About Insight Productions Ltd.

John Brunton thinks TV. All the time. As the Globe and Mail writes, he “has airwaves between his ears.”

A natural-born storyteller, Brunton is now celebrating over forty years at the helm of Insight Productions Ltd. As Chairperson & CEO, Brunton’s entrepreneurial ingenuity, creative vision and passion for television have enabled him to position Insight as an industry leader in the development, financing and production of world class television programs.

As the Executive Producer of compelling dramas and documentaries, ground-breaking award shows, record-breaking comedy and variety series, sports, music and other programs across all conventional and digital platforms, Brunton has worked with some of the most talented personalities in the world.

Lindsay is an award-winning EP and Canada’s preeminent and most skilled Showrunner and Creative Producer of Live Variety, Music & Performance shows. Lindsay has produced & created Canada’s highest rated television programs & specials across multiple genres including game shows & unscripted.

As Senior Vice President at Insight Productions, Lindsay’s leadership draws on her extensive knowledge of the industry to strategize and build Insight’s long-term strategic growth objectives by driving international business development across all programming. Simultaneously, she oversees several scripted and unscripted productions, including Canada’s highest-rated and most ambitious shows, and has been recognized with dozens of awards. Lindsay has developed and produced more than 50 titles and hundreds of hours of content for all North American broadcasters across every genre.

In addition to creating and executing international formats and comedy series, Lindsay has overseen dozens of critically acclaimed and award-winning concerts and variety specials, awards shows, game shows, documentaries, and multiple large-scale studio productions. She maintains oversight of key all components including budget, creative teams, design and technical crew and oversees every facet of her productions from concept to completion.

She is a powerhouse Showrunner with a knack for spotting and cultivating top notch talent. Under Lindsay’s creative leadership, Canada’s annual music award show, The JUNO Awards, is consistently lauded for its innovation, visual storytelling, and dazzling performances. Notably, Lindsay was Showrunner for The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration – the iconic concert special seen by one in three Canadians. Renowned for her ability to assemble Canada’s biggest celebrities and musical acts, and for her passion for humanitarian causes, Lindsay has also produced several award-winning broadcast specials raising much needed funds for causes including Stronger Together, the most-watched broadcast in Canadian television history.

A visionary leader, she has a flair for creating strategic partnerships and building relationships that open doors to new opportunities between production and Insight’s partners at the networks and streamers.

AWARDS

Current Programming: The Amazing Race Canada, Top Chef Canada, Insight Integrations and Overall Development

Over the past decade at Insight, Mark has worked on a number of award-winning productions including The Amazing Race Canada – the most-watched Canadian TV show on record – on which he serves as Executive Producer and showrunner. In addition to writing, producing, and developing new formats, Mark is a member of Insight’s executive team responsible for long term strategic planning and international business development which includes Insights work in the world of gaming related programming.

Before the race Mark was at the helm of all six seasons of the ratings juggernaut Canadian Idol and was instrumental in the adaptation of the worldwide Idol franchise for the Canadian marketplace.  He also worked with Food Network Canada to bring  NBC Universal’s Top Chef franchise to Canada and continues to oversee the series as Executive Producer.

In addition to the regular series work Mark is known for his original and award-winning branded content. His ability to harmonize a client’s marketing strategy with the priorities of a show’s narrative results in dynamic, memorable opportunities for some of the world’s most recognizable brands.

Select Credits: – The Amazing Race Canada (CTV); Top Chef Canada (Food Network); Canada’s Got Talent (Citytv); Canada Sings!(Global TV); Canadian Idol (CTV); World Idol (CTV); Instant Star: Backstage Pass (Noggin),Battle of the Blades (CBC); Deal or No Deal Canada (Global TV)

Selected Awards:  – 11 x CSA Award Winner for his writing and producing work on The Amazing Race Canada, 7 x Golden Screen Award winner for The Amazing Race Canada, 3 x Golden Sheaf Award Winner for The Amazing Race Canada

Current Programming: Big Brother Canada, Sarah’s Mountain Escape, Cook At All Costs and overall development.

Erin Brock has embraced her passion for storytelling at Insight for over twenty years, helming some of Canada’s highest rated reality, lifestyle & documentary series. As a Senior Vice President and Showrunner, Erin makes sure riveting stories and compelling characters are at the heart of all her shows. In addition to both her development and production responsibilities, Erin is a member of Insight’s executive leadership team responsible for long term strategic planning and international business development..

