Exciting news out of Austin, Texas: The South by Southwest Conference & Festivals (SXSW) announced its 2018 lineup and we are pleased to share that the latest feature developed through the Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange, The New Romantic, will see its World Premiere in the Narrative Feature Competition. The film, now the ninth Comedy Exchange film to be produced, is from Carly Stone (writer/director) and Kyle Mann (writer/producer), is edited by Editors’ Lab alumna Christine Armstrong and also features music by the Slaight Family Music Lab alumnus Matthew O'Halloran.

'The New Romantic'

The New Romantic follows the story of a college senior who is frustrated with the lack of chivalrous guys her own age so gives up on dating for love to date an older man in exchange for gifts instead. It stars Jessica Barden (The End of the F***ing World), Hayley Law (Riverdale), Brett Dier (Jane the Virgin), Avan Jogia (Son of Shaft), Timm Sharp (Enlightened) and Camila Mendes (Riverdale).

With the support of lead partner Telefilm Canada and associate partner Just For Laughs, the Comedy Exchange is a high-level, cross-border project and business accelerator that supports a customized approach to advanced project development, packaging and strategic marketplace positioning. Up to four feature projects are invited into the Exchange by an international advisory each year.

The Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange has helped accelerate nine Canadian comedies, including last year’s critically acclaimed feature Adventures in Public School, from CFC alumni writer/director Kyle Rideout and writer/producer Josh Epstein, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), was honoured as one of Canada’s top ten features of 2017, and was recently nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Original Screenplay. Additionally, Don’t Talk to Irene, from writer/director Pat Mills and producers Alyson Richards and Michael MacMillan, also made its World Premiere at TIFF 2017 before continuing on a successful festival run, winning the 2017 Comedy Vanguard Feature award from the Austin Film Festival.

'Adventures in Public School'

Now, we are pleased to announce the four projects and teams participating in this year’s Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange. These producers and their writer/director teams will head to Los Angeles this March for the L.A. module of the program, which consists of targeted one-on-one meetings and access to high-level creative and packaging expertise, all while building strategic relationships with key decision-makers and comedy experts.

BAD SEEDS

Kate Parker, a young widow still clinging to the past, teams up with five misfit women from her grief support group to steal her dead husband’s last remaining sperm sample.

Jason James (director/producer) is an award-winning producer, writer and director based in Vancouver and Los Angeles. He recently directed/produced the indie comedy Entanglement and That Burning Feeling, which won Best Canadian First Feature at the Vancouver International Film Festival and was released in both the U.S. and Canada by eOne Films and Search Engine Films. His additional projects include producing The Steps, Mountain Men, Repeaters, Cole, Fathers & Sons and Unnatural & Accidental. He also co-created and produced the CBC comedy series This Space For Rent. He is in development on the feature The Mother Outlaws for Brightlight Pictures and on TV series Sleeping Around for Corus/Shaftesbury Films and Lady Business for Bell/eOne Television.

Amber Ripley (producer) worked on Rob Stewart’s award-winning documentary Revolution, produced Ana Valine’s debut feature Sitting On the Edge of Marlene and Jason James’ Entanglement. She recently produced the comedy-horror Dead Shack, and is currently producing I’m Not A Bad Person, the sophomore effort of the team behind the award-winning film Violent, as well as Bruce McDonald’s Dreamland.

Jason Filiatrault’s (writer)credits include Entanglement, the horror/comedy A Christmas Horror Story, and the CBC series Young Drunk Punk. Jason has several projects currently in development, including three features and the half-hour comedy Tracy and Unicorn. Jason was recently selected as one of Playback’s ‘5 to Watch’.

LIGHT YEARS

In their final year of College, Emma, an aspiring NASA engineer, and Emmett, a hopeful photojournalist, meet at a party and fall in love, but their passionate relationship ends after they graduate as their paths keep them apart.

Rebecca Swift (producer) is a Toronto-based producer, whose first feature film, Almost Adults, premiered at the 2016 Toronto LGBT Film Festival Inside Out and went on to screen at 12 international festivals. It was acquired by Gravitas Ventures and is now available on various VOD and SVOD platforms worldwide, including Netflix. Her recent project, Nobody Famous, premiered at the 2017 Whistler Film Festival.

Sarah Rotella (director/producer) directs short films, webseries and features. Her debut feature, Almost Adults, was acquired by Gravitas Ventures, was an iTunes pre-order bestseller, and is now streaming on Netflix in 13 countries. Her directing efforts have garnered 118+ million YouTube views on her Shorty Award-nominated channel and her films have been screened in more than 90 international film festivals. Her second feature film, Nobody Famous, was a recipient of Telefilm's Canada Feature Film Fund. Sarah is currently in post-production on two digital series that she directed for CBC Comedy.

Adrianna DiLonardo (writer)wrote Almost Adults, her debut feature, which was acquired by Gravitas Ventures and was an iTunes pre-order bestseller. The film won Indiewire’s 2015 Project of the Year, screened at 12 international film festivals, and is currently streaming on Netflix. Her sophomore feature, Nobody Famous, premiered in 2017 at the Whistler Film Festival and has also been acquired by Gravitas Ventures.

MORE THAN A FRIEND

A wannabe romance novelist’s failure in love leads her to “Catfish” her gay male coworker, taking them on an emotional and sexual rollercoaster that jeopardizes more than just their friendship.

Ben Lewis (writer/director/producer) wrote, directed and produced the short films Apart From Everything and Zero Recognition, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Recently, he wrote for the Super Deluxe webseries This Week Had Me Like.

Lauren Collins (writer/producer) is best known as “Paige Michalchuk” on the hit series Degrassi: The Next Generation. In recent years, Lauren produced multiple short films, including Zero Recognition (which she also co-wrote and starred in), Apart From Everything and Lolz-ita.

Matt Code (producer)is an award-winning producer of films and television and founding partner of Wildling Pictures, a Toronto-based production company. Most recently, Code produced Mary Goes Round and executive produced Cardinals, both of which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. He is currently co-producer on A24’s Share. Code was the 2017 recipient of the Canadian Media Producers Association’s Emerging Producer Award (shared with Wildling partner, Kristy Neville).

Harry Cherniak (producer)produced Wexford Plaza, his first feature, which played at Torino and Slamdance. He is currently co-producing The Competition and recently associate-produced Benjamin, Stockholm and The Padre. He teaches medicine in film, TV and the media at USC Medical School, is on Inside Out LGBT Film Festival’s Board of Directors, volunteers with The Trevor Project, and founded United in Film.

SMALL POND GLORY

A woman is forced to sort through stale emotional baggage when she agrees to co-direct a Christmas pageant with her estranged sister in order to say goodbye to her mother.

Alyson Richards (producer) is a producer and writer. Her latest project, Don’t Talk to Irene, premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and is currently playing in theatres across Canada. Her previous films include: Guidance (TIFF 2014, New York Time’s Critic Pic), Quality Balls (Hot Docs, Showtime) and The Sublet (Whistler 2015), which she co-wrote. She also works in television and has developed projects in both Canada and the U.S., including The Line (TMN/HBO Canada) and Living In Your Car (Channel 5 UK/ HBO Canada).

Clara Altimas (writer/director) is a Toronto-based writer, director and actor originally from Montreal. Her directorial debut, Girl Couch, was selected as the winning screenplay by the Toronto ACTRA Women's Committee in their 2014 competition. Her first feature script, Benson, is set to go to camera in 2018, and her short film, Jeremy and Margot Make a Baby, premiered at the Austin Film Festival and played the NSI Online Short Film Festival. Clara is currently working on two comedies in development, Asshole Detective (Crave) and Girl in the Boy’s Room (CBC), as well as Season 2 of Crawford (CBC) and Season 3 of Kim’s Convenience (CBC).

