About Chris

Christopher Kai Olsen is an Emmy®-winning filmmaker and entertainment producer whose work can be seen in the award-winning PBS documentary The Artsiders®, the best selling animated television series VeggieTales®, the critically acclaimed story ballet THE WHITE CITY, and numerous films, including Butterfly, Fosse:Prelude (featuring Ann Reinking), Fancy, and the new animated series The Karl Dahl Show™.  As the founder of Chicago-based production company KAI/HARDING, Chris’s unique creative approach has also made its mark on a wide variety of commercial, music video, live stage, and entertainment projects for an expanding roster of fortune 500 clients and performing arts organizations.  In his spare time, Chris frequently speaks at film festivals, schools, and arts events across the country, and really appreciates a well-made chai tea latte.

SELECT CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Creator/Producer/Director/Writer for THE KARL DAHL SHOW™ animated series.
-Projection Creator and Film Director for the critically acclaimed THE WHITE CITY story ballet.
- Creator/Producer/Director for the 2008 EMMY-Nominated PBS documentary THE ARTSIDERS®.
- Creator/Producer/Director/Writer for the hit THREADS™ animated series, distributed by Word Entertainment.
- Producer/Director for the VEGGIETALES® animated series, originally selling 20 million+ units worldwide, on QUBO.

SELECT PROJECT RECOGNITION
For “KARL DAHL AND THE GOLDEN CUBE”
*OFFICIAL SELECTION – LITTLE ROCK, HOLLYSHORTS, 1REEL BUMBERSHOOT, SIDEWALK & MIAMI SHORT FILM FESTS

For “FOSSE:PRELUDE”
*OFFICIAL SELECTION – BIG BEAR LAKE FILM FEST
*ACCOMPANIED THODOS DANCE CHICAGO NATIONAL TOURS 2009-2012

For “URSULA THE UBERGIRL™ in BARBELLS-A-WEIGH”
*OFFICIAL SELECTION – RENO FILM FESTIVAL

For “FANCY”
*OFFICIAL SELECTION – LITTLE ROCK, FOURSITE, 1REEL BUMBERSHOOT, RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL, MOONDANCE, & FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTS

For “BUTTERFLY”
*OFFICIAL SELECTION – CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL, MIAMI SHORT, LAKE ARROWHEAD, BARE BONES, & LITTLE ROCK FILM FESTS

For “THE ARTSIDERS®”
*NOMINATED – 2008 MIDWEST EMMY – Outstanding Achievement in Contemporary Documentary
*AWARD – 2008 BRONZE TELLY – Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Documentary
*AWARD – 2008 SILVER DAVEY – Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Documentary

For “THREADS”
*AWARD – 2000 WYSIWIG AWARD – Best Children’s Video

For “VEGGIETALES®”
*AWARD – 2000 PARENTS CHOICE AWARD – Best Children’s Video
*AWARD – 1998 GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION “DOVE” AWARD – Best Long Form Music Video
*AWARD – 1998 COVENANT AWARD – Best Children’s Video
*AWARD – 1995-1998 MULTIPLE RIAA MULTI-PLATINUM VIDEO AWARDS – Best Selling Children’s Video

SELECT INDUSTRY AWARDS
*AWARD – 2009 CINE EAGLE – Outstanding Commercial Production
*AWARD – 2009 TELLY – Outstanding Film Production
*AWARD – 2008 MIDWEST EMMY – Outstanding Achievement for Informational Program/Segment
*NOMINATION – 2008 MIDWEST EMMY – Outstanding Achievement for Documentary of Contemporary Significance
*AWARD – 2008 TELLY – Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Documentary
*AWARD – 2008 DAVEY – Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Documentary