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Paul Bronfman is the Co-Chairman/Senior Advisor of William F. White International Inc. He is also the Chairman of Pinewood Toronto Studios Inc.
A graduate of the University of Toronto, Mr. Bronfman launched his entertainment industry career in the mid-1970s, working in the music industry with hit bands including Supertramp and April Wine. By the late 1970s, he had transitioned to the film and television industry and went on to hold a number of executive positions at Astral Media over the decade.
Mr. Bronfman founded Comweb Corporation in 1988 and over the years has built a group of horizontally integrated entertainment firms dedicated to providing expert production services, studio facilities, and equipment to the Canadian and international film and television industries. Comweb's first industry endeavor was to build and manage Canada's first Hollywood-style studio complex, North Shore Studios in Vancouver, in partnership with well-known Hollywood producer/writer Stephen J. Cannell. North Shore Studios is well known as the original home of the smash television series hit, The X-Files.
In late 1989, Comweb acquired a controlling interest in William F. White International Inc., one of the world's premier providers of state-of-the-art lighting, grip, camera and related specialty film, television, live event and digital media production equipment. The company was founded in 1963 and has provided unparalleled technical production expertise and support to Canadian and international producers, directors, cinematographers, and technicians for over five decades. The company has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Toronto and Halifax.
In 1993 Comweb created Protocol Entertainment Inc. Protocol's activities included developing, financing, and producing TV series, movies, miniseries, and feature films for the North American and international markets. The company created a number of highly acclaimed audience winning productions including the worldwide hit television series, Goosebumps. This sensational show won the number one ratings slot for its demographic in the United States on the Fox Kids Network in its premiere season in 1995. Goosebumps was sold to broadcasters in over 105 countries throughout the world. Comweb sold its interest in Protocol in 2005.
William F. White International Inc. was also partners with Sparks Camera & Lighting Ltd., a leading Budapest, Hungary-based provider of motion picture production equipment servicing western and eastern European producers. Sparks was originally co-founded through a joint business venture with the late Oscar Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter).
Comweb is an active partner in Pinewood Toronto Studios, a world-class, state-of-the-art film and television production facility. The studio lot is situated on 24 acres of prime downtown real estate and includes 260,000 square feet of production facilities. Foremost among the seven state-of-the-art film stages is the 46,000 square foot Mega-Stage, one of the world's largest purpose built film studios.
Comweb owns and operates Comweb Aviation Inc., a private jet leasing company which provides first-class, non-stop, tax-creditable charter flights from Toronto to any destination in North America. Comweb also owns and operates Comweb Realty Inc., which owns properties in Vancouver and Toronto.
Paul Bronfman's dedication to fostering and developing new talent in Canada's film and television industry is well-known. His company sponsors numerous college and university film programs, industry initiatives and relevant organizations including the Atlantic Film Festival, Banff World Media Festival, Hot Docs, On-Screen Manitoba, Toronto International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival and Norman Jewison's Canadian Film Centre, just to name a few.
Mr. Bronfman serves on numerous industry boards including the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT), Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), FilmOntario, the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) and the Canadian Film Centre (CFC).
Mr. Bronfman is also an active member of his community and contributes to a number of national and local charities. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies. As well he serves on the Board of Governors of B'nai B'rith Canada and Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto. In 2002, Variety the Children's Charity recognized Mr. Bronfman's outstanding accomplishments with a special gala tribute dinner in his honour.
In 2008, Mr. Bronfman, along with The Globe & Mail CEO Phillip Crawley, was awarded the prestigious Human Relations Award by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (formerly The Canadian Council for Christians and Jews), a leading Canadian organization dedicated to providing programs and strategies that educate against discrimination, prejudice, and bias.
In 2010, Mr. Bronfman was inducted into Playback's Film & Television Hall of Fame, whose inductees include Norman Jewison, Don Carmody and David Suzuki. In 2011, Paul received the Honourable Life Member Award from the Director's Guild of Canada along with the Academy Board of Directors' Tribute for Outstanding and Enduring Contributions to Canadian Television at the Gemini Awards. He was also selected as a finalist for the esteemed Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
In 2012, Mr. Bronfman was bestowed with the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) President's Award in addition to receiving the Friend of the Industry award at the Alberta Film and Television Rosie Awards (AMPIA). In 2013, he was nominated to join the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and was bestowed with a Rockie Award at The Banff World Media Festival honouring excellence in business and entertainment.