Learn more about the Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange HERE.

A Profile of Christina Jennings and Her Company, Shaftesbury

Christina Jennings

Christina Jennings – innovator, visionary, risk-taker, leader. These are some of the words that come to mind after meeting with Jennings at the Shaftesbury office in Toronto to discuss her career, her company and her content.

Jennings is the founder, CEO and Chairman of Shaftesbury, one of Canada’s leading content creation and production companies of award-winning and original content for TV, film, digital and brands. The company behind such critical and commercial successes as Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Slasher, ReGenesis, The Listener, Life with Derek, Carmilla and The Carmilla Movie, among many others.

Jennings is being presented with the fifth annual CFC Award for Creative Excellence on March 21, 2018 in Los Angeles. We are extremely proud to present Jennings with this award in recognition of her innovative storytelling, critically and commercially accomplished body of work and her creative and business contributions to the Canadian and international entertainment industries.It will be the latest in a long list of honours that Jennings has received over the course of her 30-year career. She was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Content Innovation Awards presented at MIPCOM, she’s been named to Maclean’s Power List of Canada’s 50 Most Powerful People, has been Playback’s Producer of the Decade, has received the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television’s prestigious Academy Achievement Award, the PROFIT Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship at RBC’s Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards, and the Innovative Producer Award at the Banff World Television Festival, to name a few.

While Jennings is surely one of Canada’s most celebrated and prolific producers, she is also one of the CFC’s most celebrated and accomplished alumni, one very deserving of CFC’s highest alumni honour.

Jennings was among the first few groups of residents to attend the CFC. She joined as a producer resident in 1990, the third year that the Resident Program, now the Cineplex Entertainment Film Program, had been running. Jennings was one of 13 residents that year – in the company of other talented Canadian creators like novelist Michael Ondaatje and theatre director Richard Rose – a diverse group with different backgrounds and skillsets.

Christina Jennings on her first day in the 1990 Resident Program at the CFC (far right)

But Jennings didn’t always know that she wanted to work in the entertainment industry. She came to that realization as she was busy pursuing other careers and building other businesses.

THE EARLY YEARS

After university, Jennings began working as an urban planner. A businesswoman from the very beginning, she quickly built up an urban planning business, found a partner and established clients across Canada. But she yearned for something more. Inspired by her love of travel, Jennings decided to buy a travel agency, and simultaneously pursued an opportunity to partner with her mom and brother-in-law on a restaurant, Emilio’s, all before the age of 30!

It was also just before turning 30 that Jennings realized urban planning wasn’t her passion. So, she sold her shares in the business to her partner, and started making sandwiches and tending bar at the increasingly popular Emilio’s, in Toronto’s east end.

It was there that Jennings got her first taste of the entertainment industry. “Emilio’s attracted a very artistic crowd,” Jennings recalls. It was next door to CityTV, so individuals like Jeanne Beker and the late Jay Switzer and people from MuchMusic would often come in to grab a sandwich or a drink after work. “I met some really terrific filmmakers – I met directors and writers and producers. And I had never been around such passion! This passion that, ‘I have a story to tell and I’m going do everything to get my story made.’ And I just loved that passion,” explains Jennings.

But the businesswoman in Jennings swiftly realized that many of these creators lacked a plan – the business piece to the business these individuals were trying to run was missing. So, in her true go-getter, self-starter fashion, Jennings convinced one of the restaurants patrons to let her be a part of his filmmaking journey – she helped him make the film, she sold the film, and she met many individuals in the industry along the way. Through that experience, she caught the bug, was hooked, and wanted to continue in the industry – and so she did.

THE CFC

Christina Jennings (bottom right, holding a puppy) at Peter O'Brien's Farewell Luncheon at the CFC in 1991

After three or four years working in entertainment, Jennings decided to apply to the CFC. At the time, she had recently completed 13 hours of content for a documentary series about famous Canadians going down the big rivers of Canada in canoes and she wasn’t sure how to go about distributing it. She had also commissioned a screenplay by Paul Quarrington (for Camilla), had sent it to film star Jessica Tandy, and received a three-page letter from Tandy in response saying she would star in her movie – and Jennings wasn’t sure how to proceed.

Both of these experiences made Jennings realize, “I was trying to do something without the proper training, and I was on the cusp of maybe breaking through, but I needed some help.” So, Jennings reached out to Peter O’Brien (the Executive Director of the CFC at the time), got him on the phone and asked, “What are you doing up there on Bayview Avenue?” She later met with O’Brien, explained her dilemma about her documentary series and her screenplay and O’Brien invited Jennings to participate in the Resident Program. The rest is CFC history.

Christina Jennings (far right) at the CFC during her residency in the Resident Program.

“The experience was truly game-changing for me,” explains Jennings. This was largely because of the incredibly talented group of residents that she was a part of, who inspired and pushed each other forward, and also because of the mentors she met through the program, “It [the Resident Program] brought in this extraordinary group of people from around the world.” Jennings recalled David Putnam, Neil Jordan and Bruce McDonald being some of the guests when she was a resident. “The ability to learn from other people, that mentoring, it makes it [the filmmaking process] very personal and you realize, ‘I can do it – they did it’.”

But the most game-changing experience that Jennings had at the CFC was when she met producer Simon Relph (Reds). She asked him if he would read her script and showed him her letter from Tandy. A month later, Relph called her and said, “I’ve read it and I think it’s completely brilliant.” He decided to be Jennings’ producing partner on the film, “And that changed everything. […] And it was because of the CFC.” Within a couple years of completing her residency at the CFC, Jennings and Relph went on to produce Camilla together.

BUILDING AN EMPIRE

After wrapping Camilla, Jennings made the decision to take her fees from the film and invest it in a company and in people, “I knew I wanted to keep doing this.” So, she invested it in Shaftesbury and built a company that would become known for its innovative, groundbreaking and award-winning content.

Despite experiencing significant success in its early years – Shaftesbury made five fairly big budget features in five years (one a year) – Jennings quickly realized that the feature film business wasn’t sustainable. “Every year there were about two or three months where I would have to face, ‘If this money doesn’t come through, I’m going to have to lay off people.’ Then I thought, ‘Wait a second, this isn’t a business!’” After the fifth time this happened, Jennings realized that the company had to move into TV.

THE SHIFT TO TELEVISION

With Shaftesbury’s move into television production, Jennings looked to literature much the same way that literature shaped her early work in feature films. One of the company’s first TV productions was the TV movie External Affairs, adapted from Timothy Findley’s play The Stillborn Lover. Jennings also looked to literature when Shaftesbury began producing for kids and youth – they adapted Roy MacGregor’s The Screech Owls novels into a TV series of the same name.

In fact, Jennings traces most of her early work back to literature. She would read a book and think, ‘Let’s make that into a TV movie or a series.’ This is what led to the creation of one of Shaftesbury’s most well-known and loved productions, Murdoch Mysteries, based on the novels by Maureen Jennings. This is also one of Shaftesbury’s productions that Jennings is most proud of – not because of its critical and commercial success, but because it was ahead of the curve in terms of period procedurals and period content. It became wildly popular among viewers and fans (despite naysayers who told Jennings that a period drama would not work), and is now in its 11^th season, remains Canada’s #1 drama and is seen in 110 countries around the world.

Murdoch Mysteries

Similarly, Shaftesbury’s TV series ReGenesis holds a real place of pride for Jennings. It originated because Jennings wanted to create content in the area of science, “One of the reasons that I wanted to do ReGenesis was to get people to realize that science is a really exciting field – it’s really, really fun.” So she took a chance on the production, and it ended up performing and selling well, and remains the only Shaftesbury production that Jennings has a creator credit on. It was also this production that ushered Shaftesbury into digital content creation.

