Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

Part 3: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going
Part 2: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going
Part 1: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going
Paying it forward: industry experts mentor NSI Business for Producers participants

Part 3: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going

Posted: 02 Feb 2021 01:25 PM PST

Top row from left: A.J. Demers, Andrea Feltrin, Ervin Chartrand, Fonna Seidu, Jacob Pratt, Kate Fenton, Stuart Matheson; middle row: Carmen Forsberg, Bram Timmer, Flore de Bayser, Ian Bawa, Jen Viens, Richard Agecoutay, Priyanka Desai; bottom row: Alex Sangha, Carla Robinson, Alex Duong, Hedyeh Bozorgzadeh, Jason Arsenault, Kulbinder Saran Caldwell, Seth Williams

In October 2020, the National Screen Institute welcomed 21 participants to the NSI Business for Producers training program – a distance learning and mentorship program designed to help emerging producers nurture creative ideas (of all genres) while navigating the logistics and legalities of screen-based storytelling in a COVID-19 environment. Read more about this year’s participants.

Right now, participants are working with their mentors but, as last year drew to a close, we asked each of them how things were going.

Since there are 21 talented participants, we’re rolling out the writing pieces in three separate posts to avoid publishing a very long post.

Read: part 1 and part 2.

• • •

Alex Sangha – Emergence – Out of the Shadows (Delta, BC)

Mentor: Avi Federgreen – Federgreen Entertainment & Indiecan Entertainment

I had a wonderful learning experience as part of the NSI Business for Producers program with 20 other producers from across the country.

I am an emerging producer and absorbed as much knowledge, expertise and skills as I could. I also live with a back injury and had to lay flat with a laptop to get through the program. NSI was understanding and accommodated my needs. Learning from the other producers was very valuable: they all have different and diverse backgrounds and are in different stages of the production process.

I was really surprised with the calibre and experience of the guest speakers. Some of the top producers and filmmakers in Canada were part of the panels and presentations. I followed up with some of them on LinkedIn and a lot of them added me as a contact and provided me with further guidance.

I was also very happy that Ursula Lawson [program manager] said that once you train with NSI, you’re “part of the NSI family.” This means that NSI is interested in following our careers, promoting our achievements and providing further learning opportunities. I really feel comforted by this because I did not feel alone in the film industry.

My two favorite sessions were about pitching and post-production. I managed to further refine my pitch and it came in handy when I was trying to market and sell my film for acquisition to major Canadian broadcasters. All the Canadian broadcasters I approached said they would consider my film for acquisition after they viewed the festival and/or locked cut.

My film is currently in the editing stage and is soon to enter post-production so it was valuable to learn step-by-step the different tasks that need to be completed. It helped me put the appropriate post-production team in place.

I received an excellent overview and learned the basics of producing in this program. If I need further information as part of my professional career as a filmmaker, I will know who to turn to and find the information I need. We received a lot of resources and information to help us.

I managed to reach out to Priyanka Desai who is another student in the class. She recently immigrated to Vancouver from Mumbai. I also live in the Vancouver area and I am making a movie about queer South Asian issues and I really want my film to enter the Indian market. Priyanka was very helpful. We connected on social media, I have her phone number and she put me in touch with a number of high-profile LGBTQ+ activists in India who provided me with guidance and advice on how to distribute and release my film there.

I am very grateful to NSI for giving me a chance and allowing me to participate in this program. As a BIPOC and queer filmmaker I really felt acknowledged, welcomed and embraced in the program. Thank you.

Kulbinder Saran Caldwell – The Nightbird (Toronto, ON)

Mentor: Christina Jennings, Alexandra Finlay and team – Shaftesbury

It was a great experience meeting and learning with/from other producers. I met a number of producers I would love to collaborate with and support one another in the future.

What pleasantly surprised me about the program was how fast the time went. At the beginning, I thought it would be difficult to be in front of the computer for so long for all the sessions. However, the information was great and the presenters were really willing to share their experiences and answer our questions.

The most important thing I learned during the online training was that it was possible to connect and create relationships in a virtual classroom setting. It helped that we were all in the same position – not being able to travel – and our instructors were all very engaged and generous with their time.

Both the budgeting and business affairs sessions were very valuable. Getting more information about the budget and tax credit processes really helped me consider all my options for co-productions and inter-provincial productions, especially since my project is set in Vancouver, BC and I’m located in Toronto. Plus, [presenter] Nghia Nguyen was so much fun and informative. I definitely want to work with him in future. If you read this, please call me!

This program will profoundly affect my producing career since it relies on building relationships which get solidified by working closely with one another. Even though we are all working on our own projects, there is much to be learned by sharing stories and experiences. The good, the bad and the ugly can allow you to make sure you take everything into consideration so you don’t make the same mistakes, but educate yourself by being forewarned about the pitfalls.

Friendships and collaborations have already started. During the budgeting breakout sessions, I was in a group with Kate Fenton and Jason Arsenault and they were both kind enough to share their project budgets with me so I can use them as a reference for mine. I appreciated the gesture and I know I can always approach them with questions which makes me feel part of a community.

Fonna Seidu – What Comes After (Toronto, ON)

Mentor: Nathalie Younglai

This program has been very transformative in how I look at film production and overall project management. Learning alongside other producers was a unique experience, especially knowing I was in a room with other people who are intentionally honing their craft and face similar challenges and obstacles in their work as producers.

