Guest Occupation
Filmmaker, Media developer, Producer, Director, Writer, Videographer, Photographer, Editor, Podcaster
Guest Biography
Hailing from St. John's, Newfoundland, Anthony M. Tooton is a filmmaker and media developer. Tooton graduated OAC from the prestigious Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and eventually attended film school in Toronto, after winning an entrance scholarship for his documentary film: "Restaurants are not Democracies!" -- which followed the irrepressible restaurateur Michael Carlevale and his esteemed colleagues: Franco Prevedello, John Maxwell, Peter Oliver, Massimo Capra, Aristedes Pasperakis, and Stephen Ricci - at the 'establishment' restaurant Prego Della Piazza. In 2012, Tooton analyzed an aspect of the cultural relevance comedy plays at the Easternmost point of North America - Newfoundland & Labrador - with his 28-minute NTV Comedy Special: "At Humour's Edge!" In addition, Tooton co-produced and edited an NTV Special relating to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with a piece on Jeremy Bennett. Tooton co-produced, co-directed and edited the documentary short 'Moment of Inspiration' which took a look at the life of Sr. Frederick Banting, in London, Ontario. Tooton went on to produce the National Film Board of Canada (FAP) supported documentary film, Tooton's Photography: In The Business Of Making Memories, which focuses on the story of his great-grandfather (of the same name) who immigrated to Newfoundland from Damascus, Syria; created a renowned relationship with Kodak founder Mr. George Eastman; and established Tooton's Photography which was a monopoly on Kodak Distributorship until Newfoundland joined Confederation with Canada in 1949, and lasted until November 1995, under Tooton's Grandfather Anthony Raymond Tooton and Father Anthony Geoffrey Tooton, and processed and printed in excess of 100 million rolls of film, over its 90 year lifespan, in Newfoundland & Labrador Alone. Tooton's Photography: In The Business Of Making Memories won Best Documentary Short film @ the 2021 San Diego Movie Awards. Tooton is now writing and developing an independent feature film loosely based on his own life-trajectory and survival of sexual assault, entitled: Baptism by Fire.