BREAKING INTO DIGITAL

If you ask Jennings the reason why Shaftesbury decided to get into the digital space, she’ll simply say, “instinct.” Shaftesbury’s evolution and expansion into digital content was born out of a feeling that Jennings had about the potential of digital content – both as standalone content, and as companion content for their existing productions. That, and an idea that Jennings had to create a companion documentary series to ReGenesis. Once completed, they hosted the series on a website, and it just kept growing, as did Jennings’ ideas for more companion content. Shaftesbury teamed up with Xenophile Media to create ReGenesis: Extended Reality Game, an alternate reality game linked to the television series in which clues to the game would appear inside the drama. This, only their second digital endeavour, earned them an International Emmy Award in 2008 for Outstanding Interactive Program (this was the second International Emmy Award that the company won; they won Best Children and Young People Program for Dark Oracle in 2005).

ReGenesis

The following year, Shaftesbury created a webseries accompaniment to their popular kids series Life of Derek that won them a Gemini Award in 2009 for Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series. They were on a roll. After this, Jennings realized that if Shaftesbury was to continue in digital, they would need to invest in digital, so they made the decision to acquire Smokebomb Entertainment 10 years ago, and they have been leaders in creating digital content ever since. It’s an important area of the industry that Jennings feels passionate about, but admits that it’s still an experimental space and that, “It still doesn’t quite have the business model that television continues to have.”

THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY

The digital space isn’t the only area of the industry undergoing rapid change and disruption. Jennings spoke of how one of the challenges of working in the entertainment industry today is that the industry as a whole is facing disruption and is undergoing a big period of change – change that presents new opportunities, but also new risks. Jennings suggests that companies like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu are largely responsible for a lot of the change, as is consolidation in Canada, because there are far fewer buyers for content now than there were 10 to 15 years ago.

But Jennings remains hopeful in the face of these new challenges because Canadian content creators have a history of being crafty and perseverant, “We’ve just had to be more resourceful. We’ve had to make the same great content at a lower price point, because our small country can’t afford the American budget. We have to be nimbler and smarter.” However, if Jennings is concerned about one thing moving forward, it’s Canadian stories: “I am quite worried that there are going to be fewer and fewer of them. And they do define who we are – we’re not American, we’re Canadian.” So, how do we tackle this? We don’t get discouraged; we create!

Jennings encourages new and emerging creators to “Just try things. […] You have got to go out there and just do stuff. You can’t be frightened of failing.” Partner up with friends, help each other out – get out there and do what you need to do to create content. Furthermore, she recommends taking advantage of any opportunities to learn and hone your skills – whether through formal training or education (like the CFC!), or informal learning opportunities. “I encourage people to apply to the CFC,” shared Jennings. “If you’ve come through the CFC, it’s a stamp of approval, it really is.”

WHAT’S NEXT

After mastering feature films, TV and digital content, what’s next for Jennings and Shaftesbury? You can rest assured that Jennings is always thinking about next steps.

“We’re in the middle of this branded entertainment play,” explains Jennings. “We’re ahead of it [branded entertainment] because we’re doing scripted content that’s not product placement inside the show.” In a few short years, Shaftesbury has already experienced a considerable amount of success with their branded content. Carmilla, the low-budget webseries that they created for U by Kotex®, became a worldwide hit, amassing millions and millions of views in its three-season run and fans in nearly 200 countries, and it has been translated into 20 languages. Most recently, the series was adapted to a feature film, The Carmilla Movie.

Jennings explains that experimenting in branded entertainment has been exciting and she’s passionate about continuing to focus on this type of content, “It will be interesting to see just how many more brands will start to embrace it.”

Another objective and focus for Shaftesbury moving forward is how to extend their brands (Murdoch Mysteries, Carmilla, etc.) beyond just the screen and video content, i.e. how can they connect with fans in different ways? One area Shaftesbury is exploring is the idea of live extensions – live events that invite fans to engage in the brand and with each other. They are planning a Carmilla live experience in 2018, and are always looking for new ways to continue their relationship with fans. “Fans are a big part of what we do here,” explains Jennings. “We’re connecting with fans, making content for fans, so that will be the next part of what we do – how to extend our brands into live.”

Christina Jennings will receive the CFC Award for Creative Excellence at a private reception in Los Angeles on March 21, 2018. Emmy® Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany and CFC founder and Chair Emeritus Norman Jewison will present the award. Stay tuned for a recap of the evening celebration on March 22, 2018.

This article has been edited and condensed for publication.

CFC Celebrates Visionary Producer Christina Jennings with Fifth Annual CFC Award for Creative Excellence

Award to be presented by Emmy® Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany and CFC Founder Norman Jewison at CFC’s annual Los Angeles reception

Toronto, February 8, 2018 - The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) is pleased to present award-winning producer and CFC alumna Christina Jennings, founder, chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury, with the 2018 CFC Award for Creative Excellence in recognition of her innovative storytelling, critically and commercially accomplished body of work, and her creative and business contributions to the Canadian and international entertainment industries. Emmy Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany and CFC founder and Chair Emeritus Norman Jewison will present the award at a formal reception in Los Angeles, California on March 21, 2018, co-hosted by Cast & Crew Entertainment Services.

Jennings was among the first few groups of residents to attend the CFC. She joined the CFC as a producer resident in 1990, the third year that the Resident Program (now the Cineplex Entertainment Film Program) had been running. Jennings was one of 13 residents that year – in the company of other talented Canadian creators like novelist Michael Ondaatje and theatre director Richard Rose.

“Christina is one of the CFC’s most dynamic success stories,” said Slawko Klymkiw, CEO, CFC. “She made her first film, Camilla, as a direct result of relationships she forged at the CFC, went on to build one of Canada’s foremost production companies, and continues to support the CFC by hiring our talent and chairing our Board of Directors. We are so proud of Christina’s many accomplishments and we couldn’t be more pleased to honour her with this year’s award in recognition of her outstanding body of work and contributions to the screen-based entertainment industry.”

A visionary producer with a track record for delivering award-winning scripted content for audiences around the world, Jennings is founder, chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury, a content company known for innovative storytelling and building successful brands. Spanning the production of TV, feature film and digital content, Shaftesbury titles are sold in 120 countries worldwide and include acclaimed international hits Murdoch Mysteries, Carmilla, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Slasher, The Listener, ReGenesis, and Life with Derek.

Under Jennings’ strategic leadership, Shaftesbury has become an industry leader in engaging and sustaining audiences by creating brand extensions including original content created for digital and social media platforms, mobile apps, and VR experiences. A remarkable entrepreneur, Jennings took the company’s expertise in scripted storytelling to the advertising industry and launched an in-house agency in 2014 dedicated to growing the company’s roster with brand-funded content targeted at the coveted 18-34 demo. The company’s KindaTV, home to U by Kotex®-funded drama series Carmilla, is the largest scripted YouTube channel for millennials in Canada, reaching more than 100 million views since its launch in 2014.

The CFC Award for Creative Excellence will be the latest in a long list of honours that Jennings has received over the course of her career. Her additional recent awards and honours include the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Content Innovation Awards presented at MIPCOM, being named to Maclean’s Power List of Canada’s 50 Most Powerful People, Playback’s Producer of the Decade, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television’s prestigious Academy Achievement Award, the PROFIT Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship at RBC’s Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards, and the Innovative Producer Award at the Banff World Television Festival.

“When I entered the CFC program almost 30 years ago, I had no inkling of where that journey would take me. The CFC gave me the resources, skills, and support to shape my dreams and launch my career – I credit them for my beginnings. And now, I have come full circle and head up the Board, to give back to the residents. The Canadian entertainment industry is a much stronger place because of the hard work of the CFC. I am so delighted and honoured to receive this award,” said Christina Jennings, Chairman & CEO, Shaftesbury.