I was grateful to learn about how seasoned producers execute their projects and dive deeper into the processes and practices that benefitted them throughout their careers.

My favourite sessions were those that focused on communication (i.e. conflict resolution, negotiation and human resource management). This industry is all about collaboration where clear and effective communication is essential for making a great project so, of course, I was most excited to learn about these soft skills.

Additionally, as a kinesthetic learner, I found the sessions with templates and hands-on activities most helpful. In the past I’ve spent hours putting together writer contracts, deal memos and production checklists that I now use, but having templates such as assignment of rights agreements, pre-filled tax credit calculation documents and option purchase agreement templates really helps build my producer toolkit for future projects and streamlines all aspects of production.

For the next phase of the program, I look forward to working with my mentor to expand my experience.

I’m excited to see how this cohort continues to grow and shift as we apply our learnings from the program to our future productions.

Bram Timmer – Netherworld (Calgary, AB)

Mentor: Jessalyn Dennis – Seven24 Films

When I originally set out to learn the ins and outs of producing, I had one paramount concern: learning from books in solitude about a skillset that’s inherently collaborative gives way to the feeling of being stranded on a deserted island. This program is an understated opportunity to learn from some of Canada’s very best and, in 2020 for me, it has become accentuated against the backdrop of a global pandemic.

But the power that drives the momentum of the course is the personal touch from producer Jeff Peeler [program advisor]. The program had a $50 application fee and a $250 tuition fee, and it’s billed by my peers and I as insane value. For the math enthusiasts out there: $300 for 35 hours of learning in 20 sessions where the guests average 20+ years of industry experience. Did I mention there’s a six-week mentorship phase that NSI facilitates? Between you, dear reader, and I … I’d have paid that just to have coffee with a mere fraction of the talent we met and learned from.

The hype surrounding some of the faculty added pleasure and pressure that comes with tracking down details of past work and processes to arm yourself with inquisitive questions. Luckily, everyone was extremely gracious to bring their experience and lessons to us.

Ok, so a bunch of glitter and glam just shot out of a rocket but what did we actually learn? Well, among other things we learned about protocols, pathways, pitching, packaging, storytelling, leadership, collaboration, budgeting, conflict resolution, budgeting, negotiation, budgeting, creativity, tax credits, finance structures, cash flows, diversity, post-production, workflows, business affairs, human resources, sales, distribution, networking and did I mention budgeting?

For me personally, the hustle and leadership from Andrew Barnsley, Adrienne Mitchell, Richard J. Lewis and T.J. Scott were all very insightful as it most relates to my career path but I tumbled down the rabbit hole with Rhonda Baker‘s budgeting lectures. I remember in my application that it was something I’d like to learn because, as a creative person, I’ve always steered clear of budgets but it’s a skill to master on the producer side.

Prior to taking the program, I had already been studying workbooks from Women in Film and Television mixed with resources from the Producers Guild of America and the Canadian Media Producers Association, books such as Edward Jay Epstein’s The Hollywood Economist and Gregory Bernstein’s Understanding the Business of Media Entertainment, and workshops led by the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It certainly helped act as a strong foundation for this program but the incredibly diverse topic course load, mixed with the connections made, the friendships created with my peers who will all surely be calling on one another as we progress in our careers, together with being shown new possibilities and doors opened, you see how intimate the Canadian media landscape really is. I’ll see you out there!

Jen Viens – Autonomic (Montreal, QC)

Mentor: Carrie Mudd – Peacock Alley Entertainment

The past several weeks have been an amazing experience. I’ve met so many talented and successful professionals in the Canadian film industry. I’ve also had the incredible opportunity of getting to know the other producers in this program who will hopefully become colleagues and friends for many years to come.

I wasn’t sure what an entirely digital version of a training program for producers would be like. I was unsure whether or not I’d be able to build connections with my fellow cohort members, or if it would be as fruitful as an in-person experience.

I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised by my experience. Despite the fact we were only meeting digitally each week, we forged connections, found common ground and shared insights and experiences from our journeys as producers.

Truthfully, if this program hadn’t been entirely online this year, I might not have been able to participate due to scheduling constraints on my end. Even though we were all very much socially distanced behind screens and often many provinces away, I felt we were still able to build a community of support and solidarity.

It’s hard to pinpoint one single thing I learned as ‘most important.’ Each week I felt like I was taking in a wealth of information that I wouldn’t otherwise have had access to. Though I was often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of knowledge, I felt like I was learning and growing at an exponential rate. I’m truly looking forward to putting everything I’ve learned thus far into action.

In terms of my producing skills, the areas I’ve identified as opportunities for growth have had to do with formal paperwork, such as shopping agreements, contracts and budgets. It was incredibly insightful to have experts in these fields instruct us on the particulars. They provided facts and advice that would have been impossible to garner from a Google search.

I believe everything I have learned so far has boosted my confidence as a producer. Though I don’t yet know everything (that’s impossible) I feel I now know who to ask and, more importantly, what questions to ask about a myriad of different things. I feel more confident in my ability to navigate a wider range of productions, and less nervous about encountering particularities and ‘special cases.’ I also think the connections I’ve made, with both members of my cohort and guest speakers, will benefit me greatly going forward.

