David J. Vainola (born 5 October 1961) is a Canadian television and film writer and producer.
Early life
Vainola was born in Leicester, United Kingdom, and became a Canadian citizen in 1967.
Career
For the National Film Board of Canada, Vainola directed the short dramatic film "The Drive Away" in 1989.[1] He directed the short film "The Other Prison" (1990),[2][3] which won a Silver Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival and a Reel Award (Ottawa).[4]
Vainola directed the short film "Curiosities" in 1995.[5][6] "Curiosities" was nominated for two Gemini Awards, including best short program,[7] and won the Best Canadian Film award at the Toronto Worldwide Film Short Festival in 1996.[8]
Vainola wrote and directed the one-hour documentary 30 Second Democracy in 1997.[9][10] The film has been nationally broadcast in more than a dozen countries, including Canada.[11][12][13][14][15][16]
In 2008, Vainola wrote the TV mini-series Diamonds (aired May 2009).[17][18][19][20]Diamonds aired around the world, including a prime-time broadcast on ABC Television in 2008,[21][22] and received 12 Gemini Award nominations.[23] At the 24th Gemini Awards in 2009, Vainola was nominated for Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for his work on Diamonds.[24]
Vainola was a story consultant on Season 1 of the award-winning Cardinal (first aired January 2017),[25] and was a consulting producer for Combat Hospital.[26]
Vainola created, with Frank Spotnitz, the television show Ransom.[27][28] He is an executive producer on the show,[29][30] which is inspired by the real-life negotiators Laurent Combalbert [fr] and Marwan Mery [fr].[31][32][33] Combalbert and Mery have also provided commentary on episodes of Season 1 of Ransom, available on YouTube. Season 1 of Ransom aired December 2016; Season 2[34][35] aired April 7, 2018.[36] On July 16, 2018, CBS and Global announced that the series has been renewed for a 13-episode third season, which premiered February 16, 2019.[37][38]