LAURENCE KEANE
PRODUCER-WRITER-DIRECTOR-STORY EDITOR
August 2020 KITSILANO
Writer/Director Laurence Keane
Santa Cruz California 2000
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With producer/partner
Elvira Lount
Vancouver, Sept 2007
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Saving the world with Governor Jerry Brown Venice Beach California 1992
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FEATURE FILMS
Laurence is the President of Utopia Pictures and the writer/director of several feature films in development including ALIENS FOR JERRY, BROKEN, THE VANCOUVER MODEL, THEM, CLOUD, TAZED, THE PATHFINDERS, WEIRDOS, THE OLD CON and TAKING STOCK 2.0. He has written over 21 screenplays and moonlights as a story editor/analyst and writer-for-hire. As script analyst for Creative BC from Feb 2006 to June 2010 he analyzed over 80 scripts. He was story editor on Andrew Currie’s 2015 theatrical feature THE STEPS, written by Robyn Harding and distributed by Entertainment One and premiered at TIFF15. He was co-screenwriter on the short film GIRL ON A BUS which premiered at VIFF18. Most recently he was story editor on CLOUD STRIKER (2nd and 3rd drafts) by writer/director A.W. Hopkins (award winning feature Indian Road Trip), producers A.W. Hopkins & Andrew Currie (The Steps/FIDO). In Nov 2021 a short version of the screenplay won the 4th Annual DGC BC Emerging Greenlight Short Film Award of $100,000, cash and in-kind. |
 Big Meat Eater star Andrew Gilles and
​producer/co-writer Laurence Keane
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In a parallel universe, Laurence produced, co-wrote and co-edited the low budget sci-fi musical comedy feature BIG MEAT EATER, distributed by New Line Cinema in the US and Palace Pictures in the UK. BIG MEAT EATER was hailed as one of the best pictures of the year by British critics and has become an underground cult classic. Alas, it failed to make Laurence rich. BIG MEAT EATER was re-released on DVD in 2005 by Koch Vision/Koch Lorber. BIG MEAT EATER is now available on 2K HD BluRay via Utopia Pictures, was recently broadcast on HOLLYWOOD SUITE HD Cable TV Canada and is currently streaming on JustWatchMe.tv
On the set of SAMUEL LOUNT
Laurence directed, co-wrote, and executive produced the $2 million 35 mm dramatic feature film SAMUEL LOUNT, the story of his partner Elvira Lount's ancestor who migrated from the United States to Canada and became one of the leaders of the Canadian Rebellion of 1837. Unlike the American, the Canadian Revolution failed, and this pacifist who had embraced revolution was hanged for treason. Alas, it also failed to make Laurence rich.
SAMUEL LOUNT was produced by Moonshine Productions in association with the CBC. The film premiered at the Toronto and Seattle Film Festivals. It received five Genie nominations (Canadian Academy Awards) and has been sold worldwide. SAMUEL LOUNT is available on BluRay and DVD, was recently broadcast on HOLLYWOOD SUITE HD Cable TV and is now streaming on JustWatchMe.tv.
Laurence and his partner Elvira founded Moonshine Productions Ltd in 1983., the first publicly traded Western Canadian entertainment company. They sold the company in 1986 and used the proceeds to set up Utopia Pictures in 1987.
SAMUEL LOUNT was produced by Moonshine Productions in association with the CBC. The film premiered at the Toronto and Seattle Film Festivals. It received five Genie nominations (Canadian Academy Awards) and has been sold worldwide. SAMUEL LOUNT is available on BluRay and DVD, was recently broadcast on HOLLYWOOD SUITE HD Cable TV and is now streaming on JustWatchMe.tv.
Laurence and his partner Elvira founded Moonshine Productions Ltd in 1983., the first publicly traded Western Canadian entertainment company. They sold the company in 1986 and used the proceeds to set up Utopia Pictures in 1987.
