Director's Notes
Welcome to the web page of David Hoffert. Here you will find an overview of my directing career, which I will continue to update as time goes on, including my resumé and video clips.
I have directed two hundred episodes of various television series, including Canada Sings!, Style by Jury, Party Mamas, My House Your Money, Designer Guys, Made to Order, The Wilkinsons and many more. Along the way, I have been nominated for three Gemini Awards (including Best Direction in a Reality Series) and won six international awards for the NFB feature documentary OCD: The War Inside. I am currently producing and directing a documentary about Leo Spellman, a Holocaust survivor who composed a powerful and haunting Rhapsody about his experiences during the war.
On top of that, I have edited close to one hundred episodes of series television. In the field of music, I produced the first recordings of the Beastie Boys, co-wrote the theme for CityPulse News and CP24, and composed scores for several TV series, specials and theatrical plays (highlighted by a Dora Award nomination for Valley Song).
But my favorite production is always the one I am about to start next!
I have directed two hundred episodes of various television series, including Canada Sings!, Style by Jury, Party Mamas, My House Your Money, Designer Guys, Made to Order, The Wilkinsons and many more. Along the way, I have been nominated for three Gemini Awards (including Best Direction in a Reality Series) and won six international awards for the NFB feature documentary OCD: The War Inside. I am currently producing and directing a documentary about Leo Spellman, a Holocaust survivor who composed a powerful and haunting Rhapsody about his experiences during the war.
On top of that, I have edited close to one hundred episodes of series television. In the field of music, I produced the first recordings of the Beastie Boys, co-wrote the theme for CityPulse News and CP24, and composed scores for several TV series, specials and theatrical plays (highlighted by a Dora Award nomination for Valley Song).
But my favorite production is always the one I am about to start next!
The Lost Rhapsody of Leo Spellman
I am currently producing and directing a documentary about Leo Spellman, a 99 year old Holocaust survivor and composer born into a musical dynasty in Poland. Like his first cousin Wladyslaw Szpilman (portrayed by Oscar winner Adrian Brody Roman Polanski's The Pianist), Leo's story is dramatic and riveting. He was shot twice, fled with his wife to the forest with the partizan underground, then hid for eighteen months with the help of a Polish student, somehow managing to cheat death time and again.
In 1947 Leo wrote Rhapsody 1939-1945, a brilliant musical depiction of his experiences escaping the Nazis. Rediscovered more than 50 years later, it finally had its Canadian premiere in 2012, with Leo and his 105 year old sister in attendance. We are currently planning the next phase of filming, which will include a trip to Poland, and are looking for investors / donors in this heartfelt and important project.
Here is a six minute teaser of this work in progress.
In 1947 Leo wrote Rhapsody 1939-1945, a brilliant musical depiction of his experiences escaping the Nazis. Rediscovered more than 50 years later, it finally had its Canadian premiere in 2012, with Leo and his 105 year old sister in attendance. We are currently planning the next phase of filming, which will include a trip to Poland, and are looking for investors / donors in this heartfelt and important project.
Here is a six minute teaser of this work in progress.
Jorel Rocks his Bar Mitzvah
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I never expected to put my home-made video of my son Jorel's Bar Mitzvah invitation on my Director's page...but it has turned into a viral video smash! Over 600,000 hits and growing every day, with major coverage in The Wall Street Journal, NBC's Today Show, The Huffington Post, the Washington Post, Canada AM, Global's 'Morning' Show, CBC News, CityNews, CP24, The Toronto Star, and much, much more. Quite unexpected...but we are thrilled!
You can find a link to the YouTube Site HERE.
You can find a link to the YouTube Site HERE.
The Canadian Screen Awards 2013
Congratulations to Insight Productions and our entire team for Canada Sings being nominated for Best Music, Variety or Sketch Comedy Series. This is one of my favourite shows I have directed, and it is always great to see our hard work paying off!
