Jeremy McCormack

Critically and Socially Acclaimed Writer, Director & Producer

Jeremy McCormack is a writer, director, and producer known for creating deeply human films marked by visual elegance, emotional intelligence, and narrative power. 

His documentaries—broadcast nationally and sold internationally—span portraiture, historical investigation, and cultural commentary—uncovering forgotten narratives and illuminating complex lives with cinematic depth.

Press

“Camp X was the highest-rated documentary in its channel’s history.” – Playback

“One of the great Canadian secrets of the Second World War.” – National Post

“Camp X spy school gave Fleming licence to kill.” – The Sunday Times (London)

“The weaving of archives, (many of them never seen before) with interviews and original cinematography is first class… Superb.” – Sydney Suissa, History Television

Camp X

- is a gripping feature documentary that reveals the still-classified story of Canada’s top-secret World War II spy training facility—an elite school where Allied agents were trained in sabotage, black propaganda, and espionage, laying the foundation for modern intelligence operations.

Set up privately before World War II by multimillionaire industrialist and decorated war hero Sir William Stephenson—famed for shooting down the Red Baron’s brother in WWI—Camp X trained saboteurs and assassins in cutting-edge espionage techniques. It developed tools ranging from early computer switches to plastic explosives, and refined methods in hand-to-hand combat, live-ammunition training, underwater sabotage, and resistance to interrogation—even the psychological art of extracting information in bed. Among those instructing high-level assassins was an Iroquois warrior who taught silent approach, knife work, and close-quarters tactics used in covert operations. It served as a communications and code-breaking hub and was the original training ground for Ian Fleming, the future creator of James Bond. After the war, the facility was destroyed to erase its covert role in global affairs and largely wiped from official archives.

A team of PhDs in three countries uncovered only redacted documents and misleading accounts—some deliberately fabricated during the war to deceive the enemy. Undeterred, the filmmaker earned the trust of intelligence agencies from six nations and convinced real agents to break their oaths of secrecy on camera. The result is a rare, high-stakes narrative built from firsthand testimony.

Narrated by film legend Leslie Nielsen, the story unfolds through a tightly edited weave of live interviews, classified material, and archival footage. Several sequences feature the only known interviews with a lifelong agent and assassin, run during wartime by Ian Fleming himself. Another reveals evidence of advance knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor, raising explosive questions still debated today.

Thanks to this film, Camp X's story has reentered public memory—spawning books, documentaries, and a scripted drama series. But beyond the history, Camp X  is a powerful story of courage, sacrifice, and the loss of innocence, as brave men and women risked—and gave—their lives to fight fascism and defend the freedoms we hold today.

Narration

The narration is delivered by Leslie Nielsen, one of Canada’s most beloved comic geniuses, in a rare return to his classical roots. Before he was known for his iconic comedic roles, Nielsen trained as a Shakespearean actor—and here, he channels that depth and discipline to honour one of Canada’s most profound contributions to history. His involvement was also deeply personal: a tribute not only to Camp X, but a heartfelt connection to his brother, Erik Nielsen, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. With a voice both commanding and vulnerable, Nielsen brings a powerful emotional undercurrent to the film—layering the story with gravitas, tenderness, and quiet dignity. His performance is a rare fusion of gravitas and restraint, offering a side of Nielsen few audiences have witnessed—where every word is measured, every pause meaningful. His narration speaks not just to facts, but to the deeper human themes of sacrifice, love, and loss, anchoring the film with emotional clarity and weight.

Music

The film offers a fresh lens on the largely unknown history of Camp X, and it was vital that the music reflected this bold perspective. The Camp X theme—composed by acclaimed 1950s jazz pianist John Ainsworth—was inspired by a Canadian folk song he first heard while training at Camp X himself. Reimagined for solo cello, the piece opens the film with a haunting blend of memory and melancholy, setting the emotional tone. 

From there, the soundtrack evolves under the direction of Grammy Award-nominated musician and producer Jamie Catto known for his visionary and  boundary-defying work with Faithless and 1 Giant Leap. Catto brings a deeply cinematic sensibility to the score, blending analog textures, atmospheric electronics, and emotionally charged instrumentation to create a soundscape that is both globally resonant and uniquely personal. His compositions don’t just accompany the narrative—they interrogate it, echoing the film’s themes of secrecy, courage, and psychological complexity.

More Press

“Remarkable." ... "Some of WWII's deadliest secret agents were trained right on our own doorstep.”  - Toronto Star

“Filmmaker uncovers wartime secrets”  - The Sunday Herald                                             

“Camp X spy school gave Fleming licence to kill” The Sunday Times (London)   

“One of the great Canadian secrets of the Second World War” - National Post

“Camp X was the highest-rated documentary in its’ channel’s history.” - Playback

“School sent its graduates behind Nazi lines … the stuff of spy thrillers” - Ottawa Citizen

“The finishing school for the really top people,” - The Canadian Press

Press

"Fascinating" - The Province

“Intriguing.” – Atlantic Film Festival

“Visually stunning.” – History Television

“Lovingly crafted.” – The Gazette

“A gem… a rare example of a documentary that works both as a historical document and as an hour of marvelous entertainment.” – CanWest