Everyone has been so open and willing to share their knowledge, as well as their fears and hopes. A few of us had the opportunity to have separate ‘jam sessions’ outside of formal workshops for which I am grateful. I was even happy to discover I have some personal connections, via a few degrees of separation, with a handful of my group members. I look forward to getting to know each of them more, and to having the opportunity to collaborate with them in the (hopefully near) future.

Seth Williams – Baiter (Canmore, AB)

Mentor: Scott Lepp – Prairie Dog Film + Television

Phase one of this program has been a new, exciting and sometimes challenging experience. There has been an exceptional amount of knowledge imparted upon us and, if I’m honest, at times it has felt a little overwhelming.

Each guest speaker has been an excellent wealth of information and, on average, each guest has had a career spanning 20+ years. As we often have multiple speakers in a session, that’s a LOT of info. It is sometimes difficult to digest in one short session, so I look forward to combing through all the material at a slower pace.

After chatting with fellow colleagues, I’m pleasantly surprised to discover I’m not the only one who feels this way. However, as I review the classes and begin applying them directly to my project, I’m confident what I’ve learned will help propel my career to the next level.

I’ve learned so many cool things that I will be applying to my project, but a real eye-opener has been listening to BIPOC storytellers. As an immigrant to Canada I’ve yet to work with any First Nations, Métis or Inuit communities. Learning about different protocols, concepts and traditions has been fascinating. I look forward to working with a diverse mix of cultures in the future.

On the subject of diversity, it has been a humbling experience to listen to many of my fellow participants, particularly women of colour, discuss the challenges they’ve faced in the industry.

It’s clear that woman in leadership roles are not afforded the same respect as their male counterparts. This has saddened, angered and ultimately inspired me to be a voice for change.

I endeavour to collaborate with a diverse crew of key creatives on all my future projects.

Being part of the NSI family is a badge of honour I will carry with me throughout my career.

When I’m in need of guidance, I know there’s an army of passionate creatives I can turn to for support and wisdom. Sometime, in the not too distant future, I hope I’ll be able to offer other emerging filmmakers the support they need as a proud NSI alumni.

• • •

NSI Business for Producers is funded by Program Partner Canada Media Fund (CMF); Strategic Sponsors Telefilm Canada and The Winnipeg Foundation; Supporting Sponsors Corus Entertainment and Super Channel; Industry Consultants Executive Education Centre, Asper School of Business, Facilitated Solutions and People First HR Services. NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.

The post Part 3: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

Part 2: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going

Posted: 02 Feb 2021 01:23 PM PST

Right now, participants are working with their mentors but, as last year drew to a close, we asked each of them how things were going.

Since there are 21 talented participants, we’re rolling out the writing pieces in three separate posts to avoid publishing a very long post.

Read: part 1 and part 3.

• • •

Alex Duong – Breaking Bread (Burnaby, BC)

Mentor: Paul-E. Audet – Item 7

NSI Business for Producers is a well-rounded program for emerging producers. I’ve learned a lot more than I thought I would and I can’t thank the NSI team enough for putting this program together and choosing me. The only thing I would say is that having too many people in the program limits us from asking questions as every guest is on a schedule.

The number of guests brought in for the program is actually surprising, I didn’t expect that many guests to show up and share their experience and expertise to us newbies.

Budgeting and tax credits were the sessions that were the most important for me as I was lacking in this area and it was very well taught.

[The program has] definitely boosted my producing knowledge, which I’m currently using now in my internship. Giving me this edge makes me look less green when working at the production company.

Unfortunately, I was not able to mingle and collaborate with others but I do have all of their emails and some of them on Facebook and Instagram.

Andrea Feltrin – Natural Habitat (Vancouver, BC)

Mentor: Carrie Mudd – Peacock Alley Entertainment

Overall, I genuinely loved doing this program along with the 20 other participants from across Canada. It was such a pleasure to learn and network with this special group from the comfort of home, which somehow made the whole experience seem much more intimate.

It was so nice to have some consistency in an otherwise flailing year, it made me excited to sit back at my desk each morning.

I’ve been absolutely delighted by the NSI staff and how supportive and encouraging they’ve been along the way. The lineup of sessions, panels and guests has been impressive and I really appreciate all the hard work that went into creating our schedule for the program.

[Thinking about the most important thing I learned during training is] a tough question. I have pages upon pages of notes from the program so I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one thing. There was always a golden nugget to take away from each session.

The most valuable sessions to me personally were probably the business affairs, tax credit/financing, budgeting and finding the audience sessions. These were all topics that I was not well-versed in let’s say, so it was nice to get a more in-depth understanding. That said, I really loved the creativity during COVID panel as well as the negotiating session, working collaboratively and the conflict resolution session. Did I just list them all?

I generally feel way better equipped to actually go out in the world and produce things properly. Definitely more than I did before I started the program. Suffice to say, I now have a renewed sense of confidence!

I’ve been trying to connect with as many of the other participants as I can. I’ve had a few virtual coffee meetings which were really nice, and the informal NSI Zoom hangouts have been great to connect as well.

There are so many awesome individuals with various skillsets and backgrounds; I love hearing about everyone’s personal experience in the industry and how they got to where they are. It’s definitely a supportive and friendly bunch. I look forward to getting to know everyone better throughout the year.