The CFC hosts an annual event in L.A. to celebrate exceptional talent in the screen-based entertainment industry, as well as its international partners and cross-border opportunities. The event will coincide with a week of activity in L.A., including the L.A. modules of the 2018 Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange, in collaboration with Just For Laughs, and the Slaight Music Residency. These high-level CFC marketplace initiatives further strengthen Canadian talent’s place in the global entertainment marketplace.

Read our profile of Christina Jennings and Shaftesbury HERE.

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About CFC
The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) is a charitable organization whose mission is to invest in and inspire the next generation of world-class Canadian content creators and entrepreneurs in the screen-based entertainment industry. A significant economic and cultural driver in Canada and beyond, CFC delivers a range of multi-disciplinary programs and initiatives in film, television, music, screen acting, and digital media, which provides industry collaborations, strategic partnerships, and business and marketplace opportunities for talent and participants. cfccreates.com.

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Caroline Dhavernas in the Season 2 finale of 'Mary Kills People' 

On Tuesday night, the CFC was among a very lucky few to attend Global TV’s Women Killin’ it in the TV Industry event, which featured a screening of the Season 2 finale of Mary Kills People, as well as a panel with assorted women who worked in front of and behind the camera on the series. Among the talented creators and producers featured that evening were three CFC alumni, all of who have been with the show since its beginnings.

Mary Kills People was created by CFC alumna Tara Armstrong based on a script she entered the Bell Media Prime Time TV Program with in 2014. The series was brought to life with the help of alumnae Tassie and Amy Cameron, who decided to make the show the first project for their production company (Cameron Pictures Inc., which is also behind upcoming series Little Dog from another alumnus—and Mary Kills People Season 1 guest star!—Joel Thomas Hynes). Together, Tara, Tassie and Amy would bring on a number of other CFC alumnae to work on the show, including Holly Dale (director of all six Season 1 episodes), Roslyn Kalloo (editor of several episodes between Seasons 1 and 2), and writers like Sherry White, Michael Goldbach and Marsha Greene.

Greene was among the women invited to speak on Tuesday’s panel, which also included the aforementioned Cameron sisters, as well as Caroline Dhavernas (series star), Tecca Crosby (Executive Producer, Entertainment One), Barbara Williams (EVP & COO, Corus) and Lisa Godfrey (VP of Original Content, Corus). All of these women had plenty to share about the state of the industry, covering a range of topics from the #MeToo movement to gender parity in Canada and beyond. There were many amazing insights shared, but what we loved most was their honest advice for women starting out in the industry. Check out some of our favourite tips below.

1. Say Yes to Opportunities (and Yourself!)

When moderator Sangita Patel (ET Canada) asked the panel to share some advice for burgeoning creators, Williams was first to chime in, saying that she’s “a real believer in the confidence to have your own ambition, and be comfortable with your power, and say yes when someone says, ‘What about doing this? Or what about trying this? Or what about applying for that?’”

She continued, “Just say yes. And trust that if they think you can do it, you can!”

2. Make Moves (Big and Small!)

In giving her response to the same question, Godfrey emphasized the need to not be afraid to take risks in your career, particularly in terms of roles. She said even “lateral” moves (i.e. moving from staff writer on one show to staff writer on a totally different show) can be the step up you need to learn more about your craft and, in effect, prepare yourself for future moves.

She explained, “It’s gonna grow what you know, and I think that’s the key for going up [in the industry].”

3. Know (and Stand Up For) Your Worth

Greene took a different approach to the question, reflecting on what she wished she had known in her early years as TV writer. As she explained, she didn’t feel she stood up for herself enough at the beginning, encouraging others to remember to do just that, especially when negotiating a new gig.

“As you go from job to job and you have to renegotiate what your title is, what your rate is going to be, what your value is,” she said. “Stand up for yourself and fight for that, even if someone isn’t saying, ‘Why don’t you do this?’ If you feel you can do more, you should go for it.”

4. Work Hard (But Really, Harder Than Anyone Else)

The first woman to bring up this essential piece of career advice was Crosby. As she said, very succinctly, “The people I’ve seen get ahead—men, women, whoever they are—work really hard.”

Tassie Cameron echoed her statements later on, saying that one of the pieces of advice that she followed in own life was to “work harder than everybody else.” She says hard work is “crucial to succeeding in this business.” Looking at the number of successful shows she’s juggled in the past eight years (see also: Rookie Blue, 10 Days in the Valley), it’s hard to disagree.

5. Be Open and Collaborative (With Everyone)

The other major piece of advice that Tassie Cameron has for up-and-coming creators? Don’t screw up.

“When I say that, I don’t mean don’t make mistakes,” she clarified. “Make mistakes! But don’t be an asshole to people. Don’t treat people poorly. Don’t abuse your power. Be open and collaborative.”

Her sister, Amy, backed her up, adding that you need to remember that the entertainment industry is tiny and “you do encounter people again and again.” In other words, it pays to make a good first impression (and second and third).

6. Ask Questions (Yes, Even Those Ones)

You know the old saying “there are no stupid questions”? According to Amy Cameron, it’s worth remembering as you make your way into the TV biz.

“Had I asked more questions earlier, I feel I would have looked less idiotic, or continued to look less idiotic,” she explained to the crowd on Tuesday.

“I think it’s important to just ask questions when you don’t know something, or you want to meet someone, or you’re curious about a job, or you’re wondering why you weren’t put forward for something. It’s asking those questions, not just assuming that someone else is thinking of that for you. No one will stand for your own interests as much as you.”

Sangita Patel, Amy Cameron, Marsha Greene, Caroline Dhavernas, Tassie Cameron, Lisa Godfrey and Tecca Crosby 

7. Lead By Example

The last piece of advice comes from Mary Kills People’s leading lady (emphasis on the leading). After years of working in TV and film, Dhavernas says she has learned to find power in her own voice, but also in the effect it can have on others she is working with.

“I’m at an age where I know that I’ve been doing this for a long time and that if I say what I have to say correctly to the right people, they will know that I’m doing it for the love of my own show.”

She continued, “Trust that people are willing to hear what you have to say when it’s a collaborative effort. When you say what you need to say, people will respect you for it and know that they have the room to do the same thing.”

The Mary Kills People finale airs Thursday, February 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Global. 

All photos courtesy of Corus Entertainment. 

The 2018 CFC Annual Gala & Auction

Yesterday evening, a mix of screen industry executives and luminaries, philanthropists, and CFC donors and sponsors gathered at the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto to celebrate the official kickoff of CFC’s 30^th anniversary at our 2018 Annual Gala & Auction.

The Gala is our largest annual fundraising event. Through the generous support of our sponsors, donors and gala guests, we raised funds towards our renowned programs and initiatives spanning film, TV, screen acting, screen composing and songwriting, and digital media. These programs help support, develop and accelerate the content, careers and companies of dynamic creative and entrepreneurial talent in the screen-based and digital industries. As we reflected on 30 incredible years of the CFC during yesterday’s Gala celebrations, we also looked to the future and look forward to welcoming future generations of storytellers through our doors.

 PartyPix Photo booth installation

Our 2018 Gala celebrations got underway with a cocktail reception in the Ritz-Carlton’s Grand Foyer, where guests perused our silent auction, which featured luxury goods, packages and “money can’t buy” experiences that were available to lucky bidders. With drinks in hand, guests could wander down the Grand Foyer to an interactive “slider boomerang” photo booth experience, courtesy of Toronto Life and PartyPix, set to a backdrop of gorgeous navy blue and silver confetti balloons from T.O. Balloons.

