Doty Docs was founded in 1995 by Christopher Doty, a London, Ontario - based documentary producer and casual historian. The company was founded with the goal to create and foster audio/visual projects about London's history.

Chris' talents as a documentary maker are a seamless blending of his persistence as a researcher, his perception as an interviewer and his expertise as a writer. Taken together, they have helped redefine the standards of documentary production in the London area. In many ways, Chris doesn't just tell history - he makes it.

The company's first production, Slippery (1995), won for best community television production at the Yorkton Short Film and Video Awards. It was followed by Lost April: The Flood of '37 (1997), Vagabonds and Visionaries: The London Story (1998), Guelph: City of Opportunity (2000) A Great Day for London: The Royal Visit of 1939 (2000) and Let's Go to the Grand (2001). They have earned Doty Docs a total of six provincial and national awards.

Chris' skills as a researcher can be seen in CBC Television's Guy Lombardo: When We Danced (1998) and in the commemmorative book Fifty Years of Music: The Story of EMI Music Canada (1999). He has also been active in film restoration, bringing forgotten Canadian films and documentaries back to the public's attention. These have included Here Will I Nest (1942), The Turkey Point Witch Project (1962) and Guy Lombardo: A Royal Canadian (1977).

In addition to maintaining his own Web site (www.dotydocs.com) Chris has recently produced a feature documentary on the history of CFPL Television. He has restored the only know print of Canada's first feature-length colour movie and has produced a series of historical minutes for both The New PL and Rogers Television. Other recent projects include The Jack Chambers Film Project, a lengthy series of historical minutes for Rogers Television and the production of video installations for Museum London, Banting House Historic Site and the City of London.

Chris recently completed a feature documentary that celebrated the 40th anniversary of the London Knights hockey club and a book on hangings in Ontario.

A child of the 1960s - he was born an hour before Star Trek premiered on television - Chris obtained a degree from the University of Western Ontario's journalism because, as he explained, "I'd rather write about other's people's stories than make up my own." However, the call of history proved too strong and Chris has stubbornly refused to move into the 21st century ever since.

In addition to his work in film and video, Chris is active in the London-area theatre scene, having written a script for a new play, The Donnelly Trial while researching another, Citizen Marc on political activist Marc Emery. Chris is also a co-founder of the Brickenden Awards for theatrical excellence.

Chris lives in a charming bungalow in south London, Ontario which is filled to the gables with archival material and Doris Day records.

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