Kate Fenton – Filmores (Toronto, ON)

Mentor: Tara Woodbury – Sphere Media

Learning online with 20 people was not ideal. However, I enjoyed the regularity of this program.

As much as we have discussed and compared the benefits of intensives and full-day boot camps versus weekly virtual sessions, I have actually appreciated the weekly sessions during this incredibly unstable and unpredictable time. It has been nearly impossible to feel normal or have any routine in my life due to the disruption of COVID and these weekly sessions provided me with a community and a way to focus my day and my week. Thank you!

The friendships I have established are always what you hope to gain from these kinds of programs but are always a pleasant surprise when they happen.

The leadership and conflict resolution sessions were particularly helpful since I had just come from producing two projects. Creative tensions and conflicts always arise. The content of these sessions was very timely and easy to implement immediately.

[When thinking about which sessions were the most valuable to me as a producer] it is hard to pick one session over others. Budgets are their own mountain to climb and I will always rely on a line producer for detailed budgets, but having a better understanding is always helpful. Pitching is a fun way to become familiar with everyone’s projects but is one of those skills you just have to keep perfecting and is ever-changing depending on who you are pitching to and whatever the context may be.

I think hearing from other producers at different levels and just seeing the perseverance in play is helpful. Our office hours were very direct and specific so they had an immediate impact on decisions I was making in the moment.

I think the biggest takeaway for me is the Indigenous protocols session and the 80-page document we received. This information is particularly important and relevant to Filmores but, more importantly, it is a huge contribution to the industry as a whole and will impact the way I enter a project from here on in. As a writer and content creator, actor and producer, the distribution or allocation of power and of ownership has always been troubling for me. And this document is comprehensive, honest and clear.

Our breakout rooms really helped to establish relationships right away. But even above and beyond that, many of us were reaching out to each other on social media and via email almost immediately.

As the program progressed and the amount of information increased, we all felt a bit overwhelmed and disconnected and so we finally took the advice of Ursula Lawson [program manager] and began meeting on our own once a week for an hour or two. I think I would have benefitted from more of these sessions earlier on but I am so grateful that we did get them going and have continued to connect over the past weeks and into our mentorship phase.

Some specific relationships that have emerged through this process include: Kulbinder [Saran Caldwell] and I have provided each other with helpful support from budgets to feedback on our writing. Jen [Viens] and I have connected and shared resources and we both have sought out financial advice and guidance from Carmen [Forsberg]. Jason [Arsenault] has been a huge help in every session and I intend to continue to reach out to him and hopefully continue to develop a friendship and working relationship.

So many friendships are emerging. We have connected on many levels. And I hope we continue to meet over Zoom and, eventually, in person whenever possible.

Carmen Forsberg – #generation:ocean (Richmond, BC)

Mentor: Andrew Williamson – Cedar Island Films

NSI really went above and beyond to put together the NSI Business for Producers program.

The program brought together expert panelists and 21 producers from across the country – over Zoom.

Ursula Lawson and Jeff Peeler [program advisor] took into consideration various time zones and technical requirements, and delivered a fully fleshed out program on all aspects of producing. They moderated and organized it incredibly (and were so good at navigating all tech glitches that, if anything, it just added to our common learning experience on how to manage very large teams).

The program covered many areas of our everyday roles, from the important recognition and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace (with various human resources panels) to detailed sessions on movie magic budgeting, business affairs and finance.

The program allowed all participants the perfect refresher on some areas, new insights on others and a completely new look at key strategies that many perhaps overlooked and were ‘always functioning on go.’

David Falks’ session on conflict resolution was absolutely fantastic: allowing everyone to experience first-hand how we perceive the same situation in different ways. This simple exercise puts so much into perspective when the dynamic on set is running at an all-time high. It is in these moments we must realize how important receptive communication is in such a fast-paced, creative field.

Nghia Nguyen’s take on business affairs was also exceptional. His light take on the otherwise heavy aspects of contracts and negotiations goes to show we should always strive to make these moments enjoyable for all parties at the table.

There are many more stories to share and I am positive that when we do get together, at a festival or NSI event in the future, we will remember our Zoom sessions with much enthusiasm. At this point we are all looking forward to the last and final stage of the program, working one-on-one with project mentors.

I am so grateful. I can truthfully say I started this program with a strong concept of what I wanted my project to be, but I feel as if I have unraveled the many components which I know make it strong, and am now ready to connect these powerful pieces together.

I think I speak for everyone when I say it would be incredible to meet up in person, as a group, and hopefully we can do this soon. Perhaps at Toronto International Film Festival this year or next?

Stuart Matheson – True Hearted Punk (The Pas, MB)

Mentor: Shaleen Sangha – Boat Rocker Media

We had a very in-depth learning experience that allowed people from across the country to get together to learn from speakers who were great distances away. It was a great feeling to connect with people who share similar career interests without geography limiting it.

What gave me a pleasant surprise in this program was how nice and helpful everyone was in the breakout sessions and in general. When the program began, I was very nervous about being the youngest and least-experienced filmmaker in the group, but everyone was very welcoming and it surprised me in a good way.

