AUTHOR | FILMMAKER | MUSICIAN | CREATOR
as a perfect
bookend to Facing Ali,
I am excited to be directing a new documentary on the REmarkable life of the first man to defeat Muhammad Ali in the ring, and battle him outside it, the legendary Heavyweight Champion Smokin' Joe Frazier.
"Pete possesses the greatest breadth and the most intellectual speed of any creative soul I know, and I know many. He has pushed and inspired and kicked my ass into songwriting, album production, novel writing and even the definition and exhibition of lovingkindness."
—Vince R Ditrich, author of The Liquor Vicar
"Pete McCormack is an unstoppable creative force. He will inspire and elevate your writing."
—Daniele Bolelli, History on Fire
“Hey, Songwriter is inspiring, irreverent, funny and full of fantastic pop trivia. Every chapter sparked great ways to approach, re-think and create better songs. The positive effect on my creativity and output was exhilarating. Read it. Use it. Steal it!”
-David Ramos, Composer, Johnny Cash: American Rebel
FILMS
Facing Ali
Ali is the GOAT for so many reasons. The ten boxers Ali fought in Facing Ali? Legends. Loved those guys and their incredible stories. The film was short-listed for an Oscar. Yeah, I am proud of it. Nostalgic heaven. And Ali's life is remarkable.
Uganda Rising
Uganda Rising was a privilege to make, with huge responsibility. A note of caution, the film is heavy and there are some brutal images. Click poster for an excerpt.
Book 2
I Am Bruce Lee
I am not Bruce Lee. He was an original who made being a mystic and a fighter beyond cool. His time was short but his effect was monumental. Legend among legends.
Spirit Unforgettable
John Mann was a pure artist. His brave journey with Alzheimer's taught me so much about dignity and love. And Spirit of the West are the best and brilliant. The clock is ticking.
Sports On Fire - HBO Series
See Grace Fly
The first full-length film I ever directed and only fictional feature so far. Great experience in independent filmmaking. Grace and her brother rocked.
The concept for Sports on Fire was simple: when sports and history collide the whole world watches. The stories, interviews and revelations from all six episodes enthralled, fascinated and educated me. What a treat. Currently streaming on CBC Gem.
I made these two short films for the wonderful Echo Storytelling Agency. Anybody in your life that you love? Tell them now—you know, that you you love them. You never know. #TellThemNow got over a million views in the first two weeks after launch and was featured in media around the world, leaving my name out! I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum who steals lines from Marlon Brando.
MUSIC
My first album. 24-Track, 2-inch tape. Fab players. Paul Hyde. Spirit of the West. Brad Turner. Marty Howard. Brent Gubbels. Colleen Eccleston. What a dream! Here's a Spotify link. Here's an Apple Music link.ere'
Most of the songs below are works in process. New work, same dreams. And occasional, precious rushes of elation. And yeah, a little depression. But I'm back and still doing it.
Shine is a rough mix of my dream of letting go of love with style and hoping it sounds like something from Motown. The Funk Brothers I ain't. But as Sinatra once sang: "I kinda did it my way..."
Album 2. Recorded in a studio, a living room and a shed on something called DAT. Got a great story from Abbey Road out of it. Got to tour Canada.
Inner-Galactical is about when the biggest amount of dark matter in the universe is in your heart, and not even NASA can understand. This astronaut is choosing to not call Houston back. Fortunately, he has a little recording studio in his capsule, and an affection for Space Oddity and Rocket Man.
Innocent Man was inspired from research I did for a potential series called No Justice. Special nod to the Innocence Project, who fight for the release, exoneration and dignity of wrongfully accused prisoners. Should've got any actor for the video.
BOOKS
My Last Friends on Earth
Secrets of GLYKO
Book 1 of My Last Friends on Earth is complete. Three kids, forced together by a world in turmoil—and helped by a foot-tall Queen, a huge flying tiger-eagle, a secret nectar and a Trikkan who eats his own cheek. They are trying to stop an alien force from finishing off the human species. How much fun is that? Yeah, a lot. Except for the misery and death. But the jokes are real and the action is great. And hey, that's life on Earth 103 years in the future.
