Kirk Shaw – A Career Spanning Borders

Kirk Shaw has become one of North America’s most prolific award-winning producers,
earning more than 250 film and television credits over a career exceeding three
decades. His work covers collaborations with every major studio and partnerships with
A-list talent, including Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron, Ashton Kutcher, John
Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta, and Cuba
Gooding Jr., among others. Known for combining creative vision with strategic thinking,
Shaw has been recognized for introducing innovative financing and packaging models
for both film and television projects.

1. Kirk Shaw – A Career Spanning Borders
and Stories

Kirk Shaw has become one of North America’s most prolific award-winning producers,
earning more than 250 film and television credits over a career exceeding three
decades. His work covers collaborations with every major studio and partnerships with
A-list talent, including Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron, Ashton Kutcher, John
Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta, and Cuba
Gooding Jr., among others. Known for combining creative vision with strategic thinking,
Shaw has been recognized for introducing innovative financing and packaging models
for both film and television projects.

In 2017, Shaw’s contributions were formally acknowledged with his induction into the
British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame, honoring his influence on Canada’s
screen industry.

Strengths in Creative and Executive Leadership

Shaw is known for establishing Canada’s largest independent production company and
guiding creative ventures toward international competitiveness. His leadership blends
expertise in scripted and non-scripted production with skill in packaging high-concept
IP, arranging financing, and developing international co-productions.

2. His career covers the complete content creation process—from IP acquisition and
development planning to budget management, ranging from $1 million to over $200
million. He has built relationships with top-tier talent and industry partners across
North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, ensuring distribution through theatrical,
streaming, and broadcast platforms.

Shaw also manages business affairs, legal oversight, investor communications, and
marketing initiatives. His approach to leadership keeps creative teams productive while
delivering consistent corporate growth and audience impact.

Ambitious Entertainment

As Co-President of Ambitious Entertainment, Shaw directs a studio focused on global
content packaging with offices in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Founded in 2017, the
company’s productions include Guns of Redemption, Viper, and Dead Man’s Hand.

By 2025, Ambitious had become a fully integrated IP-acquisition and packaging studio
under Shaw’s leadership, producing for streamers, major studios, and global markets.
The company’s commitment to profitable, high-concept storytelling connects top
creative talent to worldwide distribution opportunities. Ambitious is positioned to trade
publicly on the NYSE.

Founder, CEO, & Executive Producer – Odyssey Media Inc.

In 2009 Shaw established Odyssey Media Inc., a boutique studio specializing in
lower-risk international co-productions. With a $25 million investment fund, he financed
more than 20 films, with combined budgets exceeding $70 million.

Among Odyssey’s notable works are Drive Hard (filmed in Australia with John Cusack),
Pound of Flesh (filmed in China with Jean-Claude Van Damme), and The Town That
Came A-Courting (filmed in Canada with Valerie Harper), based on a best-selling novel.

Founder – Insight Film Studios

Shaw launched his career in 1990 by founding Insight Film Studios. Initially producing
audio guides for museums, the company soon shifted toward visual content, producing
documentaries and the series Inside Track.

In the early 2000s, Insight entered the long-form space, beginning with the sci-fi film
Maximum Surge (2002), made for DVD. Over time, Shaw expanded Insight into

3. Canada’s largest independent film and television production company, producing over
130 titles and managing annual budgets exceeding $200 million.

Memorable productions include Battle in Seattle (2007), a political drama starring
Charlize Theron and Woody Harrelson, which received Leo Award nominations; Helen
(2009), starring Ashley Judd, who won a Leo Award for her role; and The Hurt Locker
(2008), directed by Kathryn Bigelow, which won Best Picture and Best Director at the
Academy Awards. Other credits include When A Man Falls, starring Timothy Hutton and
Sharon Stone, and Personal Effects, starring Ashton Kutcher.

Television work from this period includes the Lifetime series Blood Ties and the Sci-Fi
series Painkiller Jane. By the mid-2000s, Insight Film Studios supported thousands of
jobs and contributed more than CAD 500 million to the local economy.

Industry Memberships

Kirk Shaw is a member of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), the
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and the Producers Guild of America (PGA).

Early Life and Education

Shaw studied journalism at Douglas College in British Columbia, aiming first for a
career as a writer. In 1978, he helped launch the Edmonton Sun newspaper, gaining
early operational and leadership experience.

Shaw worked in the computer industry during the 1980s before moving into film
production. He attended the Vancouver Film School, where he studied screenwriting,
and also joined a program through the National Screen Institute (NSI) of Canada that
focused on producing for film, television, and digital media.
The NSI program’s producing module included training in project development,
budgeting, financing and funding strategies, production management, scheduling,
collaboration with writers, directors, and crew, and methods for distributing and
marketing screen content.
Closing Note
Kirk Shaw’s path from journalism student to international film and television producer
shows a consistent drive to connect creative ideas with audiences worldwide. With
decades of experience, significant industry partnerships, and a record of artistic and

4. commercial achievement, his work continues to influence how stories are developed,
financed, and shared across the globe.