Borradaile’s Century

- is a one-hour film celebrating Oscar-winning cinematographer Osmond Borradaile, whose groundbreaking career began in 1913 Hollywood and spanned the major technological shifts of 20th-century cinema—from silent films to sound, Technicolor, and filming on location across six continents. The film honors his pioneering use of natural light and on-location cinematography. His work on classics like Elephant Boy (1937) and The Four Feathers (1939) is often cited as groundbreaking in bringing authenticity to early 20th-century cinema.The film honors his pioneering use of natural light and on-location cinematography. His work on classics like Elephant Boy (1937) and The Four Feathers (1939) is often cited as groundbreaking in bringing authenticity to early 20th-century cinema.

To trace Borradaile’s extraordinary path, McCormack—backed by a Kodak sponsorship—shot on film in eleven countries across four continents. From the Hollywood Hills to the countryside of Ireland, the forests of India, and the mountains of Ethiopia, he filmed lyrical match dissolves that merge his own imagery with Borradaile’s. One powerful sequence captures a rare ceremony involving a replica of the Ark of the Covenant—echoing a moment Borradaile once filmed, when the real Ark was brought out of hiding to honor Emperor Haile Selassie’s return from exile.

The film features narration by Golden Globe-nominated actor Tom Cavanagh, with acclaimed stage and screen legend Sir John Neville (CBE, CM) portraying Borradaile—performances that bring richness, clarity, and gravitas to the story.

Borradaile’s Century is a cinematic dialogue across time, paying tribute to a legacy of visual storytelling that helped shape the language of film itself.

Music & Visual Language

As Borradaile’s Century journeys through time and a hundred years of cinema, music plays a central role in shaping its emotional and historical landscape. Acclaimed Canadian pianist Peter Allen—celebrated for his expressive interpretations of Romantic-era repertoire, particularly the works of Chopin—curated the soundtrack with both musical insight and artistic sensitivity.

Drawing from some of the most beloved classical works ever featured in film, Allen selected each piece for its emotional resonance and cultural familiarity, evoking the shared memory of cinema’s most iconic moments. For Borradaile’s Century, he also returned to the studio to record a new rendition of one of Chopin's Nocturnes, bringing his seasoned interpretative skills to a piece that echoes the film’s themes of reflection and the passage of time.

As contemporary footage match-dissolves into Borradaile’s original work—filmed in the same global locations decades earlier—the music deepens the emotional arc of these transitions. The film becomes not only a meditation on time and change, but a subtle reflection on how film has altered the way we see the world, and ourselves. Allen’s score moves fluidly between restraint and warmth, reinforcing the film’s visual dialogue across time and its quiet assertion that cinematography is both art and memory.

Snappers

- is a captivating short film celebrating legendary photographer Douglas Kirkland, whose lens helped shape Hollywood’s visual legacy. From Marilyn Monroe to Titanic, he captured stars in cinematic, intimate moments across six decades. Kirkland’s genius wasn’t just in who he photographed, but how—using natural light, soft focus, and genuine interaction to create emotional authenticity in an industry obsessed with gloss. Snappers offers a tribute to his artistry, influence, and the timeless power of storytelling through the still image.

On the Map with Avi Lewis 

- was a sharp, fast-moving global affairs show that tackled urgent, often underreported issues through fearless interviews and cinematic storytelling. Featuring provocative voices like John Bolton, Richard Dawkins, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the series delivered layered, high-stakes conversations shaped by world events. With writing that cut deep, editing that drove momentum, and a rich interweaving of photography and archival film, each episode became a tightly crafted visual essay—both journalistically rigorous and stylistically bold.

Guest Star Performance – Disney’s The Next Step

In Season 1, Episode 10 of the global Disney hit The Next Step (aired in 120 countries), Jeremy McCormack delivers a standout guest performance as a demanding portrait photographer. Speaking while actually shooting the photos featured in the episode, his performance is natural, sharp, and darkly comic—bringing unexpected edge and humor to a key moment in the series. Though brief, the role leaves a lasting impression, with both the acting and photography enhancing the episode’s authenticity and style.

Writer & Director – Comedic Tribute Film for the National Magazine Awards

A sharp, funny tribute film created for the National Magazine Awards, celebrating longtime Toronto Life editor John Macfarlane. Intercutting overlapping interviews with a host of friends and colleagues, it blends wit and warmth to celebrate Macfarlane’s editorial legacy, exacting standards, and unmistakable influence on Canadian journalism.

Creative Producer & Moderator – Doc Lounge Aarhus & IDFA, Amsterdam

Jeremy McCormack was instrumental in relaunching Doc Lounge Aarhus, securing a new home at the Aarhus Film School and helping establish it as a leading public platform for documentary cinema.

At each screening, he introduced films with clarity and intent, and led informed, engaging conversations with filmmakers that deepened audience connection and critical engagement.

He also served as host and moderator for two consecutive seasons at IDFA in Amsterdam, facilitating thoughtful, film-literate dialogue with international documentary filmmakers and audiences.