After the cocktail reception, guests were welcomed into the Ritz-Carlton Ballroom, which featured décor informed by CFC’s 30^th anniversary – a luxe navy blue and silver décor scheme using large crystal candelabras as table centrepieces, which complemented the existing cascading crystal chandeliers in the Ritz-Carlton Ballroom. Once everyone took their seats, a message from CFC’s Founder and Chair Emeritus, Norman Jewison, played:

Directly following this message, alumni of the 2016 Slaight Music Residency – Aimee Bessada, Chris Reineck, Neil Haverty, Rebecca Everett and Spencer Creaghan – took to the stage to perform a medley of hit songs featured in Norman Jewison’s beloved films, including “The Cincinnati Kid,” “Send Me No Flowers,” “Only You,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “Hurricane.”

Alumni of the 2016 Slaight Music Residency performing at the gala

The evening’s Co-Chairs, Slawko Klymkiw, CFC’s CEO, and Christina Jennings, Chair of CFC’s Board of Directors, then welcomed guests to the Gala and Klymkiw explained that the evening was a proud tribute to “30 years of excellence in storytelling, inspiring Canadian content creators and empowering emerging talent.”

He continued, “We are also proud that among our more than 1800 alumni and 200 alumni companies are some of the most prolific and celebrated creators and entrepreneurs working in the Canadian and international entertainment industries. Their talent has earned them many major international awards and accolades. […] We look forward to our alumni continuing to shape the entertainment landscape and building Canada’s reputation worldwide.”

As guests were enjoying their meals (braised short rib of beef for the meat-eaters and a cauliflower steak for the vegetarians), Slaight Music artist Tomi Swick serenaded the Ballroom audience with some of his original songs, including hit single, “Liberty.”

Slaight Music artist Tomi Swick performing at the gala

As dinner was wrapping up, Guest Auctioneer Stephen Ranger kicked off the Live Auction, which featured eight incredible bespoke packages, ranging from a priceless chance to see AMC’s The Walking Dead Season 8 Premiere event (including airfare and accommodations), to the opportunity to feel like a professional driver by testing the limits of a Porsche at Pfaff Track Day.

Once the auctions were closed and the raffle winner was announced, guests were invited to indulge on a variety of mini desserts and pastries at a lavish dessert bar in the Grand Foyer, while enjoying a nightcap or two.

Guests enjoying the 2018 gala

Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, gala guests and volunteers who contributed to making the 2018 CFC Annual Gala & Auction possible. Your support enables us to inspire the next generation of world-class filmmakers, TV writers, actors, composers, songwriters and digital media entrepreneurs to go beyond barriers, beyond borders and beyond expectations. See the full list of Gala sponsors below.

Enjoy the full Flickr gallery of photos of the night HERE.

2018 CFC Annual Gala & Auction Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors

The Slaight Family Foundation and Cineplex Entertainment

Platinum Sponsors

Entertainment One, Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, RBC, AMC, Netflix, Shaftesbury, Scotia Wealth Management, DHX Media Ltd., Boat Rocker Media, MLSE, Cast & Crew Canada, Thunderbird Entertainment, Universal Music Canada and CRAFT Toronto

Gold Sponsors

Highway Entertainment, TriBro Studios, PRG and Roy Foss Cadillac

Silver Sponsors

Deluxe Toronto, Daniels/O’Hagen/Stephenson, William F. White International, Rogers, Blue Ice Pictures, HBO, CBC, KPMG, Maple Leaf Strategies, Freemantle Media, AGF Management Ltd., TD Securities, Vukets & Associates

Bronze Sponsors

Goodmans LLP, BFL Canada, Pizzaville, Eggplant Picture & Sound

Media Partners

National Post, Toronto Star and Toronto Life

Official Entertainment Sponsor

Slaight Music

All photos by George Pimentel Photography

The audience waits for the 2017 CBC Actors Conservatory Showcase to begin.

Since 2009, the CBC Actors Conservatory has been shining a spotlight on exceptional Canadian onscreen talent and helping actors strengthen their instrument and craft for the screen.

Actors like Annie Murphy (2014), who stars alongside Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara in CBC’s beloved comedy Schitt’s Creek, and Giacomo Gianniotti (2014), who plays Dr. Andrew DeLuca on hit drama Grey’s Anatomy. Or artists like Patrick Kwok-Chon (2014) and Emily Coutts (2015) who star in Star Trek: Discovery, Alex Paxton-Beesley (2010) who plays Anna Funk in Pure, and Emmanuel Kabongo who is seen in CBC’s Frankie Drake Mysteries. In fact, you’ll see alumni of the Actors Conservatory on screens far and wide, big and small.

The 2017/18 CBC Actors Conservatory residents (L to R): Thomas Olajide, Kaelen Ohm, Getenesh Berhe, Libby Osler, Tim Dowler-Coltman, Humberly Gonzalez, Nabil Rajo and Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs.

Yesterday evening, we shone the spotlight on the eight residents of the 2017/18 Conservatory – Getenesh Berhe, Tim Dowler-Coltman, Humberly Gonzalez, Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs, Kaelen Ohm, Thomas Olajide, Libby Osler and Nabil Rajo– at the 2017 CBC Actors Conservatory Showcase at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto.

Slawko Klymkiw, CFC’s CEO, shared a little bit about the impact this program has had since its inception with the Showcase audience, “We have welcomed 74 actors through our doors in nine years. In the last three years alone, our actors have held 50 leading or co-starring roles in TV, 10 in feature films and eight in digital series, and one has even landed a lead role on Broadway!” We are so pleased that alumni of the Actors Conservatory are working more than ever, but even more than that, we are proud of their progress and growth as a result of the program. Larissa Giroux, CFC’s Associate Director, Programs/Talent, echoed this sentiment at last night’s Showcase, “While success can be measured in the number of roles and levels of fame, I measure your success in personal growth and change. So many of our actors enter the program as one person and leave us as another – with a stronger understanding of self, craft and determination to do what they love.”

Larissa Giroux, CFC’s Associate Director, Programs/Talent, speaking at the 2017 CBC Actors Conservatory Showcase.

The showcase included the premiere screening of the residents’ “Close-ups,” three- to four-minute pieces centered around original characters that are created by the actors themselves. These pieces feature original music and scores from the Slaight Music Residents, as well as collaborations with CFC alumni directors, producers, writers and editors. Check out the Close-ups here:

Congratulations to our 2017/18 CBC Actors Conservatory residents on their dynamic and compelling Close-ups and on their incredible growth over the course of the six-month program. We look forward to seeing more of their faces on the small and silver screens and to being in the audience watching their careers flourish.

CLICK HERE to see more photos from the 2018 CBC Actors Conservatory Showcase.

We extend a special thanks to our title sponsor, CBC, as well as the Government of Ontario, The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and RBC Emerging Artists Project for their continued support of the Actors Conservatory.

And we are hugely grateful to all of the 2017/18 CBC Actors Conservatory guests and mentors who worked with our talented actors this year:

Mentors

Guests

Applications for the 2018/19 CBC Actors Conservatory are open. Apply by March 30, 2018. CLICK HERE for more information and to apply.

All photos by Sam Santos/George Pimentel Photograhy.