Erin acts as the Executive Producer and Showrunner across multiple projects at Insight. Most recently Brock has completed 2 massive series, LOL Canada for Amazon Prime & Big Brother Canada (#1 Canadian Show in 18-49 demo) which is now entering an unprecedented 11^th season. Erin has spearheaded the multi-platform ground-breaking hit series since its launch in 2012. Global’s Big Brother Canada continues to dominate in its timeslot on multiple platforms, broadcasting 3 nights a week as well as 24/7 on the live feeds. Before moving over to Global in season 3, Big Brother Canada launched on Slice and was the most-watched reality program of all-time across all specialty channels in Canada. Brock’s focus on creating unique and innovative cross-platform engagement and social media opportunities resulted in record-breaking page views for broadcaster Corus Studios.

Erin recently developed and Executive Produced a new Netflix cooking competition series titled, Cook at all Costs, a format where home cooks bid on ingredients to create dishes that will impress celebrity chef guest judges. She also recently helmed a new original series for HGTV, Sarah’s Mountain Escape, a 10-part docu-series that follows Canadian Designer Sarah Richardson & her husband Alex in Whistler as they take on their biggest renovation to date. Also, in the factual & lifestyle genre, Erin oversaw I Do, Redo (most watched new lifestyle show in Canada) as Executive Producer and Showrunner. She also acted as Executive Producer on the COVID-19 fundraising special Canada Stronger Together (most watched Canadian non-sports show on record) that raised over 8 million dollars for Food Banks Canada.  Other credits include Co-Executive Producer for American Beauty Star, Insight’s original format Canada Sings! and Executive Producer on Battle of The Blades (highest rated original format in Canadian history).

Selected Credits – Cook at all Costs (Netflix), Sarah’s Mountain Escape (HGTV), LOL Canada (Amazon Prime), Big Brother Canada (Global), Canada Stronger Together (CTV, CBC, Global 7 Rogers), I Do, Redo (CTV & Netflix), Battle of the Blades (CBC), American Beauty Star (Lifetime), Canada Sings (Global), Canadian Idol (CTV), The Juno Awards (multiple years CBC, CTV), Music without Borders (multi-network), Open Mic with Mike Bullard (The Comedy Network), Star Racer (Discovery).

Rahmiel oversees the company’s corporate operations, production financing and business/legal affairs. He is also heavily involved in long-term strategic planning and analyzing revenue-generating opportunities for the company. Rahmiel reports directly to CEO John Brunton.

In 2013, Rahmiel joined Insight in the role of Manager, Business and Legal Affairs. Prior to joining Insight, Rahmiel was Legal Counsel at Entertainment One and Astral Media.

Rahmiel holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 2009. While attending law school, he published an article in the St. Thomas Law Review entitled Sampling: Musical Authorship Out of Tune with the Purpose of the American Copyright Regime. He is also a graduate of the Second City (Toronto) Improvisation Program.

As VP of Finance, Susy oversees all aspects of production finance; manages corporate financial reporting, tax compliance, and human resources; and is a member of Insight’s executive team responsible for long term strategic planning and international business development. Susy joined Insight in 2014.

Susy began her career in television in 2001 working at multiple broadcasters.  Prior to joining Insight, Susy worked at Teletoon Canada for eight years as Director, Finance where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of Teletoon’s financial affairs.  Prior to that, she worked at various small and medium market radio stations in southern Ontario and was a key member of the management teams.  Susy received her Certified General Accountant designation in 2006.

Alex is responsible managing contractual relationships for Insight, ensuring compliance with broadcaster, funding agency, and tax credit requirements, and for negotiating broadcast licensing agreements. Alex also assists the scripted department with acquiring intellectual property rights. Alex trained at a national full-service firm and practiced commercial litigation at a mid-sized Toronto firm before joining Insight as legal counsel.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toronto Law School. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 2014 and has published articles on a wide variety of legal and regulatory issues.

Pippa serves as Director of Legal Affairs at Insight Productions, where she oversees the company’s contractual relationships. Working closely with the Business Affairs Team, Pippa ensures compliance with broadcaster guidelines, funding agency mandates, and tax credit requirements for each of Insight’s projects.

Prior to joining Insight, Pippa was Legal Counsel at one of the largest advisory and accounting firms in Canada. Previously, Pippa maintained a general litigation practice at a top national law firm, with an emphasis on privacy law, professional liability, and commercial disputes with a particular focus on media industries.

Pippa also has a unique passion and enthusiasm for television and film, having graduated from Canada’s National Ballet School and pursuing a career as an actor for several years prior to attending law school.

Pippa holds an Honours Degree in English and Theatre from the University of Toronto, and a Juris Doctorate from Western Law School. She was called to the bar in 2020.

Current Programming: Top Chef Canada; Wall of Chefs; Big Brother Canada; various projects in development.

