Nathon Gunn
Encyclopedia
Nathon Gunn is a new media entrepreneur and founder of Social Game Universe, a Toronto-based social games developer. He also co-founded the multimedia studio Bitcasters, helped start Citytv
and MuchMusic
Interactive, and supervised and implemented internet strategy for the former Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin
.
In 2009, his philanthropic game History Game Canada, won a MacArthur Foundation
award for Innovation in Participatory Learning. He also has won awards for various commercial and artistic endeavors such as short films and major-label music videos, including PromaxBDA Awards for Games and On Air Promotions for his work with the Family Channel
and MuchMusic Video Awards
for Our Lady Peace
’s “In Repair” (Spiritual Machines
).
Gunn currently serves as CEO of Social Game Universe, which has soft-launched two social games on Facebook
– Hollywood Tycoon and Avastar – and has created a new ad banner platform, IGAPI , that leverage social media and game mechanics.
); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Sydney, Australia; Toronto, Ontario; and New York. He currently divides his time between Los Angeles and Toronto.
, while simultaneously working full time at CHUM Ltd., producing, directing, shooting and editing for Citytv
, MuchMusic
, Bravo, and Fashion Television.
As a producer, Gunn helped launch CHUM’s interactive division, including the creation of three web sites, a CD-ROM distribution label, two original CD-ROM projects, AOL partner sites and some of the first web-television events, such as Sega Sunday and Bill Gates at Bravo! Gunn then created some of the first usernet and web-based event coverage at the Toronto International Film Festival
and for Jeanne Beker
’s Fashion Television Diaries.
Gunn created the first backstage webcasts for the Grammy Awards in 1994 and the New York Music Festival in 1996. He also co-developed the first e-CDs for BMG
USA.
Gunn has produced and directed videos for acclaimed Canadian artists including Our Lady Peace
, Temperance, Ron Sexsmith
, Patricia O'Callaghan
, Mia Sheard
and the Rheostatics
.
In 1996, he co-founded Bitcasters, a multimedia studio. The company’s first project was an interactive video game for MuchMusic
, and Gunn went on to develop BDA and Emma, award-winning educational games for the Charles Bronfman
Foundation, The Walt Disney Company
and Family Channel
.
In 1997, Nathon helped found the new media division of Miramax, co-authoring a plan for an online film studio, Miramax Digital, where he assembled a management team to execute it on behalf of The Walt Disney Company
.
In 2009, Gunn founded Social Game Universe in Toronto, Canada.
, Moses Znaimer
, Gary Slaight, Ron Dembo
, Howard Gorman, Bruce Hooey and Clive Smith
. Social Game Universe has created two social games for Facebook, Hollywood Tycoon and Avastar. In late 2010, Social Game Universe launched IGAPI, an ad banner platform that leverages social media and game mechanics.
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
and MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
Interactive, and supervised and implemented internet strategy for the former Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
.
In 2009, his philanthropic game History Game Canada, won a MacArthur Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Based in Chicago but supporting non-profit organizations that work in 60 countries, MacArthur has awarded more than US$4 billion since its inception in 1978...
award for Innovation in Participatory Learning. He also has won awards for various commercial and artistic endeavors such as short films and major-label music videos, including PromaxBDA Awards for Games and On Air Promotions for his work with the Family Channel
Family Channel
Family is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service marketed to children and teenagers aged 2-15. It is owned by Astral Media...
and MuchMusic Video Awards
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
for Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Headed by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band additionally consists of Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts on bass, and Steve Mazur as lead guitarist...
’s “In Repair” (Spiritual Machines
Spiritual Machines
Spiritual Machines is the fourth studio album by the Canadian alternative rock band Our Lady Peace, released by Columbia Records in December 2000. Although not initially intended, the project evolved into a conceptual interpretation of futurist and inventor Raymond Kurzweil's 1999 book The Age of...
).
Gunn currently serves as CEO of Social Game Universe, which has soft-launched two social games on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
– Hollywood Tycoon and Avastar – and has created a new ad banner platform, IGAPI , that leverage social media and game mechanics.
Early life and background
Gunn was born in Melville, Saskatchewan and has lived in several cities around the world, including Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Victoria, B.C.; New Delhi, India (where he attended the American Embassy SchoolAmerican Embassy School
The American Embassy School, South Delhi, India, is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program from prekindergarten through grade 12. The school was founded in 1952...
); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Sydney, Australia; Toronto, Ontario; and New York. He currently divides his time between Los Angeles and Toronto.
Career
Gunn began programming at an early age, earning a degree in computer animation and film from Ryerson UniversityRyerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
, while simultaneously working full time at CHUM Ltd., producing, directing, shooting and editing for Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
, MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
, Bravo, and Fashion Television.
As a producer, Gunn helped launch CHUM’s interactive division, including the creation of three web sites, a CD-ROM distribution label, two original CD-ROM projects, AOL partner sites and some of the first web-television events, such as Sega Sunday and Bill Gates at Bravo! Gunn then created some of the first usernet and web-based event coverage at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
and for Jeanne Beker
Jeanne Beker
Jeanne Beker is a Canadian television personality, author and newspaper columnist, who covers fashion and lifestyle news for CTV's FashionTelevision, FashionTelevisionChannel, and The Toronto Star.-Family:...
’s Fashion Television Diaries.
Gunn created the first backstage webcasts for the Grammy Awards in 1994 and the New York Music Festival in 1996. He also co-developed the first e-CDs for BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
USA.
Gunn has produced and directed videos for acclaimed Canadian artists including Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Headed by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band additionally consists of Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts on bass, and Steve Mazur as lead guitarist...
, Temperance, Ron Sexsmith
Ron Sexsmith
Ronald Eldon "Ron" Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario, currently based in Toronto. He started his own band when he was fourteen years old, and released the first recordings of his own material seven years later, in 1985...
, Patricia O'Callaghan
Patricia O'Callaghan
Patricia Mary O'Callaghan is a Canadian soprano singer.She spent her childhood in various Northern Ontario towns and in Pine Falls, Manitoba, considering whether her career should be in rock music or in a convent. Her first teacher was Rosanne Simunovic from Timmins...
, Mia Sheard
Mia Sheard
Mia Sheard is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter.Sheard was classically trained at the Royal Conservatory of MusicShe is the sister of novelist Sarah Sheard and pianist John Sheard, and the great-great-granddaughter of Joseph Sheard, a former Mayor of Toronto....
and the Rheostatics
Rheostatics
Rheostatics was a Genie Award-winning Canadian indie rock band, active from 1980 to 2007.Although they had only one Top 40 hit, "Claire" in 1995, they were simultaneously one of Canada's most influential and unconventional rock bands, a band whose eclectic take on pop and rock music has been...
.
In 1996, he co-founded Bitcasters, a multimedia studio. The company’s first project was an interactive video game for MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
, and Gunn went on to develop BDA and Emma, award-winning educational games for the Charles Bronfman
Charles Bronfman
Charles Rosner Bronfman, is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.0 billion , Bronfman was ranked by Forbes as the 15th wealthiest Canadian and 595th in the world....
Foundation, The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
and Family Channel
Family Channel
Family is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service marketed to children and teenagers aged 2-15. It is owned by Astral Media...
.
In 1997, Nathon helped found the new media division of Miramax, co-authoring a plan for an online film studio, Miramax Digital, where he assembled a management team to execute it on behalf of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
.
In 2009, Gunn founded Social Game Universe in Toronto, Canada.
Social Game Universe
Social Game Universe is a Toronto-based social games company backed by Eli Cohl, Michael CohlMichael Cohl
Michael Cohl is a Canadian concert promoter, theatrical producer and touring impresario. He is the former Chairman of Live Nation, the largest live entertainment company in the world. Cohl now runs S2BN Entertainment, with offices in Miami and Toronto...
, Moses Znaimer
Moses Znaimer
Moses Znaimer, M.A., O.Ont is a co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia.-Early life and career:...
, Gary Slaight, Ron Dembo
Ron Dembo
Ron S. Dembo is the Founder and CEO of Zerofootprint, a socially responsible enterprise whose mission is to apply technology, design and risk management to the massive reduction of our environmental footprint...
, Howard Gorman, Bruce Hooey and Clive Smith
Clive Smith
Clive Smith may refer to:*Clive Smith , Kingston Polytechnic lecturer, trained as a cosmonaut in the USSR under Project Juno, British space programme in the early 1990s...
. Social Game Universe has created two social games for Facebook, Hollywood Tycoon and Avastar. In late 2010, Social Game Universe launched IGAPI, an ad banner platform that leverages social media and game mechanics.