Understanding Ken
In this beloved Canadian novel, a ten-year old kid obsessed with hockey finds his life torn apart by divorce. To cope, he blames NHL goaltending legend Ken Dryden (who quit his beloved Montreal Canadiens) for all of his family and hockey troubles. Hilarious and heartfelt, Understanding Ken is a testimony to childhood, family, friends and resilience.
Hey, Writer was inspiring to write, and my hope is that translates to inspire and encourage you in your writing process. That's why I quote all those writer legends you love who actually know what the hell is going on. May you become one of those writer legends—or at least, the best you can be. A few details and chapters here.
Shelby
My first novel. The first query letter was rejected. A week later, having accidentally sent the same query letter twice, the same publisher who declined said, "Sure, send us three chapters." Done. Nice to know somebody liked a neurotic 19-year old kid who abandons all his academic dreams, masturbates too much and still manages to find his way. No, not me. Shelby.
Hey, Songwriter was written in the same joyous flow as Hey, Writer, with the same goal to encourage and inspire. Rewarding, and surprising; for instance, who knew how much famous songwriters stole from each other, and why this always happens on some level? Well, the artists knew. And their lawyers knew. Now you know! I loved writing the book. I love pop trivia because it's important and can change the world. And I love writing songs. A few chapters here.
THE MISSION
"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it."
—Kurt Vonnegut
"You wanna fly? You gotta give up the shit that weighs you down."
—Toni Morrison
Mission? What mission?
To keep creating. Go deep. Take chances. Be irreverent. Be kind. Be blunt. Keep moving forward. Be funny. And not worry so much. I worry way too much.
To fight back against the trappings. Trappings? Yeah, those inner voices. Or what seems to be in vogue. Or judging success by making money or getting feedback. Those trappings. Because what do we really know?
To be inspired by failure. The best choice among many. To not be deceived by success. To seek vision. To believe in the process. To be in the process. Because we ar in the process. Find the beauty. Write more books. Novels. Non-fiction. Screenplays. To make more music. Make more films. To put it out. To seek my own excellence. To be more fearless. To let go. To use being disheartened and disillusioned as fuel. And from the fire find gratitude. To celebrate small victories.
And if on this mission of doing, I can be loving and encourage and inspire others to begin, to continue, to finish or even to stop creating/writing, if that’s what they need? Fantastic. Time is finite. Here’s to life. Here’s to finding our way. Losing it. Then finding it again. Gratitude. More gratitude. Okay, let the mission continue.
BIO
Hey. Yeah you. Create something.
Writer, filmmaker, musician. Recently completed my third novel, number one in a YA trilogy called My Last Friends on Earth. The story takes place a century in the future. My other novels, Understanding Ken and Shelby, were written in the previous century. I've penned several produced feature screenplays in between. Some I even liked. A couple helped me with my down payment on my house. Thanks for that.
I recently wrote Hey, Writer about the writing life, to encourage you in your creative process. I've done the same for songwriters in Hey, Songwriter, even though I've never written a hit, to help you write your next or first great song.
My documentary Facing Ali was Oscar short-listed in 2009. Spirit Unforgettable won Audience Choice awards at Toronto's Hot Docs and VIFF in 2016. I've won quite a few other awards, too, but I can't remember exactly what or why.
I created, wrote and directed a 6-part HBO Canada documentary series called Sports on Fire. Other award-winning films I've written and directed include Uganda Rising, I Am Bruce Lee—at the time Spike TV’s highest watched documentary ever—and a scripted feature called See Grace Fly.
I’ve done ad work for Echo Storytelling Agency that has garnered millions of views on multiple platforms.
My music has been used in film, T.V. and Digital Media but I still dream of writing that perfect pop song, also known as a mental illness.
Also, I live with my husband Tom in Maine, and our two cats, Sally and Whisper. No, I don't. But Stephen King lives in Maine. So does Chris Van Dusen, and my kids love him.
Potentially creative boy sitting on a large, red apple