For more than 20 years, Eric has used his creativity and passion for telling character-driven stories on Canada’s highest-rated reality shows and documentaries. As a bilingual Executive Producer at Insight Productions, Eric helped launch and produce hits The Amazing Race Canada (the most-watched Canadian series on record), Big Brother Canada (#1 Canadian show in 18-49), and Project Runway Canada. Eric is currently the EP and showrunner on Top Chef Canada (#2 Show on Food Network Canada) which this year received three Canadian Screen Award nominations including Best Reality / Competition and is now heading into its ninth season. Most recently, Eric was the Executive Producer and showrunner on a brand new series called Wall of Chefs where he helped develop and launch the brand new prime time flagship series for Food Network Canada. In addition to producing, Eric now counts series development among his responsibilities at Insight.

Eric began his career in television as a picture editor where his storytelling muscles were flexed on captivating documentaries as well as reality and lifestyle shows, including So You Think You Can Dance Canada, which earned him a Gemini nomination. In 2006, Eric made the transition from editing to producing.

Past Programming: The Amazing Race Canada (CTV), Project Runway Canada (Global); Canada’s Got Talent (Citytv), So You Think You Can Dance Canada

Tanya joined the Insight team in 2005. After graduating from The University of London in England it is Insight that gave Tanya her master’s degree in all things TV. With her experience as an actor at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Tanya was able to find a home for both her creative intuition and hone her skills at the business of production. Starting as an Office Coordinator Tanya had the opportunity to learn from the range of specialties required to produce successful Television; whether in office, on set, in the editing room or supporting in Business Affairs she quickly found her passion lay in Development. Responsible for managing all Development at Insight from scripted, unscripted, comedy and variety, Tanya is excited to expand and further enrich on the already exceptional programming Insight offers.

As a writer, creator and Executive Producer, John is involved in the development and production of programming in all genres, from reality and documentary to scripted series and movies. His recent feature documentary, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, directed by Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni, premiered to critical acclaim at Hot Docs 2019 where it won the Top 20 Audience Award.  In 2015, his feature documentary, How To Change The World (Sky, Bell Media, Netflix) about the origin story of Greenpeace, directed by Jerry Rothwell and co-produced with Met Films in the U.K., was selected Day One World Documentary at Sundance 2015.

On the scripted front,  John co-created and co- produced Falcon Beach, a one-hour drama series for Global Television and ABC Family which sold into  115 countries worldwide. Recent productions include Damaged, a digital  thriller directed by Richard Rotter and produced in partnership with Yellow Bear Studios (T+E, Escapade Media). On his current development slate are We Remain, a scripted serialized procedural written by Jeff Barnaby (CBC), Untitled Greenpeace Series, a drama series based on the adventures of Greenpeace co-founder, Robert Hunter (developed in partnership with Participant Media), Serial City a police procedural created by Kim Clements (CSI:NY, The Black Donellys, The Shield) and Paddle To The Amazon, a scripted feature film based on the 1987 bestseller by Don Starkell about the author’s 12,000 mile canoe trip from Winnipeg to Belém, Brazil.

John also serves as Executive Producer of the one-hour documentary series Intervention Canada (T+E, A&E) now in its fifth season.

In her role as Vice President & Executive Producer at Insight, Shannon skillfully combines her creative talents with keen business acumen. In 2015, Shannon launched the company’s Los Angeles office to spearhead growth into the U.S. marketplace and is responsible for its infrastructure and daily operations, along with helping to plan, strategize and implement overall U.S. creative and business development.  Dividing her time between Los Angeles and Toronto, Shannon works in both scripted and unscripted, and is the driving force behind the creation, development, financing and production of a slate of original projects for multiple platforms for the U.S., Canadian and International markets.

Shannon co-created and produced the one-hour prime-time drama series Falcon Beach for ABC Family and Global Television which has sold to over 115 territories worldwide. The series and its associated digital extension earned Shannon a Gemini nomination for Best Cross Platform Project. Other credits include the comedy special A Russell Peters’ Christmas which was the highest rated original Christmas special on Canadian television in 16 years and CTV’s most-watched Canadian holiday special of all time; the one-hour suspense drama Sabbatical for CTV; the comedy series The Jon Dore Television Show for The Comedy Network and IFC; Bell Media’s first digital original Joke or Choke, a half-hour comedy competition series co-produced with Howie Mandel; and the multi-award winning comedy series But I’m Chris Jericho! for CBC.

Shannon earlier served as Co-Director of Drama Development and Business Affairs working on numerous Insight shows including Canadian Idol for CTV, The JUNO Awards for CTV and Sponk! for Noggin.