The 2018 WGC Screenwriting Awards Finalists were announced on February 27. We are pleased to share that 12 CFC alumni are among the finalists:

CHILDREN’S

• Mysticons, Season 1 “Heart of Gold”
  Written by Elize Morgan

• Mysticons, Season 1 “Sisters in Arms”
  Written by Sean Jara

Entanglement

FEATURE FILM

• Entanglement
  Written by Jason Filiatrault

Alias Grace

MOW AND MINISERIES

• Alias Grace “Part 5”
  Written by Sarah Polley

• Bruno & Boots: This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall!
  Written by Adam Barken & Mike McPhaden

• Bruno & Boots: The Wizzle War
  Written by Mike McPhaden

BEST SCRIPT FROM SEASON ONE

• Bellevue, Season 1 “You Don’t Understand Me At All”
  Written by Jane Maggs

• Ghost Wars, Season 1 “Whatever Happened to Maggie Rennie”
  Written by Rachel Langer

SHORTS AND WEBSERIES

• Spiral, Episode 101 “The Girl in the Dream”
  Written by Karen McClellan

Mary Kills People

TV DRAMA

• Cardinal, Season 1 “John Cardinal”
  Written by Aubrey Nealon

• Mary Kills People, Season 1 “Bloody Mary”
  Written by Tara Armstrong

• X Company, Season 3 “Promises”
  Written by Nicolas Billon

The 22nd annual WGC Screenwriting Awards will be held on April 30, 2018 at the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning’s Koerner Hall in Toronto.

For the full list of finalists, CLICK HERE.

(L to R): Ambassador Porfirio Thierry Muñoz Ledo, Consul General of Mexico in Toronto;  Ana Serrano, Chief Digital Officer, CFC; Slawko Klymkiw; CEO, CFC; and Ambassador Dionisio Perez Jácome, Ambassador of Mexico to Canada

On February 26, we had the privilege of hosting very special guests from Mexico, who visited the CFC to discuss opportunities to promote closer ties and collaboration between Canada and Mexico’s creative industries. Ambassador Dionisio Perez Jácome, Ambassador of Mexico to Canada; Ambassador Porfirio Thierry Muñoz Ledo, Consul General of Mexico in Toronto; Rodrigo Contreras, Trade & Investment Commissioner of Mexico in Toronto; and Rodrigo Mendivil, Consul in charge of Economic Affairs for the Consul General in Toronto, met with Slawko Klymkiw, CFC’s CEO, as well as Ana Serrano, CFC’s Chief Digital Officer and Managing Director of IDEABOOST, to explore their shared interest in building opportunities for our two countries to work together to strengthen our creative industries, and grow the trade footprint and business prospects for companies from IDEABOOST’s business accelerator and the startup community within Mexico – a key market internationally.

The CFC hopes to build a similar relationship with Mexico that they have developed with France through Enterprising Culture– the cross-cultural creative industry forum that promotes opportunities for unique discussions and exchanges between Canadian and French stakeholders and startups from the cultural, creative and media industries.

“It’s clear that Canada is a “minimum viable market” (MVM) – a soft landing place for the larger North American market,” shared Serrano. “We want to work with other MVMs from around the world; like France, the MVM of Europe, and Mexico, the MVM for Latin and South America. Creating these global relationships will not only help our IDEABOOST startups access new customers, partners and investors, but will also create a strong global network of startup ecosystems focused on the media and entertainment technology vertical.”

As part of the visit, our Mexican guests were invited to experience demos from some of our IDEABOOST and Network Connect companies. They began by learning about Nmerso, a new Network Connect company that builds multiplayer room-scale VR systems and content – technology for location-based entertainment that presents the physical environment on a one-to-one relationship with the virtual environment and allows multiple people to experience it at the same time.

Joss Monzon of Nmerso speaking with Ambassador Dionisio Perez Jácome

Next up, they were introduced to itsme– technology which creates animated, photorealistic full-body 3D avatars (within mere minutes) that can be used for social VR/AR, gaming, online shopping, a personalized emoji, and more.

Ambassadors Porfirio Thierry Muñoz Ledo and Dionisio Perez Jácome experiencing a demo from itsme's Fernando Flores and Pete Forde.

The Mexican dignitaries were then welcomed into alternate worlds and realities through the VR experiences offered by MasterpieceVR (2017 recipient of the Cultural Start-up Award), a collaborative sculpting and painting tool that allows users to easily create 3D content in virtual reality; and Small Wonders: The VR Experience, CFC Media Lab’s groundbreaking virtual reality collaboration with Seneca’s School of Creative Arts and Animation and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) that takes users on a transcendent experience as they don a VR headset and explore a 3D rendering of a miniature boxwood carving from the AGO’s collection.

Ambassador Dionisio Perez Jácome experiencing MasterpieceVR

Joseph Ellsworth, CFC Media Lab's Production Manager, guiding Ambassador Dionisio Perez Jácome through 'Small Wonders: The VR Experience'  

They also had the opportunity to meet CFC Media Lab partner ICE, The Institute for Creative Exchange - Americas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing artistic expression by providing a platform to artists so as to deepen contemporary creative processes across the Americas.

Ambassador Dionisio Perez Jácome learning about ICE

Serrano added, “We are looking forward to formalizing a partnership with Mexico and its media and entertainment startup ecosystem in the next few months. Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved!”

CFC alumni are continually making waves in the Canadian and international screen-based entertainment industries – from awards to festivals, industry recognition, “it lists” and more. Here’s the latest round of updates and success stories for CFC alumni and residents from February 2018.

NOMINATIONS & AWARDS

2018 WGC Screenwriting Awards Finalists

Congratulations to the twelve CFC alumni who are among the finalists for this year’s WGC Screenwriting Awards. Find out more HERE.

Christina Jennings

2018 CFC Award for Creative Excellence

The CFC is pleased to present the fifth annual CFC Award for Creative Excellence to visionary producer and CFC alumna Christina Jennings, founder, chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury, in recognition of her innovative storytelling, critically and commercially accomplished body of work, and her creative and business contributions to the Canadian and international entertainment industries. Emmy® Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany and CFC founder and Chair Emeritus Norman Jewison will present the award at a formal reception in Los Angeles, California on March 21, 2018. Read more HERE and learn more about Christina Jennings HERE.

The Breadwinner

2018 Annie Awards

Hit alumni film The Breadwinner (co-written by alumni Anita Doron, produced by alumni Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen) was named Best Animated Feature – Independent at the 2018 Annie Awards on February 3, 2018. Click HERE for the full list of winners.

Cinema for Peace Award for Justice 2018

The Breadwinner was also the recipient of this year’s Cinema for Peace Award for Justice. More info HERE.

2018 Reel Canadian Film Festival Awards

Congratulations to alumni film ADVENTURES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, from writer/director Kyle Rideout and writer/producer Josh Epstein, which won the 2018 RCFF People’s Choice Award for Best Feature. More info HERE.

FESTIVAL WATCH

The New Romantic

SXSW 2018

• The New Romantic (from writer/director Carly Stone and writer/producer Kyle Mann), the latest feature developed through the Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange, will see its World Premiere at SXSW in the Narrative Feature Competition on March 11, 2018. Read more HERE and HERE.
• Alumni projects We Forgot to Break Up (Chandler Levack, director), The Things You Think I’m Thinking (Sherren Lee, director) and Night Owl (Gillian Muller, director) are also screening at SXSW.

ADVENTURES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL

• Look out for CFC Features' critically acclaimed comedy ADVENTURES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL at various film festivals this March. More info HERE.

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Don't Talk to Irene

• Alumna Kathleen Hepburn’s award-winning debut feature Never Steady, Never Still (developed through the Cineplex Entertainment Film Program) opens in select theatres in Toronto and Vancouver on March 2. More info HERE.
• Alumnus Pat Mills’ coming-of-age pic Don’t Talk to Irene,which was developed through the Telefilm Canada Feature Comedy Exchange, hits theatres and VOD in the U.S. on March 2. Learn more HERE.
• Alumnus Graeme Manson (Orphan Black co-creator) is the new shownner for TNT’s Snowpiercer. More info  HERE.
• Alumni of the 2016 Slaight Music Residency (Aimee Bessada, Chris Reineck, Neil Haverty, Rebecca Everett and Spencer Creaghan) wowed guests at the 2018 CFC Annual Gala & Auction on February 15 with their performance of a medley of hit songs featured in Norman Jewison’s beloved films, including “The Cincinnati Kid,” “Send Me No Flowers,” “Only You,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “Hurricane.” Read more HERE.