The Talented Mr. Keane,
Italian Riviera,
Cannes 1987
DOCUMENTARIES, SHORTS & MEDIA
In a previous life, Laurence wrote, directed and edited documentaries, TV pilots, and short comedies, including CAMPUS CARNAGE, ROOF MAN and THE CAR SHOW.
To supplement his lifestyle, (ie pay the rent), Laurence has been known to moonlight as a story editor/analyst, writer-for-hire, newspaper publisher/ photographer and a book editor.
After graduation from the Simon Fraser film workshop he also gained valuable experience washing Ventian blinds as a production assistant at the National Film Board of Canada.
EDUCATION & INTERESTS
Laurence has a BA in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of British Columbia, is a graduate of the Simon Fraser University Film Workshop and was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in Motion Picture Business and Production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinema in Los Angeles. Much to his amazement, he graduated in 1977 at the top of his class, on the Dean's List.
In a previous life, Laurence wrote, directed and edited documentaries, TV pilots, and short comedies, including CAMPUS CARNAGE, ROOF MAN and THE CAR SHOW.
To supplement his lifestyle, (ie pay the rent), Laurence has been known to moonlight as a story editor/analyst, writer-for-hire, newspaper publisher/ photographer and a book editor.
After graduation from the Simon Fraser film workshop he also gained valuable experience washing Ventian blinds as a production assistant at the National Film Board of Canada.
EDUCATION & INTERESTS
Laurence has a BA in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of British Columbia, is a graduate of the Simon Fraser University Film Workshop and was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in Motion Picture Business and Production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinema in Los Angeles. Much to his amazement, he graduated in 1977 at the top of his class, on the Dean's List.
POLITICS
Majoring in Political Science, Laurence has naturally had a continuing interest in the political process and the use and abuse of power. He briefly assisted with Vancouver Mayor Mike Harcourt's successful candidacy for Premier of British Columbia in October 1991 and spent much of 1992 as a volunteer on former California Governor Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown's US Presidential Campaign as a grassroots co-ordinator for the states of Washinton, Oregon, Idaho and New Mexico. Both Laurence and Elvira attended the Democratic National Convention in New York in July 1992 as the "Jerry Brown Video Crew" contributing to a television documentary about Jerry, broadcast nationally in the US. Jerry went on to become Mayor of Oakland from 1998-2006 and Attorney General of California in 2007 and served another two more terms as Governor of California from 2011 to 2019. Laurence and Elvira are currently developing a feature film ALIENS FOR JERRY, based on her diaries from working on the 1992 Brown For President campaign.
Majoring in Political Science, Laurence has naturally had a continuing interest in the political process and the use and abuse of power. He briefly assisted with Vancouver Mayor Mike Harcourt's successful candidacy for Premier of British Columbia in October 1991 and spent much of 1992 as a volunteer on former California Governor Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown's US Presidential Campaign as a grassroots co-ordinator for the states of Washinton, Oregon, Idaho and New Mexico. Both Laurence and Elvira attended the Democratic National Convention in New York in July 1992 as the "Jerry Brown Video Crew" contributing to a television documentary about Jerry, broadcast nationally in the US. Jerry went on to become Mayor of Oakland from 1998-2006 and Attorney General of California in 2007 and served another two more terms as Governor of California from 2011 to 2019. Laurence and Elvira are currently developing a feature film ALIENS FOR JERRY, based on her diaries from working on the 1992 Brown For President campaign.
 Arriving in Canada
THE EARLY YEARS Laurence was born in London England in 1950 of an Irish father (Limerick born Frank Keane), and a Londoner, June Acland. The Keane family moved to Canada in 1955, moved back to England in 1956 because June couldn't stand the winters! And strangely enough, the family came back for more sleet and snow in 1957. |
 On the street where he lived
Laurence grew up in Toronto cheering for the Leafs until he moved to Vancouver in 1967 and became interested in girls. By the age of 21, Laurence had obtained black belts in judo and jujitsu, helped pave the Alaska Highway, spent four months hitchhiking around Europe on $3 a day, and bought and sold revenue properties in Kitsilano, Vancouver and generally lived a full life. It's been downhill ever since. |
UTOPIA