JAY FIRESTONE

Executive Producer

Jay Firestone heads up Prodigy Pictures, an emerging leader in the production of quality film, television and cross-platform media. Its credits include the critically acclaimed feature Stuck and the television mini-series XIII, broadcast on Canwest and NBC. Prodigy just completed production of the first season of Lost Girl, a new series for Showcase Television, and is heading into production on XIII-The Series, a Franco-Canadian co-production. The company has several feature film and television projects in development, including William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and Weapon, in partnership with Studio 37.

Previously, Firestone established Fireworks Entertainment in 1996 to produce, distribute and finance television programs and feature films. Fireworks Entertainment was later acquired by CanWest Global Communications in 1998. Firestone continued on to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until his departure in 2003. During this time, Fireworks was responsible for such films as “Rules of Engagement,” “Rat Race,” “Hardball, and “The Believer”, which received the Grand Jury Award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Firestone also oversaw the company's interest in New York-based IDP Distribution, an independent distribution and marketing company formed by Fireworks in 2000 as a joint venture with Samuel Goldwyn Films of Los Angeles and Carl Icahn's Stratosphere Entertainment of New York.

Prior to forming Fireworks, Firestone was a founder and Vice Chairman of Alliance Communications Corporation, and is widely regarded as a key contributor to the company's impressive growth.

Over the course of his career, Firestone has served as producer for numerous television series and feature films and has garnered a number of industry awards, including a Gemini for “Reboot,” ABC's first CGI animated series, and Chrysler Canada's People's Choice Award for “La Femme Nikita.” Firestone was also nominated for Entrepreneur of the Year in 1998.