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IMDbPro

John Ainslie

  • Additional Crew
  • Writer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
John is a 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowship Semi-Finalist for his feature screenplay SHE CAME KNOCKING. Another of his screenplays, TRESPASS made the 2nd round at the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Contest the same year.

John's first feature was the horror/comedy JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER. His screenplay was nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award and the film premiered at Sitges International Film Festival where it won Best Midnight Film before screening at Fantasia and selling to Anchor Bay at Slamdance. In 2012, John attended Norman Jewison's Canadian Film Centre Writer's Lab where he wrote the short film COLD FEET that screened numerous festivals including Fantasia and sold to AMC-IFC Networks.

In 2014 John wrote and directed his first feature film - the award winning THE SUBLET. "One of the most effective psychological horror films of the decade." (horrorgeeklife.com). It premiered at Whistler Film Festival and won the awards for Best Actress and Best Cinematography at Blood in the Snow Film Festival in Toronto. John followed that up with the intense thriller short SHE CAME KNOCKING. It was awarded Best Short at the Canadian Film Festival in Toronto where it premiered. It also won Best Short and Best Actress from the NSI Online Film Festival as well as a Platinum Remi at WorldFest-Houston and an Audience Choice Award in his home town of Miami at the FilmGate NOLA Film Festival.

Prior to writing, John won the Borsos prize of Best Cinematographer at the Whistler Film Festival for his work on the feature SK8 LIFE, which also screened at Sundance.
BornSeptember 18, 1975
BornSeptember 18, 1975
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
  • Awards
    • 3 wins & 1 nomination

Photos

John Ainslie and Tianna Nori in The Sublet (2015)

Known for

She Came Knocking (2017)
She Came Knocking
7.9
Short
  • Writer
  • 2017
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007)
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
5.9
  • Writer
  • 2007
John Ainslie and Tianna Nori in The Sublet (2015)
The Sublet
4.8
  • Writer
  • 2015
Sk8 Life (2006)
Sk8 Life
5.9
  • Cinematographer
  • 2006

Credits

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IMDbPro

Additional Crew

  • The Smart Woman Survival Guide (2006)
    The Smart Woman Survival Guide
    • special projects
    • TV Series
    • 2006–2007
  • Congratulations Daisy Graham (2007)
    Congratulations Daisy Graham
    • production assistant
    • Short
    • 2007

Writer

  • Do Not Disturb (2022)
    Do Not Disturb
    • Writer
    • 2022
  • The Haunted Museum (2021)
    The Haunted Museum
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life (2021)
    Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life
    • screenplay
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Krista Marchand and Ava Preston in Queen of Spades (2021)
    Queen of Spades
    • screenplay
    • 2021
  • Anniversary Party
    • Writer
    • Short
    • 2020
  • She Came Knocking (2017)
    She Came Knocking
    • co-writer
    • Short
    • 2017
  • John Ainslie and Tianna Nori in The Sublet (2015)
    The Sublet
    • written by
    • 2015
  • The Garage (2014)
    The Garage
    • co-writer
    • Short
    • 2014
  • Claudio Masciulli in Cold Feet (2014)
    Cold Feet
    • written by
    • Short
    • 2014
  • Bullet in the Head (2014)
    Bullet in the Head
    • screenplay
    • story
    • Short
    • 2014
  • Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007)
    Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 2007

Director

  • Do Not Disturb (2022)
    Do Not Disturb
    • Director
    • 2022
  • Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life (2021)
    Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Anniversary Party
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2020
  • She Came Knocking (2017)
    She Came Knocking
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2017
  • John Ainslie and Tianna Nori in The Sublet (2015)
    The Sublet
    • Director (directed by)
    • 2015
  • Sam
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2015
  • Bullet in the Head (2014)
    Bullet in the Head
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2014
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Personal details

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  • Height
    • 5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
  • Born
    • September 18, 1975
    • London, Ontario, Canada
  • Spouse
    • Rechna VarmaNovember 22, 2003 - present

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Graduated from the French-language Ontario high school Ecole Secondaire L'Essor in 1993, just one year ahead of Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer producer Patrick White.

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