AJ Lutsky
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
AJ Lutsky is a Canadian filmmaker whose passion for making movies began at age five, re-creating his favorite films in the backyard with only a video camera and his two young siblings. With classical theatre training, including at the esteemed Yale School of Drama, AJ's journey has always been focused on big-picture storytelling. He honed his craft at SUNY Purchase's Film Conservatory, graduating magna cum laude and earning a BFA, and spent five years living and learning in New York City before returning to his hometown of Vancouver.
Starting his career as a production assistant parking cars and cleaning up cigarette butts, AJ worked his way up the ranks, gaining invaluable experience at the ground level of large-scale productions. His determination and aptitude for leadership earned him the role of assistant director on high-profile projects, including Netflix's "Lost in Space", "Dragged Across Concrete" starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn, and Disney's "Freaky Friday".
Simultaneously, AJ created his own independent projects, such as the two-part TV pilot "Noobs" and several short films. At the outset of the pandemic amidst the first shut-down, AJ decided to take the leap he had always dreamed of-directing his first feature film. After a year of relentless fundraising and planning, he shot and completed "Garlic Parmesan", the dark-meat comedy, in 2022.
The success of this feature led to an unexpected opportunity: developing and producing a cinematic opening movie for the NHL's Vancouver Canucks that is played in the arena before every game. His innovative approach incorporated both narrative storytelling and fun sports action which earned him a recurring role as a Sports Entertainment Producer for the team. He has continued to develop, produce, and co-direct the Canucks' opening movies for each season since 2022. His work has been recognized with nominations for Best Opening Movie at the 2023 and 2024 IDEA Game Entertainment Awards, while also inspiring similar projects from teams like the LA Rams, raising the bar for sports entertainment across the industry.
In 2024, AJ launched his own production company, Double Phifer Media Inc., producing short films like the witty comedy "The Game" and the provocative, award-winning, "Emotional Storage Full". He continues to explore bold narratives, including the suspenseful post-apocalyptic short film "Pariah" that has just begun its festival run.
AJ's commitment to pushing creative boundaries has never been stronger as he is now setting his sights on his most ambitious project yet, his next feature film: "ScareBNB", now in production.
Starting his career as a production assistant parking cars and cleaning up cigarette butts, AJ worked his way up the ranks, gaining invaluable experience at the ground level of large-scale productions. His determination and aptitude for leadership earned him the role of assistant director on high-profile projects, including Netflix's "Lost in Space", "Dragged Across Concrete" starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn, and Disney's "Freaky Friday".
Simultaneously, AJ created his own independent projects, such as the two-part TV pilot "Noobs" and several short films. At the outset of the pandemic amidst the first shut-down, AJ decided to take the leap he had always dreamed of-directing his first feature film. After a year of relentless fundraising and planning, he shot and completed "Garlic Parmesan", the dark-meat comedy, in 2022.
The success of this feature led to an unexpected opportunity: developing and producing a cinematic opening movie for the NHL's Vancouver Canucks that is played in the arena before every game. His innovative approach incorporated both narrative storytelling and fun sports action which earned him a recurring role as a Sports Entertainment Producer for the team. He has continued to develop, produce, and co-direct the Canucks' opening movies for each season since 2022. His work has been recognized with nominations for Best Opening Movie at the 2023 and 2024 IDEA Game Entertainment Awards, while also inspiring similar projects from teams like the LA Rams, raising the bar for sports entertainment across the industry.
In 2024, AJ launched his own production company, Double Phifer Media Inc., producing short films like the witty comedy "The Game" and the provocative, award-winning, "Emotional Storage Full". He continues to explore bold narratives, including the suspenseful post-apocalyptic short film "Pariah" that has just begun its festival run.
AJ's commitment to pushing creative boundaries has never been stronger as he is now setting his sights on his most ambitious project yet, his next feature film: "ScareBNB", now in production.
