD QUENVILLE

PRODUCED BY FORCE FOUR PRODUCTIONS

“Fall Out!” is a documentary which Brad Quenville created, directed and wrote for CBC’s Roughcuts series telling the story the disbanding of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. It profiles Mike Smith, a former elite soldier, who was so broken by the break-up of his beloved regiment, that he quit the military to get a degree in journalism, just so he could tell this story. The documentary also features former Airborne members including the last interview  with whistleblower, Kyle Brown about the fateful night when Shidane Arone was murdered.

IN BJOSSA'S WAKE (2002)

CREATED, CO-WRITTEN, & DIRECTED BY BRAD QUENVILLE

PRODUCED BY FORCE FOUR PRODUCTIONS

"In Bjossa's Wake" explores the shades of grey behind the black and white controversy over moving Vancouver Aquarium's last killer whale. The documentary goes behind the scenes of the Vancouver Aquarium, following staff as they prepare to send away their companion and star attraction, Bjossa, to Seaworld in San Diego.  The documentary also follows the efforts of the animal rights campaigners,  pressing to have Bjossa moved to a sea-pen.  The story comes to a dramatic head the night Bjossa is lifted by crane out of her pool to be trucked away. 

INNOCENT TRICKS (2000)

CREATED, WRITTEN, & DIRECTED BY BRAD QUENVILLE

PRODUCED BY FORCE FOUR PRODUCTIONS

“Innocent Tricks” was Brad's first CBC Roughcuts documentary, which he created and directed for Force Four Productions.  It features terrific imagery shot by DOP Todd Craddock, great editing by Daan Cramer and music by award winning composer Dennis Burke. The story focuses on two unlikely candidates for the sex trade: Jen, a star student and athlete who came from a good caring family, and Chantal, a 14 year old teen from a strict religious family, who pimped off her young friends in the Vancouver's downtown eastside. The documentary was selected for the Hot Docs Film Festival.