WHO ARE WE?
GiverYAY was born out of one of our first short films Up Close & Personal. As director, I (Jana Gillis) was so pleased with a shot I exclaimed "YAY" instead of "cut". I decided to say "Giver" and "Yay" instead of "Action" and "Cut" ...for about 5 minutes. But the mentality was there, GiverYAY started with my NIFCO first time film Up Close & Personal and became the production company I produced all my short films under.
Other Projects & Screenings include:
Bad News Go To Therapy (Short Firecracker Igniter Comedy, Nickel Independent Film Festival 2026)
Multiverse (Short YEAA Creates ACTRA TO Comedy, Nickel Independent Film Festival 2020)
Up Close & Personal (Short NIFCO First Time Film, Atlantic Film Festival 2016)
Knockers* (Anti-rom-com 48hr challenge short, Nickel Independent Film Festival 2016)
Madeline - Lookalike** (Music Video, Nickel Independent Film Festival 2016)
Memories (Super8 Project sponsored by The Nickel Independent Film Festival 2015, Shut Your Mouth 2015)
*WINNER - Best use of Line & Prop // **WINNER - Best Music Video (online voting campaign)
In August 2026, after receiving development funding through ArtsNL & PictureNL for my latest project, GiverYAY Productions Inc. was officially launched. "M’Love" is a romcom inspired anthology series about love in all of its forms, set in a “Town” where everyone knows your business and it’s impossible to hide from your ex.
We love producing comedic works with heart but are open to working with and supporting creators in all genres.
Have a project you'd like to pursue with us? Want to just grab a coffee and chat? Reach out.
We do bits. Come play!
Short Films
48hr Film Challenges
Promotional/Corporate Videos
The Dream Fund PSA
ABOUT JANA GILLIS
JJJana Gillis is a professional skit artist, comedian, and bagpiper from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her skits have taken many forms over the years. Sometimes as short films (screened at SJIWFF, AIFF, Nickel Independent Film Festival, Halifax Independent Film Festival, TOSketchFest & various Sci-Fi & Fantasy Conventions throughout Atlantic Canada); as plays (St. John’s Short Play Festival, Cape Breton Stage Company) as “sketches” (NL SketchFest, Is This a Bit?, Almost Baymous, The Second City Toronto Sketch Conservatory) and straight up make ‘em ups (St. John’s Improv, Extreme Improv XStreamed, Movie Night Productions). She’s also acted in longform television skits (Hudson & Rex, Son of a Critch, Astrid & Lilly Save the World, Hallmark’s Everything Christmas). Jana studied professional skitcraft and earned a red t-shirt with a chair on it from The Second City Toronto and a BFA in Theatre Acting from Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Her first short film, “Must Be a Zombie Apocalypse”, produced through the SJIWFF Inaugural FRAMED West filmmaking program screened at SJIWFF, HIFF and several Sci-Fi conventions throughout Atlantic Canada. Her second short, “Up Close & Personal” premiered at the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival. Her latest short comedy “Multiverse” was produced with the help of ACTRA Toronto’s YEAA Creates program and premiered at the Nickel Independent Film Festival. She likes telling strange stories in bite sized bits.