Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

NSI alumna Shannon Fewster’s growing career as a producer and writer

Posted: 31 Dec 2019 02:21 PM PST

At the National Screen Institute, we’re blessed to see firsthand the difference training makes in the lives of storytellers.

Throughout the past month, we’ve been sharing impact stories from our talented alumni who told us how NSI training transformed their lives and careers. Up today is producer Shannon Fewster who, in 2015, made Divorce Photographer through NSI Drama Prize with writer/director Christine Buijs.

Shannon is a Toronto-based producer. She has produced several award-winning web series including Kristal Clear and Lady Ada’s Secret Society. Other credits include The Amazing Race Canada, Born To Be Blue and Midnight’s Children. Shannon has several feature films in development.

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How did your training through NSI help you get to the place you’re at in your career today?

NSI Drama Prize allowed me to create my third short film as a producer. The knowledge I gained from producing short films [helped] me to become an associate producer on feature film Born To Be Blue starring Ethan Hawke.

What was most memorable or helpful about NSI training?

The instructors were very supportive and passionate about what they were teaching us. The industry professionals they brought to boot camp were really insightful. The quality and subject matter of the selected projects was inspiring.

Did you make enduring connections with peers and industry folks?

I’ve continued relationships with the producers who were training alongside me, and I’ve kept in touch with many of the NSI staff and see them when they’re in Toronto for TIFF, etc.

Have you continued to work with any of those people?

They are now industry connections and we support each other, even though we haven’t found projects to work together on.

What advice or encouragement would you give a prospective applicant considering NSI programs?

Put your best foot forward. Seek out advice from your friends, family and other colleagues before you submit. Watch any videos supplied by NSI about that program. If you know someone who has been successful in the past, get in touch and see if they can offer advice.

Lastly, make sure you’re surrounding yourself with a strong team. If you’re a new writer, find a mentor, if you’re a new producer, find an executive producer to flesh out your team.

What has your career trajectory looked like between when you completed training and now?

I was associate producer on Born To Be Blue and did business affairs for New Real Films for four more years. I produced Hollyweb Best Series Kristal Clear with the support of the Independent Production Fund (IPF) and Ontario Creates. In addition, I’ve associate produced for two seasons of The Amazing Race Canada (a truly wonderful adventure!)

I founded Coconut Effect Productions and have now produced a Telefilm Talent To Watch feature Québexit.

I’ve branched into writing, creating digital series Lady Ada’s Secret Society and several other projects in development.

What was the most transformative part of your learning experience?

Assistance with legal paperwork, incorporation and clearances was vital; support for the director in re-writing her story to make it as strong as possible and finding practical production tricks to make it within budget.

What project(s) are you currently working on?

Can I Live, season 1 (digital project in development); Lady Ada’s Secret Society, season 1 (digital); Kristal Clear season 2 (IPF funding secured); post production on Québexit; and season 8 of The Amazing Race Canada.

I’ve written the pilot for a new television project called Cul-De-Sac, and several other pitches for original content.

Where can people find out more about your work online?

Coconut Effect Productions; IMDb and this website.

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Keep the story going and donate today

At NSI, we’re passionate about nurturing storytellers because stories connect us all.

Please consider a donation to support our students as part of your charitable giving. Big or small, your gift will provide value-added essentials that enhance their training experience.

For as little as $10, you can help fund an item from the NSI Gift Guide. Things like a weekly bus pass, the cost of hiring a van for a student trip, food for a traditional feast or help hiring a mentor are all ways you can help.

Tax receipts are issued for all gifts. Thank you for considering a donation.

The post NSI alumna Shannon Fewster’s growing career as a producer and writer appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

NSI alumna JJ Neepin: NSI helped add to our community of filmmakers

Posted: 31 Dec 2019 02:13 PM PST

At the National Screen Institute, we’re blessed to see firsthand the difference training makes in the lives of storytellers. Throughout December we’ve been sharing impact stories from our talented alumni who told us how NSI training transformed their lives and careers.

We close out the series with award-winning director JJ Neepin who developed The League through NSI IndigiDocs in 2014 with sister/producer Justina Neepin (CBC New Indigenous Voices).

JJ is a Cree First Nations director and writer living/working in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Her short films have screened at film festivals around the world including CBC’s Headdress which had its world premiere at the 2017 Hot Docs Film Festival and also screened at New Zealand’s Māori Land Festival and Montana’s Big Sky Documentary Festival. Her MTS Stories From Home film Bayline screened at the 2017 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and St. John’s International Women’s Festival.

JJ has directed episodes of various documentary television programs including APTN’s Taken and The Other Side.

• • •

How did your training through NSI help you get to the place you’re at in your career today?

I took part in NSI IndigiDocs a few years back with my sister [and created The League through the program]. It was the first official documentary short film we made. It was thanks to NSI that we had that opportunity. We met many mentors and fellows whom we are still in contact with today.

What was most memorable or helpful about NSI training?

What I recall best from my program experience was that it included a trip to Toronto to attend Hot Docs Film Festival. It was super helpful to attend a festival with an agenda to see certain panels and go to networking events. Having our NSI mentors there to assist us made it less daunting.

Did you make enduring connections with peers and industry folks?

I’m still in touch with both mentors and fellows from the program. We also cheer each other on when someone has a film in a festival, makes it into another program or wins an award. NSI helped add to our community of filmmakers.

Have you continued to work with any of those people?

I have worked with several of my mentors and fellows on their projects. I’ve often been a director/writer and they the producer. It certainly makes the process less intimidating when there is already an established connection or professional relationship.

What advice or encouragement would you give a prospective applicant considering NSI programs?

I would encourage reaching out to former participants of programs and seeing if the program is a good fit for you.

What has your career trajectory looked like between when you completed training and now?

After completing the program and putting our film out there we were approached by local producers to work on their documentary TV series Taken (season 2). And from that work came more work in doc/factual programming. From those experiences we’ve built up our resumes and reputations for more opportunities. We’d still like to do more scripted content and are steering our working goals that way.

What was the most transformative part of your learning experience?

For me personally, the lessons can take a while to sink in. And often the lessons don’t click until I’m in the middle of a job which can be very nerve-racking. However, because I know this about myself, I’ve also learned to give myself a break and just have patience.

What project(s) are you currently working on?

I’m in early development on my first feature. I’m also an associate producer on CBC’s The Trickster.

Where can people find out more about your work online?

Follow my daily shenanigans on Twitter or Instagram.

Folks can see some of our films on our Vimeo profile and follow our Facebook page for updates on our projects.

• • •

Keep the story going and donate today

At NSI, we’re passionate about nurturing storytellers because stories connect us all.

Please consider a donation to support our students as part of your charitable giving. Big or small, your gift will provide value-added essentials that enhance their training experience.

For as little as $10, you can help fund an item from the NSI Gift Guide. Things like a weekly bus pass, the cost of hiring a van for a student trip, food for a traditional feast or help hiring a mentor are all ways you can help.

Tax receipts are issued for all gifts. Thank you for considering a donation.

The post NSI alumna JJ Neepin: NSI helped add to our community of filmmakers appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).