Jessica worked as a freelancer for Insight for many years before coming on board corporately in 2013. Over the past 15 years she’s worked in a variety of positions on shows such as Canadian Idol, Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader Canada, The JUNO Awards, Canada’s Walk of Fame, Deal or No Deal Canada, Battle of the Blades, Canada’s Got Talent and is currently operating as the Line Producer for both Top Chef Canada and Big Brother Canada. As the Manager of Production Jessica assists producers from the development stage of a project managing every facet of production from staff and budgets through to Post overseeing deliverables and managing production relations.

Paul joined Insight in 2018.  Paul is responsible for overall financial reporting, accounting, financial planning & analysis, production finance and tax compliance.  Working closely with Producers and Business Affairs, Paul prepares finance plans for Insight’s full production slate and helps to ensure financial objectives are being met.

Prior to joining Insight, Paul worked at several independent production companies amassing a considerable amount of experience in media and entertainment finance.

Paul is a CPA and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from York University.

The love of television and all things media is what led Anthony to join Insight Productions in 2007. His early experience working in production fostered his rise to his current role where he oversees Insight’s marketing, sales and branded content initiatives. Anthony has worked alongside hundreds of globally recognized brands, agencies and networks, providing compelling and unique opportunities for Insight’s brand partners.

Anthony understands the ever-evolving landscape of media, and the desire for marketers to integrate their brands into Insight’s digital and conventional programming. His nuanced understanding of what brands want allows him to help advertisers deliver results through Insight’s top-quality programming. His most recent work includes the award-winning branded content integrations in The Amazing Race Canada, Big Brother Canada, Top Chef Canada, The JUNO Awards, Battle of the Blades, The Ultimate Challenge Canada, Sarah’s Mountain Escape and The Legacy Awards. He is also involved in a growing roster of productions currently in development.

As Director of Business Affairs at Insight Productions, Brett oversees day-to-day business affairs operations for each of Insight’s projects from development to production and final delivery stages, including tax credits, insurance, guild obligations and interim financing.

Brett holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law with a Concentration in Business Law from Carleton University.

Prior to joining Insight in 2011, he gained experience in the insurance industry before taking an internship in music publishing to learn more about the business. Brett strives to work closely with producers and stakeholders at every level with a core philosophy of using his skills and experience to achieve the creative vision of Insight and its many partners.

Greg brings over 15 years of experience in content production and has been an essential member of the Insight team. As the Media Manager, Greg excels in managing operational functions and overseeing both digital and physical assets, ensuring smooth and efficient workflows.

In his role as a Challenge Producer on The Amazing Race Canada and Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, Greg is responsible for creating and managing innovative challenges that engage audiences and enhance the production value. Additionally, he has played a vital role in shaping the social media strategies for several high-profile productions, including Big Brother Canada, Never Ever Do This At Home, Canada Sings, and The Amazing Race Canada.

Greg’s expertise in developing and implementing digital strategies empowers broadcasters, producers, and developers to deliver unique and compelling digital experiences.

Jordan Rudder is equally passionate about inspired storytelling and creating meaningful, inclusive, diverse content. She began her career at Insight in 2012 as a freelance production assistant on Top Chef Canada. Her work ethic, managerial skills, and determination led to a full-time position at Insight in 2014. Since then, Jordan has worked in production and on sponsorship, digital content creation, and development projects across multiple shows. Her credits include Top Chef Canada; Canada’s Walk of Fame; Battle of the Blades; Canada’s Got Talent; Big Brother Canada; and Canada’s New Year’s Eve Countdown. In 2022, she expanded her portfolio to include talent producing on The JUNO Awards and producing on The Legacy Awards. In a highly competitive selection process, Jordan was recently chosen to be one of five participants in the Realscreen Pathways Mentorship Program. Paired with an industry mentor, Jordan attended the Realscreen Summit, where she gained invaluable knowledge and industry contacts. Jordan aspires to continue honing her skills as a producer on live telecasts and unscripted programming.

Before joining the corporate team in 2018, Alicia worked as a freelancer on a variety of Insight’s top rated reality shows. Most recently she’s become an instrumental part of the Brand Partnerships and Development department working alongside the Executive Producers and production teams on several award-winning branded content integrations on Big Brother Canada, The Amazing Race Canada, Battle of the Blades, Top Chef Canada and The JUNO Awards. Her passion for television extends to so many facets of her work and her meticulous dedication to everything is shown by the countless roles she is able to juggle at any given time – managing relationships with brands, agencies, networks, producers, and clients across the board. Her boundless desire to learn and grow has led her to some of her own initiatives including expanding her job to include Production Management and Producing for digital content such as Youngster, Boat Rocker Digital, and SpeedRun.