WHO WE ARE
When a series of movies were shot in the rolling fields and old growth forests of the Cowichan Valley, it shed new light on the immense talent and ingenuity sheltered in its unassuming communities. When we experienced that artistic convergence, we never wanted it to end.
That’s why we formed Empress Avenue Media: A collective of prolific writers, visual magicians and tech-savvy problem-solvers, using cutting-edge tools to breath new life into age-old stories. Under the veil of this rural oasis, Empress is a hive of activity, with an ensemble cast of creatives.
Our promise is our people
EMREY WRIGHT
Producer, Operations Manager
Emrey Wright co-founded Empress with Joseph Boutilier in 2018, building on over ten years of experience in the entertainment industry as a TV producer, project manager and 1st AD. After mentoring with prolific Canadian producer/director David DeCoteau, Wright’s work has been featured extensively on American networks including Sci-Fi, ION and Lifetime, as well as in festivals and on leading digital platforms worldwide. With Empress Avenue, Emrey is honoured for the opportunity to use his intuition and business savvy to bring to life brave stories from strong new voices.
JOSEPH BOUTILIER
producer, creative director
Before co-founding Empress, Joseph worked in the film and television industry in a variety of roles including 1st Assistant Director and Cinematographer for TV series and movies including Runaway Christmas Bride (2017), New Year’s Kiss (2019) and Honeymoon in Paradise (2020). Before his involvement in the film industry, Joseph worked as a graphic designer, senior social media game designer and political communciations officer. Boutilier is an honours graduate of the Vancouver Film School’s Digital Design program, and currently serves as Producer and Creative Director for Empress Avenue Media.
Mia Golden
Producer, Development Coordinator
Mia Golden has worked as a producer, director, writer and actor on dozens of independent media projects. She served as Associate Producer on the cult Canadian comedy feature Jackhammer (2013) featuring Robb Wells, Nicole Sullivan, Jamie Kennedy and Pamela Anderson. Golden also served as producer and co-host of the 2017 TV series Girls on Grapes and co-produced the short documentary Penny Girl in 2019. Mia is currently developing a feature film and several factual series for Canadian distribution. Outside of film, Mia directed family and youth counselling and intervention programs for over 20 years.
Dennis Hughes
Lead web Developer
Josh Terry-Brand
Lead Video Editor
Luisa Dumas
Graphic Designer
Luisa holds a diploma in Interactive Media Design and a Bachelor of Music, and has independent film credits as a composer and sound designer as well as graphic artist and animator. While not dabbling in the world of audio, Luisa can be found painting, illustrating and doing graphic design work for a broad array of applications, digital and print alike.
Camilla Sampaio
Senior video Editor, Motion Graphics Animator
Milla is a Brazilian-born multimedia artist, sewing together video, audio, and graphics in a wide range of creative projects. Milla has extensive film theory knowledge and revels in the concept development process. Her first short film, Rez, was celebrated at numerous film festivals. Dell, Royal Canin, and Toyota are among the brands included in her portfolio. Milla is an animal and social activist who loves cooking, heavy metal, writing, and reading about fantastic journeys in galaxies far, far away.
Ben LaBarre
videographer & editor
Ben LaBarre has worked on various independent films and music videos in a number of roles ranging from Grip to Production Manager to Digital Imaging Technician. Primarily Working in post production, Ben has valuable experience with editing web content for several high-traffic YouTube channels and websites which have demanded quick output. Ben is passionate about his work and excited to explore new challenges in his role with Empress Avenue Media.
Sarah Dicken
creative manager & editor
Sarah has diverse experience managing people and projects and acts as Creative Manager at Empress Avenue Media. She has been writing and editing for nearly 20 years, creating engaging content for a wide range of clients across a variety of industries. With a passion for compelling storytelling and a knack for crafting impactful brand messaging, Sarah is adept at finding creative solutions to any marketing challenge. Prior to joining the team at Empress, Sarah ran her own yoga business, wellness blog, and YouTube channel, while also providing writing services to clients in the wellness industry.
Aixa
President of Everything
Aixa rules the roost at Empress Avenue Media. She might seem a bit reserved at first, but give her a belly rub and you’ll be under her spell forever.