Johnathan Brownlee

The founder of Torfoot Studios, Johnathan Brownlee is an award-winning Canadian / American director, writer, producer and actor with a diverse international body of work including feature films, documentaries, episodic and digital content.

Johnathan is “genre agnostic.” His projects include dramatic features such as Decoding Annie Parker, The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, Occupy Texas and Three Days in August…horror comedy features such as Puppet Master and Satanic Panic and episodic content such as the home renovation show, Johnathan Brownlee’s atHome, and Mi Vida, which earned Torfoot a total of 32 Telly Awards – 11 for directing.

A big believer in giving back, Johnathan recently served as CEO and President of the nonprofit 501(c)3 Dallas Film and Executive Director of the Dallas International Film Festival, where he co-created the Veterans Institute for Film & Media (VIFM), a hands-on training program for honorably discharged veterans. He also served on the Community Board for First Credit Union as Vice Chair and as the Los Angeles representative for the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

​Johnathan’s  taught, lectured or consulted at some of the most respected institutions, including Harvard, Vancouver Film School, LA Film School, NYU, University of Toronto and the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Arts in Dallas, TX.

Creative Partners

Johnathan is supported by experienced professionals covering every discipline, from which he assembles the perfect team for each project. Here are some brief introductions to a few of the key players.
Ideaman Studios
Helmed by David Maddox, Ideaman Studios is a one-stop shop for many projects. Johnathan drinks more coffee here than any other studio in Dallas.
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Alter Ego
This is one of the truly great post-production companies. Based in Toronto, Canada, they are Johnathan’s go-to collaborators when it comes to developing a color palette for a project. As he says, “They’re my Canadian brothers and sisters, although I first met the owner at a swim at bar in Mexico (don’t ask).”
More

Creative Partners

Johnathan is supported by experienced professionals covering every discipline, from which he assembles the perfect team for each project. Here are some brief introductions to a few of the key players.

Ideaman Studios

Helmed by David Maddox, Ideaman Studios is a one-stop shop for many projects. Johnathan drinks more coffee here than any other studio in Dallas.
More

Alter Ego

This is one of the truly great post-production companies. Based in Toronto, Canada, they are Johnathan’s go-to collaborators when it comes to developing a color palette for a project. As he says, “They’re my Canadian brothers and sisters, although I first met the owner at a swim at bar in Mexico (don’t ask).”
More

Working in Texas

Headquartered in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, Torfoot takes advantage of one of the country’s largest business hubs and an expanding entertainment community – or, as Johnathan puts it, “The Center of Modern Entertainment.” The Lone Star State has always been production-friendly and overflowing with talented professionals. From The Last Picture Show and Giant to Bernie and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure to, most recently, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, 1883, and Bass Reeves, Texas is open and ready for business. And with two major airports in our backyard, we can – and we do – go all over the planet looking for great locations for our projects.