{{Short description|Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter}} {{Infobox person | image = Gavin Heffernan at Grand Canyon (2014).jpg | caption = Heffernan at Grand Canyon National Park in April 2014 | birth_place = Oakville, Ontario, Canada | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|04|02}} | occupation = Filmmaker, photographer, producer | years_active = 1999–present | website = {{URL|https://www.gavinbheffernan.com/}} }}
'''Gavin Heffernan''' (born April 2, 1980) is a Canadian filmmaker, photographer, and producer. He co-wrote the psychological horror film ''The Taking of Deborah Logan'' (2014) <ref> [https://www.thewrap.com/the-taking-of-deborah-logan-is-a-netflix-horror-gem-7-more-awesome-picks-for-halloween-weekend/ The Taking of Deborah Logan' Is a Netflix Horror Gem] </ref> and ''Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension'' (2015)<ref>[http://brokehorrorfan.com/post/126444232903/paramount-has-released-the-poster-for-paranormal Paramount has released the poster for Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension]</ref> with writing partner Adam Robitel. Also known for directing experimental visual works, primarily timelapse,<ref>[http://www.sunchaserpictures.com/#!trailers/c1747 Profile] SunchaserPictures.com; accessed April 2, 2015,</ref> featured in the Rolling Stones' 2015 Zip Code Tour<ref>[http://www.plsn.com/current-issue/41-production-profile/16952-the-rolling-stones-zip-code-tour.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810004331/http://www.plsn.com/current-issue/41-production-profile/16952-the-rolling-stones-zip-code-tour.html |date=August 10, 2015 }} PLSN - The Rolling Stones ZIP CODE tour.</ref> as well as their 2016 Desert Trip shows. Heffernan also contributed visuals to Pink Floyd's Roger Waters' 2016 concerts, Paul Simon's 2018 Homeward Bound Farewell Tour, and John Mayer's 2022 Sob Rock tour.
==Early life== Gavin Heffernan was born on April 2, 1980, in Oakville, Ontario. He is an alumnus of McGill University and the American Film Institute. While attending McGill, Gavin wrote, directed, and starred in the feature film ''Expiration'' (2003). Though budgeted at a meagre $10,000, the film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Canadian Filmmakers' Festival, received a 76% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes,<ref>[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/expiration/] Expiration / Rotten Tomatoes</ref> and acclaim from publications ''Variety'',<ref>[https://variety.com/2004/film/reviews/expiration-1200534825/] Expiration Variety Review</ref> and ''Ain't it Cool News''.<ref>[https://www.aintitcool.com/node/16123 ''Expiration'' review], aintitcool.com; accessed April 2, 2015.</ref>
==Career== His unconventional anti-war documentary ''Grand Wheel'' (2008) premiered at SXSW and played more than fifty film festivals in twenty countries. His 2010 collection of experimental shorts about the fall of man titled "Devolution" premiered at the Florida Film Festival and won an Audience Award at the 2010 HollyShorts Film Festival. The sci-fi follow-up "Devolution: Reckoning" premiered at the 2011 Festival du Nouveau Cinema in Montreal. In October 2011, Heffernan was attached to co-write the screen adaptation of Ray Manzarek's ''The Poet in Exile'', a novel exploring the notion that Jim Morrison of the Doors staged his death in 1971.<ref>[https://variety.com/2011/film/news/manzarek-sets-up-morrison-tale-1118044166/] ''Variety'' - Manzarek sets up Morrison tale</ref>
Heffernan's timelapse art has been featured in Leonardo DiCaprio's ''Ice on Fire'' global warming doc for HBO, Virgin America flights, BBC Earth,<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141021-spectacular-new-desert-time-lapse "Spectacular New Desert Timelapse"]. BBC Earth.</ref> Bravo's first scripted show ''Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce'', and many other press and TV outlets including ''The New York Times'',<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/20/us/california-today-the-push-to-reclaim-starry-skies.html/ "The Push to Reclaim Starry Skies"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref> CNN,<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/timelapse-photographers-light-pollution-trnd/index.html/ "Chasing 'dark skies' to focus on light pollution"]. CNN.</ref> ''Time'',<ref>[https://time.com/3818802/timelapse-sky-night-video/ "Two Filmmakers Set Out to Capture the Last Mesmerizing Dark Skies"]. ''Time''.</ref> ''National Geographic'',<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150518084259/http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/29/gorgeous-new-dreamlapse-from-death-valleys-racetrack-playa/ "Gorgeous New Dreamlapse From Death Valley's Racetrack Playa Lakebed"]. ''National Geographic''. </ref> CBS News,<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/two-stunning-and-trippy-time-lapse-videos-worth-watching "Timelapse video discussion"], CBS News; accessed April 2, 2015.</ref> and ''Wired''.<ref>[https://www.wired.com/2013/04/desert-skyskape/ "Time-Lapse Video Shows Spectacular Desert Sky at Night"]. ''Wired''.</ref> Borrego Springs, California, named their 2014 town festival after Heffernan's "Borrego Stardance" astro timelapse and October 25 was subsequently named "Gavin Heffernan Day" in San Diego County<ref>[http://www.nbcsandiego.com/blogs/worth-the-trip/Desert-Magic-Borrego-Stardance-278561411.html "NBC San Diego Profile"], nbcsandiego.com; accessed April 2, 2015.</ref> by Senator Joel Anderson.
thumb|SKYGLOW event at the Annenberg Photo Space in Los Angeles In 2015, Heffernan and Harun Mehmedinovic co-founded SKYGLOW, a crowdfunded book and Blu Ray project to tackle the rising danger and damage of urban light pollution. The fundraising campaign generated significant publicity and ended on May 9, 2015, as the fourth most successful Kickstarter campaign ever in the Photobooks category. The SKYGLOW book released in April 2017 at SKYGLOWPROJECT.COM and was created in association with the International Dark Sky Association.
In July 2021, Heffernan and Robitel had partnered with Darren Aronofsky on a thriller series for Netflix titled ''The Craving''.<ref>[https://deadline.com/2021/06/adam-robitel-gavin-heffernan-thriller-series-netflix-darren-aronofsky-protozoa-pictures-1234784231/] Deadline - Adam Robitel & Gavin Heffernan Set Up Thriller Series At Netflix With Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures.</ref> In July 2019, the duo had teamed up with Sam Raimi on an "Untitled Supernatural Thriller"<ref>[https://deadline.com/2019/07/escape-room-director-adam-robitel-sets-up-untitled-supernatural-thriller-at-sony-1202657110/] Deadline - ‘Escape Room' Director Sets Up Untitled Supernatural Thriller At Sony.</ref> for Sony Pictures.
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=1134130|name=Gavin Heffernan}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Heffernan, Gavin}} Category:1980 births Category:Film directors from Ontario Category:Living people Category:Film festival founders Category:People from Oakville, Ontario Category:AFI Conservatory alumni Category:McGill University alumni