My House, Your Money
The kids are finally moving out...but their parents are putting up the money and want their say. Hilarity, drama, tension and love ensue. I have directed 33 episodes of this popular property reality show over two seasons, all across Ontario. As you can see by these crew and family photos, we managed to have some fun amidst all of the hard work.
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Gemini Awards
I have been nominated for three Gemini Awards - including Best Director of a Reality Series. Episodes of series that I have directed or edited have won or been nominated an additional 13 times.
Korby Banner, Bruce Turner, David Clemmer and I at the Gemini Awards, when I was nominated for Best Director of a Reality Show
OCD: The War Inside
I am very proud of this hard-hitting feature length NFB documentary about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The film has won six international awards, been broadcast on PBS and the Documentary Channel, and shown in film festivals around the world. I still receive emails from viewers who say it helped change their lives or open their eyes.
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The full documentary can be streamed HERE.
Here are a few clips:
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With Mark Pancer and the NFB's Silva Basmajian, accepting the Freddie Award for OCD: The War Inside
Canada Sings!
Here are some photos from the set of Canada Sings!, a singing and dancing reality show on Global TV. It's Glee meets The Office...and one of the most fun shows I have ever directed.
For FULL EPISODES of the series and more, click HERE or the LOGO below.
For FULL EPISODES of the series and more, click HERE or the LOGO below.
The Good Life 'Power Chords' ready to sing and dance!
Backstage with vocal coach Scott Henderson
Fireman Jim
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Choreographer & Firefighter for a Day - Kelly Konno
Yes...it's Vanilla Ice |
Filming at The Toronto Zoo
On a Night Like This
On the set with pop star Shawn Desman, directing a flash mob dance to his hit song Night Like This, in the Distillery District. The shoot was great fun, with about forty dancers and more than a hundred people watching on the street.
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Party Mamas
Outrageous parties thrown by larger than life women for their kids. As Oscar Wilde said, "Nothing succeeds like excess."
Another wild and wacky Party Mamas shoot in Houston. Here I am with party girl Demi and Letoya Luckett, solo artist and original Destiny's Child member. Good times.
Shooting Party Mamas with Blues great Jack de Keyzer and skateboard stars Bobby de Keyzer & Willie Santos
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Shooting a Bollywood extravaganza...elephant and all!
Here is a clip from one of my Party Mamas episodes featuring a young Alyssa Reid, before her recent Juno Nomination as New Artist of the Year. You will find another Party Mamas clip, featuring the notorious Lisa on my video clips page.
Style by Jury
I directed 46 episodes of this makeover series. Funny, touching, crazy, emotional, inspirational, life-changing. And that was just behind the scenes!
Filming on a Caribbean Cruise with host Bruce Turner. It's a tough life, but...
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We surprised our candidate with a trip to Jamaica. She had never even been on a plane before!
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With cameraman Tom Bellisario and Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin
In this clip from Style by Jury: All we wanted to do was give Indranie a beautiful makeover...and then we saw her apartment. We literally needed to call in the Crime Scene Cleaners to disinfect this space. In the end, we cleaned up her apartment and her life, and gave her a fresh start. (2:20)
Lighthouse Shines On
Lighthouse: 40 Years of Sunny Days includes a Greatest Hits CD and a 'live in the studio' DVD I directed with a seven camera shoot. All your favourites are here, including One Fine Morning, Sunny Days, Pretty Lady, 1849 and more. Highly recommended. You can get all the information you need at www.lighthouserockson.com.
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Here is the Intro to the Lighthouse Live DVD
Pure Design
I directed 13 episodes of this design series, featuring the lovely and talented Samantha Pynn. In between takes we would sing and play piano...lots of fun!
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Smober Up online
Smober Up is a web series that follows eight people as they try to stop smoking. I directed webisodes 6-8 (see if you can spot my cameo appearance at the end of episode seven!). It currently has more than 450,000 hits, and has consistently been one of the Most Viewed YouTube sponsored sites in Canada.