The most important thing I learned during the online training sessions was that partnering is essential to get anywhere in producing. A lack of experience/financing/networking can be made up for with a good partner who believes in the project you’re working together to create.

The most valuable sessions for me as a producer were the ones that covered financing and budgeting. They were very valuable to me because they highlighted the challenges in getting productions made and also how to overcome them.

I think what I’ve learned so far will have a very positive influence on my producing career. It’s helped me learn how to approach partners to produce projects, how to organize the work in order to complete it, and also how to budget a production to see it be successful.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to bond or begin working relationships with the other participants. Hopefully I will be able to attend some future meet-ups with the group and get the chance to network more.

Carla Robinson – Bully (Brantford, ON)

Mentor: Christina Fon – Rezolution Pictures

I really enjoyed being with a group of up-and-coming producers who are passionate about developing their projects and who have many of the same goals, questions and obstacles I do. It’s helped me stay on track developing my project and I am looking forward to working with my mentor in the upcoming semester.

One of the best things about NSI Business for Producers was the high calibre of speakers we had access to through the online sessions. Many were the top people in the industry who push new boundaries and it was good to listen and learn from their experiences.

I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful, sincere and generous all the presenters were with their time and resources. They covered a lot of material in their sessions, offered up precious forms and documents that we could use for our projects and did their best to answer all our questions.

I found the sessions around entertainment law and conflict resolution extremely valuable, as well as the budgeting and tax credit segments. Those were the areas in which I wanted to strengthen my knowledge base and it was good to ask the presenters questions and be pointed in the right direction when I needed more information.

I realized in this program that I don’t need to do everything. Producing is one of the most collaborative roles in filmmaking, and forming and maintaining healthy partnerships is one of the most important skills you can have as a producer. While it’s good to have a handle on how each step of the process works, it’s better to focus on my strengths and partner with people whose strengths and passions complement mine.

Through the formal and informal Zoom meetings I’ve deepened friendships with some of the classmates I already knew, and have been able to see ways we can collaborate on our current and future projects. I’ve also formed several new relationships where we are exploring collaborating or simply helping each other with brainstorming or sharing resources. I also found our informal chats very helpful in terms of having a place we can just talk, listen and support each other through these uncertain times and the quickly changing film and TV environment.

• • •

The post Part 2: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

Part 1: NSI Business for Producers students tell us how it’s going

Posted: 02 Feb 2021 01:22 PM PST

In October 2020, the National Screen Institute welcomed 21 participants to the NSI Business for Producers training program – a distance learning and mentorship program designed to help emerging producers nurture creative ideas while navigating the logistics and legalities of screen-based storytelling in a COVID-19 environment. Read more about this year’s participants.

Right now, participants are working with their mentors but, as last year drew to a close, we asked each of them how things were going.

Since there are 21 talented participants, we’re rolling out the writing pieces in three separate posts to avoid publishing a very long post.

Read: part 2 and part 3.

• • •

Richard Agecoutay – Spirits of Summer (Toronto, ON)

Mentor: Christina Fon – Rezolution Pictures

This [program] was an important professional opportunity for me. I made connections with many new diverse Canadian producers.

I am grateful that I have a manager at CBC who believes in me. We all need spiritual brothers and sisters who work hard to give us opportunities that allow us to reach our potential.

The Canadian production ecosystem is small. In the future I know I will work with many of the 20 producers in this group.

NSI did a yeoman’s job utilizing Zoom in the delivery of their programming. In these troubling times, NSI found a way to achieve their mandate. [This program] provided a way for us to connect and share. NSI displayed nimbleness, found a work-around and secured the best and brightest to deliver content for participants.

I was surprised that, despite our remoteness, we all had an opportunity to connect. We shared our wisdom and experience: the true meaning of storytelling.

I was f—ing blown away by the sheer honesty of the conversations we had and, yes, sometimes those conversations were uncomfortable. The remoteness of Zoom may have led us to share an intimacy that we may have not had in a face-to-face meeting.

One of my personal highlights was having an opportunity to see the other side of production. I’m a video producer for a major broadcaster, distanced from the decision-making process. I gained insight into why we do what we do, what motivates decision making and why some stories get greenlighted and others die.

Ask yourself: who is in the story, who is not in the story, who is telling the story, who benefits from the story and why should our audience care?

During these troubling times, we need to see more BIPOC persons on screen but, more importantly, we need to see many more BIPOC persons in decision-making roles who make the hard democratic and ethical decisions.

How can we bypass the gatekeepers? Who are the people making those meaningful decisions that affect the fabric of Canadian cinema culture. More importantly, why do they arrive at those decisions? How can we change that?

Eagle Feathers to NSI for developing the next generation of BIPOC leaders and, most importantly, nurturing future gatekeepers. Hey hey!

I’m on the ground, I’m a frontline worker, an image facilitator, I do best when my moccasins hit the warpath. I like getting dirty in production, fishermen say “bloody decks.” I thrive in the battle of production. I’m a production warrior.

I found the business sessions most helpful because I don’t regularly see that part of the equation. Filmmaking is 90% paperwork and 10% film stock.

I’m looking forward to working with my mentor, Christina Fon, during the second phase of training. Christina is a perfect fit for me. I envision working with her on many of my passion projects in the future. As a side gig, I will pursue my passion projects, using what I learned at NSI on my own terms.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the NSI Business for Producers program.