Have some alumni news to add/share? Email us at alumni@cfccreates.com.

Our ongoing series profiles the movers and shakers in the Canadian and international screen-based industries. For this month's spotlight on Deluxe Toronto, the CFC reached out to Nick Iannelli's, Senior Vice President of Postproduction to discover what it takes to collaborate with Academy Award winning director Guillermo Del Toro.

CFC: Guillermo Del Toro’s film, The Shape of Water, has been a huge success resulting in an Academy Award for Best Picture and Director, along with multiple nominations, including one for Christian Cooke and Brad Zoern, sound-mixers and members of the Deluxe team. How did Deluxe Toronto help to bring such an unique story to life?
Nick Iannelli (NI): We’ve enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Guillermo going back more than 10 years when we worked with him on Pan’s Labyrinth. At that time, Guillermo spent a lot of time in our facility working closely with our team, but most of his time was spent colour correcting the film with our Senior Colourist Chris Wallace. We were ecstatic when Pan's Labyrinth went on to receive many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, allowing us to boast a little, and I stress - very little, as that was the part of the film we handled from a mastering standpoint. After establishing that formidable creative relationship, we then worked with Guillermo on his pilot for The Strain and his feature film Crimson Peak, which lead to [working together on] The Shape of Water.

Early on the film was always referred to as 'the fish movie.' We knew it was a very personal film for Guillermo, so we knew we had to be involved. Bringing Chris Wallace back into the fold for colour made a lot of sense, given the breadth of his experience and shorthand working relationship; and then pushing to bring on our sound mixing team was the next step. Chris and Brad have worked closely on numerous productions with the Sound Supervisor and editorial team of Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira. All together, we knew that we could deliver on the level of expectation and creative execution Guillermo was looking for. We worked closely with Miles Dale [producer, The Shape of Water] and Doug Wilkinson [postproduction supervisor, The Shape of Water] to find a way to make it happen and, with the blessing of Fox Searchlight, we were able to help with the film.

CFC: Why do you think Deluxe has so many high-profile productions using your services?
NI: We have an amazing team here in Toronto, from our creative talents in sound mixing and colourists, to our client services team and support staff. They all genuinely enjoy working together to make great things happen on the big or small screen. I believe that our clients notice the difference and that in turn allows us to attract high-profile projects like The Shape of Water and The Handmaid’s Tale, but we are not just about the perceived big-name projects. For all of the projects we work on we provide the same level of creative, quality and service. Whether we’re working with CFC alumni like Ingrid Veninger on her past five features or with Mark Montefiore on Letterkenny or Bad Blood, we do not distinguish – we tailor solutions that fit the needs of the show. We continuously work on ensuring that we provide a great working experience to everyone we work with.

CFC: How do you foresee Deluxe’s services growing in the next five years?
NI: The post and visual effects scene is exciting right now in Toronto. The post community is finally getting recognized for the talents that exist in this city. It’s no longer just about completing projects because it’s more cost effective in Toronto. It’s all about the incredible quality of the work that’s being produced here – end-to-end. When you consider the list of award nominations for Toronto creatives in the areas of editing, visual effects, mixing and sound design, it is truly remarkable, which I believe is making the world take notice of postproduction in Toronto. For us at Deluxe, we want to continue to raise the bar, provide great work that competes at a world-class level, and provide our talent and services for Canadian film and television creators so that we can showcase our collective work to the world.

On a more specific level, the area of visual effects is of great interest as we just launched a VFX team in town to support many of the projects we post. One of our worst kept secrets is that in addition to our 62,000 sq. ft. post facility, we have a 50,000 sq. ft. facility that currently houses Deluxe Animation and our Stereo D team, with the capacity for 500 seats. They are currently animating a series for Warner Bros. and converting the 2D to 3D on many of the Hollywood tent-pole features that come out throughout the year.
The Deluxe vision for Toronto is providing a full-service creative post experience - animation, visual effects, conversion and picture and sound finishing - delivering at the highest calibre.

CFC: How would you describe Deluxe Toronto’s relationship to the CFC?
NI: Our connection with the CFC goes all the way back to the inception of the CFC. Our Past President and CEO at the time, Cyril Drabinsky, formed a lasting relationship with Norman Jewison [CFC’s founder]. We’ve been fortunate to continue that relationship as we hold the CFC near and dear to our hearts and love everything that they do. The talent that the CFC has nurtured over the years is remarkable; it rivals some of the best film programs in the world. We want to continue to support that success and the CFC as much as possible.

CFC: What advice would you give filmmakers going into the post-production process with limited budgets?
NI: Just simply come talk to us. We want to establish lasting relationships from the start. We will lay out solutions and workflows that work with the schedule and budgets available. For us, it’s a partnership. We want to support and foster filmmakers with the quality and level of expertise we know. Why not establish a high-quality bar within any budget? There is nothing more satisfying than having a client reach out after a production and say, “Wow! That was a great experience.”

On Wednesday, February 28, CFC Media Lab hosted the first Network Connect event of 2018 at the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto. As part of CFC’s IDEABOOST Accelerator, the Network Connect affiliate program brings together startups and founders every few months for a curated series of conversations.

Companies who attended were asked to fill out a short survey in advance of the event. Using this data, the team was able to determine patterns of connections and shape discussion groups. Founders were matched based on shared interests, common challenges, and capacity.

When asked what technology was at the core of their business, we learned that a sizeable group of companies feature the latest tech, with 17.5 per cent of companies using Virtual Reality, 17.5 per cent using Augmented Reality, and 16 per cent using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Unsurprisingly, financing/raising money and finding talent were the two most common challenges listed on the survey. This led to a few discussions amongst our founders, some of whom were able to share their success stories with those who are still working on raising funds from private investors.

A lightly facilitated process allowed participants to connect with over 15 different founders and mentors, with a total of 338 connections made over the evening. With no formal presentations or panels, the focus of the evening was on maximizing the time for founders to connect to and learn from one another and the mentors in attendance.

Upon completion of the exit survey, one founder remarked, "[The] Challenge discussions were insightful and offered new ways to think about things." Another founder noted that they "had the opportunity to chat with [a colleague] whose company operates in a similar space,” adding that “there is a good chance [they] will work together."

With that, a big thank you to all of the founders who participated and dutifully filled out their surveys, both in advance and post-event! This helps us in our ongoing experience design. (Version two will be even better!) As more startups join Network Connect, our ability to make meaningful and unique matches will only grow.

Lastly, a big thank you to the CFC volunteers for helping the event run smoothly and the staff at CSI for hosting us! 

You’ve seen the statistics and stories about how women in tech are paid less, face sexism and harassment and are excluded from opportunities. Only 26 per cent of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce are women, and that number shrinks significantly for women of colour. More than half of Canadian women have experienced harassment at work. Yet if technologists are building our collective future, it’s essential that women—and especially women of color—are represented. There’s a lot of hard work ahead, so where do you start? To celebrate International Women’s Day, here are four simple things anyone can do to support women.

Are you attracting a diverse talent pool to your company? If women aren’t applying to your job postings, try revamping the wording to make them more inclusive. Studies have shown that “masculine” language (words that promote male stereotypes) can make a job unappealing enough to deter qualified women from applying. You don’t even have to do the analysis yourself: technologist Kat Matfield built a simple tool that detects any non-neutral language for you. 

Also consider including a salary range, a rule the Ontario government will soon enforce as part of a larger initiative to increase pay transparency and close the gender pay gap. The Federal government has also dedicated a portion of its 2018 budget to creating policies and tools that address gender inequity. 

