Donna 'Chipmunk' McCusker

Donna 'Chipmunk' McCusker was born on Oct 23, 1980 in Canada. Donna 'Chipmunk' McCusker's big-screen debut came with 54 directed by Mark Christopher in 1998.

Donna has been gaining experience in the Film and Television industry significantly through assisting high-end executives of various production companies in Canada and internationally. Starting with Sullivan Entertainment, then moving into Fireworks Entertainment, followed by an in-between contract with Slanted Wheel Entertainment. Her last major gig was assisting Director, Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf, Silent Hill).Her first taste of the industry, whetting her appetite for showbiz, was during her childhood while modeling and commercial acting in Toronto, Canada. She was in various Television and Radio commercials. She continued her love of the arts, acting in theatre through elementary school and singing in a couple of operas over a season at Hamilton Place conducted by Boris Brott, in the Donald Kendrick conducted, Bach Elgar Choir. Her inner Artist/Producer began exploring other mediums while attending Ancaster High School, such as putting on fund-raising events like a Much Music (Canada's MTV equivalent) Video Dance party, Movie Night on the school's big screen, and a successful sold-out fashion show, for the Girl's Athletic Association.Fashion became a focus for a few years after the success of the show ignited another inner light. Donna went on to become a competitive national top sales associate for Harry Rosen, in Hamilton at the time. She then segued into the wholesale industry moving to Toronto with Milli Ltd's international distributing/exporting/importing arm, The Milli Showroom. Working closely with one of the partners, Daniel Buchler, assisting him with sales, she also initiated the publicity department there, helping the brands reach a greater public through editorials with publications such as Flare, Fashion, Elle Quebec, Clin D'oeil, The Globe and Mail, DNR, WWD, The Toronto Star etc; She began styling some of Canada's celebrities such as Jeanne Beker for Fashion Television, and then model Cameron Mathison among others, as well as contributing to styles for tours of Celine Dion and Roch Voisine. Hitting another growth spurt, she moved to PYA Importer Ltd, and for the most part, served as the National Sales Manager for the 4 YOU Menswear fashion brand - strategically building a profitable architecture for the brand, together with President/Owner Patrick Assaraf, along with some contribution to Mondo di Marco, and the Gene Meyer collections.Pulled back by a passion for the Arts and Entertainment world that wouldn't leave her, Donna joined an Improv group performing live at The Oasis on College Street, in Toronto. The group was Y Thru Zed, a successful, un-sketched summer series that was once guest-hosted by comic Shaun Majumder. This experience triggered an inner voice to do more, so she left the fashion world and embarked on the journey led by her heart, although fashion would never leave her entirely.The journey has twisted through a unique path that tours the Canadian industry, predominantly in the corporate world of Film and Television, working with talented Executives such as Adam Haight, Jay Firestone, Jon Slan, Trudy Grant, Don Carmody, and Gregor Hutchison, among others. She counts herself fortunate to have had these opportunities, and other friendly relations with people globally, through the United States, Great Britain, France, Australia, Canada and other places too. Her position as Assistant to Filmmaker Christophe Gans was a feast of experience, propelling her from the foundation of the Corporate (development/distribution) world, into the mainframe of filmmaking through the scope of prep, production, post and theatrical/DVD release stages.Her mother is Anna McCusker, former VP of Marketing for PrideVision TV, the world's first LGBT television channel. Donna has 2 sisters, Amanda McCusker, Natalie Cunningham and one brother, Colin McCusker. Her sister Natalie is the Brand Manager for Teletoon Network, an Astral Media/Corus Entertainment company.Donna can be seen in the upcoming DVD release of Diary of the Dead on the bonus features of short films, as part of a contest by George A. Romero and the Weinstein Company in collaboration with MySpace. It's a short film directed by Shalena Oxley-Butler and written by Doug Howell, called Opening Night of the Living Dead.