I would like to continue my work with NSI and share my 30+ years of production experience.

Jason Arsenault – Off The Wharf (Charlottetown, PEI)

Mentor: Sherry White

Going into this program, I was unsure whether it was possible to receive the same high-quality training NSI is known for through a virtual classroom.

I had no doubt the presenters and information provided would be top notch, but in all honesty I was a little worried I’d miss out on the opportunity to build personal connections and future collaborations because I wasn’t in the same room with the instructors and my peers. This wasn’t the case at all.

NSI’s staff and the program leaders did an amazing job making the experience feel as comfortable and natural as possible, making meeting 20 new, diverse producers from across the country both smooth and enjoyable.

I met filmmakers from all regions of the country working in all formats, and I have no doubt I’ll go back to my classmates for support, advice and collaboration in the future. This is truly the best part about NSI’s courses and my experience in this program didn’t let me down.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the variety of workshops offered beyond the traditional producer offerings. Further, the workshops I thought would be least interesting actually became the most insightful into problems I’ve faced in the past while offering strategies to avoid these issues in future.

This is especially true of the conflict negotiation and leadership and collaboration workshops. I went into the program assuming what I really wanted in my producer’s toolbox was more information on budgets, tax credits and financing (which I do), but the sessions listed above helped me really see a large gap in my own producer skills. I was glad to have the opportunity to recognize some of my blind spots.

During the online training, I learned many things, almost too many to remember without going back deep into my notes a second and third time (probably more), but the one thing that sticks out is that the process of becoming a great producer is constantly adapting and learning. We saw this highlighted in 2020 with the new COVID protocols. You can’t stop learning because the landscape doesn’t stop changing, and sometimes what you need to learn are things you didn’t expect. Stay open-minded.

I’ve learned an incredible amount in these past few months. I’m excited to dig into new projects using everything I’ve learned.

Ian Bawa – The Amazing Alan Cassavettes (Winnipeg, MB)

Mentors: Graham Ludlow and Ellen Rutter

I am of two minds about learning online with 20 other producers from across Canada. I miss the energy one feels from actually being in a room, the natural social interaction that can occur and the improv involved when you are surrounded by strangers.

I am an extrovert, and any sort of school that does not allow me to sense those around me was always going to be difficult. That said, there are benefits to learning online.

For one, I am able to research as one is talking. Many of our speakers will say something that I instantly want to look up to better understand what they are saying; I am able to re-watch lectures I miss or was not able to attend; and I can easily roll out of bed and be ready for ‘school.’

Despite the class size sometimes being uncomfortably large for Zoom calls, I very much appreciate fellow students’ comradery and friendliness, as well as their diversity in both geography and experience.

The biggest surprise in the program thus far has been the introduction to a few names I had not heard of, despite being a fan of their work – namely Richard J. Lewis. As someone who strives to make/direct/produce premium television and films one day, hearing someone speak who’s truly ‘doing it,’ was a real inspiration and made me think the impossible dream can happen.

The most important lesson I’ve learnt so far is that no two producers will tell you the same story about how they got to where they are. There are many paths to becoming a producer and to producing itself. To me, this means that producing is whatever you want it to be and make of it.

One of the most memorable sessions was on packaging. I believe we had a balanced table with Charlotte Engel, Chris Bell and Noah Segal, and I took a lot away from their discussion. Packaging, distribution and marketing are things I think don’t get talked about in programs such as these, so it was nice to have a dedicated session where we could better understand all sides of this area.

I believe that ‘school’ or any area where we are forced to sit and learn is, and will be, beneficial for anyone at some point in their life. Being part of the NSI Business for Producers program will definitely have an impact as I shape myself into a producer and further my career in film and television.

Flore de Bayser – The Outsider (Waterloo, ON)

Mentor: David Miller – A71 Productions

Learning with 20 other producers from across Canada was a very stimulating, instructive and reassuring experience.

It was stimulating to learn the job under the guidance of NSI and keep moving my film project forward during a pandemic. It was instructive to get professional insights into all aspects of production, as well as the roles and key skills of a producer.

Learning with fellow emerging producers with different projects, perspectives and backgrounds has been extremely valuable, and provided a safe environment to ask questions and share doubts. It really felt like being part of a family united by a common passion.

I was amazed by the commitment of NSI’s supervisors, as well as their concern that all the participants get the most out of the program. The program succeeded in striking a difficult balance between being generalist and responding to specific concerns about each project.

Although online, I connected more personally with certain participants, and I have a feeling these connections will last. We’ve helped each other with contacts and advice, and intend to cultivate our relationships through weekly online meetings as we make our way into a notoriously tough industry.

The most important thing I learned relates to my responsibilities as a producer towards the creatives, and the financial and advising partners of a project, as well as the people my company will hire. The program gave me a clear sense of the risks associated with a project, and the necessary partnerships.

The session with Andrew Barnsley opened my eyes to the position of the producer as a liaison between the creative and the market worlds. It gave me a new perspective on the job and how to approach the business side of things at this stage of my career. I was able to apply a few tips and principles to guide the development of the story for our current project.

The amount of information delivered within a few weeks has been impressive, and has left me with a clear sense of a timeline and production plan for the Velvet Icons’ (female-led production company co-founded by Flore) first feature film The Outsider. The knowledge and awareness gained about issues around human resources and non-discrimination at work will affect the Velvet Icons’ policies and long-term positioning within the industry.

