Toast + Jam

Sound and Picture together?

Truth is we don’t know why things haven’t always been done this way.

It’s the reason we became Toast + Jam – Sound + Picture.

Like skis and snow, toast and jam or SpongeBob and Patrick;

They’re all good things on their own, but together they are magic.

Now your first post production brief is your only post production brief. The Editor, Composer, Motion Graphics Designer, Voice Director, and Sound Designer are all at the table.

Imagine us all working in concert bringing your vision to life. The first time you see cuts, they have great sound on them; music that you can actually use, sound design that animates them and a great voice over.

And the whole process is pleasurable and easy.

Together really is better.

Grant Pye
Executive Producer

grant@tjsp.ca

When I was 12 year old Grant, I developed and printed my first roll of film. It seems that’s all it took. I was hooked – I knew I was going to be a visual story teller.

When I attended my first edit of a commercial some years later I knew instantly that I had found my passion. Since then I’ve worked alongside some of the best editors on the continent. I’ve had the privilege to cut film directed by amazing directors and worked with some of the most inspiring creative teams the business has to offer.

I believe anything is possible; I like to push to see what happens if we try something different. I will always ask the question, "Can we make it better?” As an Exec, I see my first job being the amalgamation of top notch, high performance teams and creating the right working environment so that we may to bring the creative vision to life. All with a truly collaborative spirit.
Matt De Luca
Producer

deluca@tjsp.ca

I've had a bass attached to my hands for over half my life. Admittedly, I’m a bit of an odd duck among "musician types”; I'm all about straight, clean lines, symmetry, and being prepared for any eventuality. As a musician, this means I've always been the one taking care of the money, making sure everyone is where they need to be at the right time (more often than not early; something my family calls the De Luca Curse), and packing the spare expendables. So with my work at T+J it’s pretty simple – I'm happy when our clients are happy. And what makes clients happier than when we solve all of their problems and do a kick-ass job, on-time and on-budget?
Ilein Hernández
Sales / Client Services

I grew up in a family divided between musicians and lawyers. I always thought that working in court was my only path, but life can take many turns!

My naturally outgoing and very sociable manner led me to combine my career as a lawyer with a successful venture into sales when I lived in Mexico. Here comes the unexpected turn: love brought me to Canada with a musician, thus returning me to the other half of my family origins.

Thanks to this I decided to combine my passions with my talents and experiences, involving myself in the world of artists and sales discovering a new and colourful environment.

Sound
Kai Koschmider
Composer / Voice Director

Part of the team since 2004, I’m a sworn generalist: I write music, direct voices, manage productions, help with operations and even check to make sure the catering looks good. After finishing a music degree at York University (where I specialized in avoiding specialization) and a diploma in sound recording, I landed in the world of audio post, where my swiss-army-knife tendencies were welcomed. I’m most comfortable when I’m facilitating communication between creative people from different worlds, turning concepts and feelings into sounds, and translating between the languages of art, technology, film, music and storytelling.

After hours, you might find me producing records, skronking a free jazz sax solo or listening to nerdy linguistics podcasts.
Thomas Neuspiel
Creative Director / Composer

Grade six was a fabulous year. Or was it grade five? I’m not certain but somewhere near the tender age of eleven my courageous mom gave me a drum set. That same year I bought my first microphone and started a band with my twin brother. Later I wired up the family phone so we could record crank phone calls and I discovered sound-on-sound recording as a poor man's alternative to a multi-track. I was hooked. Life bounced from one sonic adventure and musical instrument to the next. Radio programs, albums, music and sound for all manner of electronic media, countless radio and television ads and now I’m the owner and Creative Director of Toast + Jam. The most amazing thing is that after all of this I still feel like I learn every time I step into the studio. And I still get a rush every time the record button turns red.
Maria-Paula Bonilla-Hernández
Sound Designer / Recording Engineer

I've been reborn twice in my life.
The first time, I was accompanied by my family's vintage stereo system and a dusty collection of one hundred CDs.
With significant effort, I took a CD from the shelf, inserted it into the stereo player, and hit play.
I closed my eyes.
I laid down on my parents' bed.
The sound of anticipation was silence.
The music started, and around the five-minute mark, I felt a burning sensation in my chest.
As a bit-by-bit emotional explosion unfolded inside me,
I stood up gently and heard my heart progressively roar: " Ba—dum, ba-dum, badum."
I felt like gasping for air and in awe of all of it,
I cried.

Since then, I've sought to discover, question, understand, and practice the art of storytelling using sound as my medium.
Andy Huckvale
Composer

I am a British musician, media composer, husband, dad, and goldendoodle owner. In what seems like a previous life now, I toured the USA extensively, playing alongside the likes of The Prodigy and Queens of the Stone Age. I was later in an electronic act and I currently record under the name HUCKVALE. I think I’ve found my natural home experimenting and recording in the studio, it continues to allow me to avoid growing up. In between recording studio albums, I spend my time working on music to picture and have composed music for brands such as Nike, Apple, BMW, Adidas, Google, Converse, and Facebook. I love working in close collaboration with editors. It just makes sense.

Picture
Rebecca Gruihn
Editor / Graphic Artist

Media nerd best describes what excites me and who I am.

I am an editor and motion graphics artist and I’ve worked in many aspects of film and media art. My long and short format film work has taught me about story. My design work and love of visual art inform my motion graphics. My endless curiosity about all things electronic media means I have a big bag of tricks that lets me take even the faintest of ideas and turn it into great video.

Perhaps the most important thing is that I love working with others. There are always lots of great ideas in the room and I see my job being to capture them.
Rita Ushakova
Colourist

Rita is an accomplished professional with a passion for experimentation when it comes to colour grading and editing. Their expertise encompasses a broad spectrum of work, including commercials, music videos, brand videos, and narratives across various short and long formats.

With over a decade of experience in post production and a keen eye for detail, this non-binary artist strives to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds to help them achieve their creative aspirations.
Sai Shanmugarajah
Editor

I grew up up in London, England, home of one of the most diverse and interesting music and art scenes in the world. It was fundamental in making me who I am. Three years spent at art school were also a revelation and made it clear where my career path would go. For my parents it was a point of concern; dad still struggles to understand what I do.

I’m fascinated by visual arts of any kind and many things have inspired me to pursue a career in editing: the films of Kubrick, Coppola, and Ridley Scott; early video installations by Bill Viola or Steve McQueen; and even making showreels for Michel Gondry on an analogue Sony edit station. Seeing their work was so stimulating and thought provoking. It gave me a hunger for visual story telling.

I’m also thrilled at the advances I’ve witnessed in editing technology. The process of editing has become so much more fluid and less about the apparatus. We now have a lot more freedom to experiment and play. It’s very gratifying when everything clicks and the images flow. Seeing that grin on the director and clients' faces is the ultimate compliment.

I love the vibe ‘Torono’ has and I feel there’s still so much to discover.
Thelma Torres
Editor

My name is Tamara, although everyone calls me Thelma because of my love for Thelma Schoonmaker, the editor of the Martin Scorsese films.

I have been editing for twelve years and during this time I have made national and international advertising campaigns, documentaries, music videos, trailers, fashion, branded content...and I have had the opportunity to meet directors and creatives with whom I have worked hand-in-hand to create the best campaigns.

I love working in the dark, rhythmic montages where the images dance to the music, exploring the possibilities of sound, seeing my selections looped, and having good food around while I edit.

I currently reside in Palma de Mallorca because I always dreamed of having an editing room overlooking the sea.