Joel Thomas Hynes is a multidisciplinary, award-winning artist from Newfoundland. Hynes has worked in the Canadian film and television industry for more than fifteen years as a writer, an actor and a director. He wrote and directed two award-winning short films, Clipper Gold and Little Man, and is the author of numerous acclaimed books and stageplays, including the novels Down To The Dirt and Right Away Monday. His screen adaptation of his book Say Nothing Saw Wood was nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards, and he has performed numerous lead and principle roles for TV and film, including Down to the Dirt, Book of Negroes, ReGenesis, Rookie Blue, Republic of Doyle and, currently, Orphan Black.