I consider this program to be the start of a new phase of my career, supported by new, lasting friendships – which are so fundamental within the film industry. The network and resources will accelerate the making of our first feature as well as future projects.

The program has already affected my producing career as I now approach the production of The Outsider with more maturity and I feel more confident in my capacity – with the Velvet Icons – to carry out an ambitious film project.

Hedyeh Bozorgzadeh – Brother, Man (West Vancouver, BC)

Mentor: Christine Falco – Les Films Camera Oscura

I’ve never been in a lab with so many participants. I wish I had better acquainted myself with everyone but it was overwhelming trying to keep up with two labs simultaneously and trying to stay afloat. I hope I can get to know more of the lab participants during phase 2.

Thanks to [fellow participant] Kate Fenton, we got a weekly NSI hangout and it’s nice to talk in smaller teams and just know that you are not alone in your frustration, confusion and struggles. Really, what I keep learning and being reminded of is that you need to be patient with yourself, with passion projects, and an industry that is broken and in the process of revolutionizing itself.

Over the holidays, I was reviewing notes from the lab and it has reminded me of the tremendous responsibility that comes with being a producer and the risks. It can be overwhelming and scary.

NSI Business for Producers is for filmmakers working on ambitious projects who want to take advantage of all the resources and infrastructure in place in the industry. So for me, as a first-time feature filmmaker, it comes down to mentorship and working with established producers, pro-cos and professionals that are like-minded and interested in championing projects I believe in. It’s time-consuming and can be a slow process, but it comes down to networking and relationship building. Unfortunately, I didn’t take the latter as seriously in the past (busy as I was with my writing) but this will change moving forward.

The biggest pleasant surprise was getting access to the Digital Marketing for Media online course with Annelise Larson of storypreneursunite.com. This four-part course was so useful and important in helping me put together the marketing and distribution plan for my project and can help with distribution strategies for projects moving forward. I think these sessions with Annelise should be mandatory for any serious producer.

Even if you have a distributor, it’s important for producers to be involved in marketing and distribution from the development phase. This will change my producing career in terms of my responsibilities, role and involvement. Thank you Annelise!

I also enjoyed the conflict resolution session and hope to do a better job handling issues that arise from productions moving forward. Communication is key, as they say.

In terms of relationships, I would like to thank fellow participant, Flore de Bayser, who put me in touch with important contacts that had a ripple effect on my networking … especially with professionals in Quebec. Thank you Flore – you are the best!

Thank you Ursula Lawson [program manager] and Jeff Peeler [program advisor] and the hardworking NSI team for supporting and mentoring us through to the next phase of the lab. The timing is crucial as we push these passion projects forward amid deadlines. I look forward to the mentorship!

Ervin Chartrand – Highway 45 (Selkirk, MB)

Mentor: Andrew Rosen – Aircraft Pictures

I’ve learned that to be a successful distance learner, you have to be self-disciplined and work well independently. Since you don’t physically attend a class each week, you can take part from the comfort of your own home. It helps if you are self-disciplined because the instructor isn’t there to remind you to stay focused.

Overall, I liked the program because the instructors were all straightforward and very concise. However, I felt a little overwhelmed juggling writing my screenplay and taking the program. But I believe I have more knowledge about producing; I can use what I’ve learned, or at least what I can remember, in one of my projects.

The program was everything the National Screen Institute said in the description. I enjoyed meeting new people and listening to their points of view. I honestly never expected to learn so much from an online class; I now see producing in a whole new way. I know I could have done better but, in the end, I learned that an online class could be as much work or more than a regular class. However, I still enjoyed it very much.

For me, I learn and retain much more through being physically present with my peers. But there is nothing I disliked about the program. If I could retake it, I would likely benefit from a second round to retain all the presented information.

The experience of this class was nothing but positive. I thought the program outline was beneficial. The budget was huge for me; we couldn’t have asked for a better instructor than Rhonda Baker. She was a plethora of information and knew her S&@%!

I also gravitated towards the creativity during COVID-19 (roundtable). I get inspired listening to professionals talk about their career journey. We all have to start somewhere, and it puts our struggle into perspective. I wished we could have had more time with them talking about the industry and answering more questions.

I give credit to all the producers out there; it’s a very daunting industry to work in, and it can be overwhelming at times. I’m sorry I didn’t make a connection with anyone. I feel that this was my one minor complaint. I missed the personal connection you make with another human being when they are physically in front of you. I’m sure some people enjoy the online thing, but I like to be physically present with the person in front of me. But I guess we all have to adjust through these trying times and learn to adapt.

Miigwech for having me and all the hard work NSI did in putting this program together.

A.J. Demers – Old Growth (Toronto, ON)

Mentor: Daniel Bekerman – Scythia Films

With the pandemic disrupting everything, these have been challenging times in the industry and our personal lives so having an amazing group of professional mentors, leaders and friends come together to learn was a blessing.

Even remotely, the weekly meetings with our fellow producers were an excellent opportunity to connect, learn, and expand our craft and skills. Connecting with leading industry professionals was so helpful in refining our work and understanding budgets, financing, marketing and all the other aspects of producing.

