About jethro


Jordan McTavish (jethro)
Sole-Proprietor, SymmetryFilms

Veteran media maker.
Generalist content creator.
Writer, administrator, educator.

Bio

I developed a passion for media making at a young age. Using VHS in the 1990s, I made skate and snowboard videos, proto-vlogs, and satirical short films, and I continue to make media 30 years later.

After a film degree, a diploma, a certificate and comprehensive technical training, I launched SymmetryFilms in 2007 to offer low-cost alternative video productions to independent filmmakers, not-for profit organizations, and small-scale businesses.

Since then I have produced 300+ videos for broadcast television, film and video festivals, internal training purposes, awards shows, weddings, and web series.

In 2016, I formed a production partnership with Back Lane Studios, a not-for-profit arts hub in west Toronto. I designed and outfitted a production studio as Technical Director. I developed and facilitated dozens of youth workshops, co-developed a media training program for seniors where we produced dozens of short documentaries and held a regular screening series at the Revue Cinema.

I thrive when using technology creatively, and in the inherent collaboration behind every project. I always aim to achieve the highest possible production standard, so I can look back at my body of work with few regrets. Because of my experience, I am a versatile film and video expert with an adaptable skill set; I have extensive experience in leadership roles on dozens of projects; I am broadly resourceful technically; I am an organized administrator including scheduling, personnel and logistics.

With the growing potential in augmented and virtual reality, I am deeply motivated to grow as a media maker, to create innovative and collaborative content, and to offer new experiences to audiences worldwide.

Things I do well…

Research and development for promotional, informational, documentary & dramatic concepts.

Team with community organizations to produce low-cost, high-impact media.

Prepare budgets, source financing from public and private sources.

Manage deadlines and deliverables, schedules, logistics, bookings.

Research best practices, legal cornucopia, copyright and digital rights management.

Produce independent short films, music videos, and promos.

Lead production meetings, liaise with co-producers, clients and executives.

Administer union and guild documents, purchase orders, filing, data entry.

Brand projects through social media engagement, marketing and networking.

Create, collaborate, share, repeat.

EDUCATION

CENTENNIAL COLLEGE, TORONTO
Diploma (Honours) – Independent Television Producer
An intensive curriculum of entrepreneurial development including: formation of an independent production company, marketing, budgeting, networking and pitching.

CARLETON UNIVERSITY, OTTAWA
Bachelor’s Degree – Film Studies Major
A comprehensive study of cinema history, theory and critique, combined with practicum in film production and diverse elective study.

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE, OTTAWA
Post-Graduate Diploma (Honours) – Scriptwriting
Practical scriptwriting program for film and television including: proposal writing, pitching to executives, research & development, scriptwriting, extensive rewrites.

LIAISON OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS OF TORONTO (LIFT)
Workshop – Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut Studio
Specialised post-production workshops covering ingesting and logging, rough cut, fine cut, final cut, conforming and exporting.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Post-Production Coordinator
Banger Films
(2022-2023)

Technical Director and Workshop Facilitator
Back Lane Studio
(2016 – 2020)

Workshop Facilitator
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
(2015)