Krista Johnston, Owner of The Research House, has developed a diverse understanding of the film, television and music industry through over 12 years of experience with several entertainment law firms. In the past she has acted in the business and legal department of television and film production companies as a production coordinator on feature films and a producer of short films. In 2002, Krista founded The Research House Clearance Services Inc. Identifying a need for clearance services in Canada and the film community, Krista invested in her strengths and in a very short time the company proved successful. The Research House has grown substantially and recently moved to a great new location and expanded its service portfolio. The company proudly employs over 10 film related professionals with a wealth of experience. Krista has provided sponsorship to The Alibi Unplugged Script Reading Series, the 24 Hour Film Contest, the YWCA Mentorship Program and conducted seminars on clearances for individuals and production companies in the film and television community. She has written legal entertainment articles for Reel West Magazine and has been featured over the past few years in the ‘Legal Issues’ column of the Women in Film newsletters. She is past Vice President of Women in Film & Video Vancouver. Contact Krista at krista at researchhouse dot ca.

Tricia Leigh Office Manager, worked on her first film in 1998, but it was not until moving to Vancouver 2004 after completing her BA at UVIC that she pursued a career in the film industry full time. She has spent the past five years in film production and has acted as production coordinator on numerous feature films and television series. She is excited to join the team, bringing her knowledge and skills from production to the Research House!

Bill Allman, Entertainment lawyer and instructor, has a strong background as a writer and researcher and completes all title clearance reports on behalf of The Research House. Bill received both his law degree and a BA in history from UBC and has worked in a wide variety of entertainment endeavors from TV and music production to concert promotion and theatre management. Bill stays active in Vancouver’s entertainment scene and has been an associate producer and in-house legal counsel for Infinity Films, is a past president of Theatre Under the Stars and has run his own concert promotion company, Famous Artists Ltd. since 2001. Contact Bill at bill at researchhouse dot ca.

Liane Hentscher, Senior Researcher, has been assisting The Research House since its inception. As one of the valued researchers in her field, Liane hails from a background in picture editing, archivals and picture researching with Corbis. With a keen eye for visuals, Liane is a sought after film and television stills photographer in Vancouver. Contact Liane at liane at researchhouse dot ca.

Shelley Gair MacDougall, Senior Script Reader/Report Designer, has been working in the Vancouver film and television industry since 1997 in films, TV series and documentaries. During the past five years she has concentrated her work in script clearances, working as the Clearance & Product Placement Coordinator for a number of production companies. She is also a member of Women in Film and Video Vancouver and is active in the local film community. Contact Shelley at shelley at researchhouse dot ca.

Jeff Young, Entertainment & Media lawyer, received his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of British Columbia, where he also studied Commerce, before beginning his 18-year legal career, which started in corporate and real estate law, and ultimately focused on intellectual property and entertainment, particularly in film/TV and music. During his successful legal career, Jeff has negotiated with major labels and corporations including Qwest Records (Quincy Jones), Virgin Records, BMG, Disney, Sony and Warner/Chappell. He has acted for a Grammy winning artist, and was a managing partner of an entertainment law boutique that represented international, local, and independent film and TV clients including Fox Family Channel, the OutTV Network, The Vancouver Whitecaps, Shavick Entertainment and the Shaw Rocket Fund. Contact Jeff at jeff at researchhouse dot ca.

Alana Murray, Permissions Specialist for the Research House, facilitates permissions for product, artwork and props clearances on a global level. Accomplished in clearances and product placement for productions, Alana garnered an impressive credit list in her last 6 years including the popular Robson Arms, Godiva’s and the much-anticipated new series The Guard. Alana not only brings a vast amount of experience, but also a large database of contacts to assist production in obtaining permissions for all types of clearances. Contact Alana at alana at researchhouse dot ca.

Samantha Schwann, was first introduced to the wonders of the film industry in 1999 as an accidental extra on a MOW. Her background in finance and risk management and her love of the creativity inherent in film, lends well in her work as a researcher for The Research House. In her free time, Samantha is also a commissioned artist and an avid skydiver. Contact Samantha at samantha at researchhouse dot ca.