With so many highlights it is hard to pinpoint which session was the most important to my work and career. Certainly the work with business affairs, getting into the fine details of tax credits and building financing plans will be invaluable as I move my film and television projects forward. The scope of the program will affect all aspects of my career from dealing with human resources to engaging with distributors and buyers.

Most important was the opportunity to connect with colleagues and friends. This industry is collaborative. Having mentors to contact for knowledge and guidance, having a group of producers to work with on upcoming projects and having friends to lean on and celebrate with is invaluable.

Priyanka Desai – Fearless Inks of the Nisga’a Nation (Vancouver, BC)

Mentor: Alex Lazarowich

I think the best outcome of 2020 is that we have all gotten mostly comfortable with online meetings, learnings, networking, etc. Digital video calls are just another way of connecting and communicating. Suddenly we are in someone’s living room, bedroom, make-shift home studios; spaces we would never have been introduced to at all, ever.

This program was part of this new-found experience. Learning and networking were my two primary intentions. The scheduled classes helped build a routine for my pandemic life. It was great to have this sense of discipline during the mostly solitary days of home confinement. Attending classes and making notes were sometimes the highlight of my day. I am very grateful to NSI for bringing onboard the best industry talents who candidly shared their experience and knowledge with us, the new emerging producers.

As a journalist-turned-content-producer, I have been working mostly in the creative aspect of storytelling. NSI’s program provided a great start for me to familiarize myself with the business aspects of producing in Canada – my new country of residence for the past three years. The sessions that stood out for me were the ones on budgeting, funding and grant applications.

As any newcomer would, I initially struggled with understanding accents, and deciphering the choice of words people use to express their thoughts and opinions. I found this program provided me with a welcoming group and a non-judgemental environment to learn in.

As much as I am new to Canadian storytelling I am also new to understanding the industry. Through the invited guests and speakers I learned more information about the broadcasters and big players in the Canadian media industry. Barring a few sessions, all were engaging and informative.

I am now starting to prepare for building my own production company. The knowledge shared in this program will definitely help me make the right business decisions moving forward. Also I am confident that my fellow producers and the new friends I made during the program will help me create valuable Canadian content.

During this program I did have great conversations with [fellow participants] Alex Sangha, Kate Fenton, Carmen Forsberg and Bram Timmer and I hope to see the relationships [become] enriching work collaborations. I am looking forward to being in touch with each and every producer involved in the program that made this a shining experience for me

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Paying it forward: industry experts mentor NSI Business for Producers participants

Posted: 02 Feb 2021 01:21 PM PST

Mentors pictured: (top row from left) Alexandra Finlay, Avi Federgreen, Sherry White, Daniel Bekerman, Christine Falco; (second row) Andrew Rosen, Tara Woodbury, Charles Clément, Christina Fon, Graham Ludlow; (third row) Alex Lazarowich, Andrew Williamson, Carrie Mudd, Shaleen Sangha, Nathalie Younglai; (bottom row) David Miller, Christina Jennings, Paul-E. Audet, Jessalyn Dennis, Scott Lepp

In October 2020, the National Screen Institute welcomed 21 participants to NSI Business for Producers – a distance learning and mentorship program designed to help emerging producers nurture creative ideas while navigating the logistics and legalities of screen-based storytelling in a COVID-19 environment. Read more about this year’s participants.

Following six weeks of online workshop sessions, participants recently entered the mentoring phase of training. NSI staff worked with students to match them and their unique needs to industry experts who can work one-on-one to develop their skills and projects.

NSI is proud to announce the following mentors who are currently dedicating their time and expertise to the program. They represent some of the best in the film and television industries from across the country, and students have unprecedented access to them throughout this second phase of training.

Paul-E. Audet – Item 7 (mentee: Alex Duong)

Daniel Bekerman – Scythia Films (A.J. Demers)

Charles Clément – Media RendezVous (Jacob Pratt)

Jessalyn Dennis – Seven24 Films (Bram Timmer)

Christine Falco – Les Films Camera Oscura (Hedyeh Bozorgzadeh)

Avi Federgreen – Federgreen Entertainment & Indiecan Entertainment (Alex Sangha)

Christina Fon – Rezolution Pictures (Richard Agecoutay and Carla Robinson)

Christina Jennings, Alexandra Finlay and team – Shaftesbury (Kulbinder Saran Caldwell)

Alex Lazarowich (Priyanka Desai)

Scott Lepp – Prairie Dog Film + Television (Seth Williams)

Graham Ludlow and Ellen Rutter (Ian Bawa)

David Miller – A71 Productions (Flore de Bayser)

Carrie Mudd – Peacock Alley Entertainment (Andrea Feltrin and Jen Viens)

Andrew Rosen – Aircraft Pictures (Ervin Chartrand)

Shaleen Sangha – Boat Rocker Media (Stuart Matheson)

Sherry White (Jason Arsenault)

Andrew Williamson – Cedar Island Films (Carmen Forsberg)

Tara Woodbury – Sphere Media (Kate Fenton)

Nathalie Younglai (Fonna Seidu)

Daniel Bekerman, Christine Falco, Christina Fon, Alex Lazarowich and Scott Lepp are NSI alumni.

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The post Paying it forward: industry experts mentor NSI Business for Producers participants appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).