Producer Susan Nation
Susan is a dynamic Independent Producer and President of Hop To It Productions with over 20 years of experience in marketing, advertising, event management and content production. She has strong communication and project management skills, and good creative judgment.
In June 2006 she formed Hop To It Productions Inc. with Nina Beveridge and Paul Hart of Beevision Productions to create, develop, produce and market relevant, compelling and unique programming, content and products for kids, tweens, teens and youth. The programming promotes diversity, active healthy living and strong female roles. Hop To It projects have the potential to work on multiple platforms, and have strong international appeal.
Susie’s most recent Talent Hounds Project has won awards for the TV documentaries (including Houston Worldfest Platinums and Golds) and for the 400+ digital videos (including Pet Video of the Year at the BlogPaws Awards).
Susie and partner Nina were Finalists in Banff’s CTV Documart Pitch for an extremely moving documentary about our website moderator, charity organizer and special correspondent Renee “Famous Professional” who suffered from muscular dystrophy. The film called “Suck it Up Princess” was produced with Omni. Renee succumbed to her disease the year after the film was released.
Susan and Nina have always been digital pioneers. They launched multi-platform youth project www.hip-hoptv.com, half-hour TV series Hip Hop in the T-Dot on air on Rogers Television, branded video series on Pizza Pizza screens, and one of the first YouTube Partner Channels in Canada. The site included a Dancemania game prototype and S4Tek technology proof of concept- unique, innovative synchronized simultaneous streaming technology and game applications. They were winners in the Telefilm Great Canadian Video Game Contest with innovative multi-platform project Create A Date using S4Tek technology. They were also won a Telus Innovation Awards and were finalists in Banff iPitch. They have produced over 20 stand alone and convergent websites working with CBC, CBC Kids, TVO, TVOKids, Rogers, OMNI, YTV, ECG, The Pet Network and other Canadian and International broadcasters, publishers and platforms.
Susan produced “That’s So Raven Eye On Fashion” live charity event and video with Disney, Wal-Mart and Children’s Miracle Network( hip hop dance and kids) and an exciting live kids dance and fashion show for Wal-Mart Canada (annual managers and vendors meeting ). She has also done live shows for TVOKids Word On The Street, Jacob’s Ladder, BOOST, Canadian Pet Expo, Anti-Bullying Campaigns and the Youth Media Awards. She also produced a series of 7 PSAs for the “Get Your Move On” Campaign in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Farsi and Tamil with Alison Duke, OMNI Television, MLSE, Health Toronto and Mayor Miller. She produced, wrote directed inspirational a Sheena’s Place anniversary video and has done shows, PSAs and videos for BOOST, NSD, Dog Guides Canada, COPE and many dog rescues.
Susan has attended NATPE, MIPCOM, Kidscreen Summit, the Banff Television Festival, GDC, ICE, Playback Mobile, Influence This and many other industry programs. She has successfully worked on the development and the production deals, the funding (Shaw, Telefilm/CMF, Bell Fund, OMDC IDM Fund) and the sales and marketing around the world of numerous TV, digital, live and consumer products and projects.
In her role as Director Sales, Marketing and Development for Lenz Entertainment, she worked on a variety of multi-platform projects including the UNICEF Concert “Change the World with Children”, the pre-school puppet show “Nanalan” now on CBC and PBS, the animated series “Weird Years” on YTV, and the pre-school puppet show “Michael’s Island” (a co-production with Nick Jr US).
From 1999-2001, consulting with Fantom Technologies Inc., Susan did product development and research on water purification, made successful live appearances, trained hosts and prepared scripts for the US Home Shopping Network. She also appeared on, and contributed to the script for the Columbia Tristar television show “Safety in the home”. She also contributed on the production of an educational video “Water” for the WQA featuring Bob Greene, Oprah’s trainer and was on the PR Committee.
From 1997-1999, she successfully established and managed an international sales network in 10 countries with Bariston Inc, as well as working on various television projects part-time.
From 1993-1996, in Santiago, Chile, she produced, wrote and directed a short film for charity. She worked for DG Medios and Espectaculos (large music promoter in Latin America), and helped plan, produce and promote many very successful live televised music events. These included Sting, The Rolling Stones, Liza Minnelli, Whitney Houston, and others.
She spent the first 10 years of her international career developing and managing brands and advertising campaigns with companies like Unilever Australia and Singapore, Gillette do Brazil and McKim/BBDO Advertising Canada.
Susan has a BA from Sydney University and speaks fluent Spanish as well as rusty French and Portuguese. She serves on several volunteer boards. She has solid business skills and maintains excellent contacts in the advertising, marketing, production and broadcast communities, both in Canada and internationally.