Of course, none of this matters if you don’t set real, measurable goals to achieve diversity in your company.

Technology companies can be extremely unwelcoming to women and people of colour. Challenge yourself to do small things to fight bro culture like stopping someone from interrupting a woman in a meeting, or passing on an opportunity you’re offered. 

If you’re a man, volunteer to be the person to buy the birthday cupcakes, the sort of unpaid work that usually falls to women. If you’re planning a public event, make sure you’re considering diversity and inclusion in every aspect, from speaker lineup to menus and codes of conduct (find tips here and here). 

Don’t hire booth babes or create male-dominated panels, and be wary of discussion topics that only serve young, white men. Partner with organizations that can staff your contract jobs, such as We Are HERe, a film crew directory of technical Canadian women.

If you’re a man that’s been offered a speaking engagement, recommend a woman who can join or replace you. For everyone else: if you encounter a conference agenda that doesn’t include women in a meaningful way, don’t buy a ticket.

Photo from Women & Wearables event by WeAreWearables in partnership with CFC Media Lab | IDEABOOST. Panel members from far right: Yvonne Felix, Sky Gillespie, Lyssa Neel, Anne Poochareon, Kate Hartman, Ariel Garten and moderated by Amanda Cosco.

It’s hard for women to secure funding, despite alltheresearch that shows the benefits of investing in them. Less than one fifth of venture-backed start-ups have a female founder, and a recent study revealed that only 12 per cent of Canada’s venture capital partners and 8 per cent of tech company board members are women. 

The government recently announced it was increasing its Business Development Bank of Canada investment in its Women in Technology fund to $70 million, which will be used to fund Canadian women-led early stage ventures. Some venture companies specially fund women, such as Women's Equity Lab in Victoria. 

Want to start smaller? Donate to organizations like SheEO, a global non-profit that will use your cash to help a woman launch a new venture. Set goals to dedicate a portion of your personal investments to women-led companies (and hold your investment companies accountable for their own gender split).

Help inspire the next generation to become technologists with the potential to shape the world we live in. Provide sponsorship and mentorship support to help newcomers navigate the system. Create paid internships and scholarships that help underprivileged kids. Donate your time and/or money to organizations that encourage women and girls from underrepresented communities to embark on careers in technology, such as Black Girls Code and Lesbians who Tech. 

Consumer signals can also help shepherd change when you buy content written, produced or directed by women. Start with this week's release of the feature film A Wrinkle in Time, directed by Ava DuVernay, which stars a black teen scientist navigating space and time who will undoubtedly recruit more little girls into STEM. 

The CFC is currently seeking nominations for the next Slaight Music Residency, a creative and business initiative for Canadian composers and songwriters. In the coming weeks, we’re going to highlight several Slaight Music Residency alumni through featured Q&As, during which we will discuss their past, present and future work in the screen-based entertainment industry.

Our first Slaight Music Residency Spotlight focuses on Ben Fox, alumnus of the 2015 Slaight Music Residency. Ben is up for a Canadian Screen Award (Achievement in Music – Original Score) for his work on alumni film Never Steady, Never Still.

Beyond musical ability, what practical and creative skills do you feel are necessary to succeed in composing for the screen-based entertainment industry? How did the CFC help you hone these?

Being able to think like a filmmaker is so, so crucial to success as a composer. You have to constantly keep your eye on the big picture and be working towards the creative and narrative goals of the film.

Every director is completely different, and the way they approach and understand music can vary wildly. So, it’s composer’s job not only to make great music, but to be a true ally of the director. You have to be the teammate that can speak their language and translate their vision into the music that will enrich their film in ways that only your voice can. And I think the way the CFC’s labs all work together really stresses the importance of being a great collaborator and arms you with the skills to succeed in those relationships going forward.

A still from Never Steady, Never Still. 

You composed music for Never Steady, Never Still, which Kathleen Hepburn developed during her time at the Cineplex Entertainment Film Program. How did your process change as the project grew from a short film to a feature?

Collaborating work with Kathleen on the short was a really special opportunity, and one I think the whole team made the most of. It allowed us to develop the look and feel of the movie in a lower-stakes environment, sort of like a working rough draft.

Kathleen and I were able to hone the sound and feel of the score [on the short], and develop the working language and trust we’d bring with us to the feature. By the time the feature was in production, we already had a tremendous working relationship and knew where we wanted to go. A lot of the big picture questions had been ironed out, and we were able to hit the ground running with the whole team pulling in the same direction.

What advice do you have for aspiring composers, especially as they consider applying for the next Residency?

To be a working composer you have to be a bit of a chameleon, constantly shifting genres and styles and approaches as the project requires. But in all that shape shifting, it’s tremendously important not to lose track of your own creative voice.

Yes, you have to be able to tackle anything that gets thrown at you over the course of a project. But it’s crucial not to lose sight of the fact that you were hired for a reason. Your personal instincts and flavours and all the little things you love about music that inform how you go about making it—that’s what sets you apart. Don’t snuff all that good stuff out; embrace it and wear it with pride.

Ben Fox with fellow alumni Laura Barrett, Michael Peter Olsen and Liam Titcomb. 

Want to nominate someone for the Slaight Music Residency? Here’s how. Please note that nominations are due by March 30, 2018. 

Canadian Screen Week culminated last night with the live gala broadcast of the Canadian Screen Awards (CSAs) on CBC. The week and the awards celebrated the best of Canadian film, television and digital media content and talent. Among the winners are beloved homegrown titles and CFC alumni projects, including Maudie, Alias Grace, The Breadwinner, Mary Kills People and Orphan Black, and more!

Congratulations to all of the 2018 Canadian Screen Award winners, including 18 wins for CFC alumni. See the full list of alumni winners below.

FILM NOMINATIONS

The Breadwinner

Achievement in Music – Original Score

• Congratulations to former Composer Chair of The Slaight Family Music Lab on his award: Mychael Danna - The Breadwinner

Adapted Screenplay

• Anita Doron - The Breadwinner

Original Screenplay

• Sherry White - Maudie

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

• Nabil Rajo – Boost

Best Short Documentary
Sponsor | Hot Docs

• Take a Walk on The Wildside - Lauren Grant

John Dunning Discovery Award

• Black Cop - Cory Bowles

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS

Anne

Best Drama Series
Sponsor | National Bank of Canada

• Anne
  CBC (CBC/Netflix)
  (Northwood Entertainment)
  Miranda de Pencier

Best Animated Program or Series
Sponsor | Spin Master Entertainment

• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
  YTV (Corus Entertainment)
  (DHX Media)
  Kirsten Newlands

Best Limited Series or Program

• Alias Grace
  CBC (CBC)
  (Halfire Entertainment)
  Sarah Polley

Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program
Sponsor | Rogers Group of Funds

• The Secret Path
  CBC (CBC)
  (Secret Path Film Inc.)
  Sarah Polley

Alias Grace

Craft Categories

Best Direction, Documentary Program

• Canada In A Day
  CTV (Bell Media)
  (Screen Siren Pictures)
  Trish Dolman

Best Direction, Drama Series
Sponsor | Playback

• Mary Kills People – “The River Styx”
  Global (Corus Entertainment)
  (Cameron Pictures)
  Holly Dale

Best Original Music, Fiction

• Cardinal
  CTV (Bell Media)
  (JCardinal Productions Inc.)
  Todor Kobakov

Best Picture Editing, Comedy

• Baroness von Sketch Show – “It Satisfies on a Very Basic Level”
  CBC (CBC)
  (Frantic Films)
  Jeremy LaLonde

Best Writing, Drama Program or Limited Series

• Alias Grace
  CBC (CBC)
  (Halfire Entertainment)
  Sarah Polley

Best Writing, Drama Series

• Orphan Black – “To Right The Wrongs of Many”
  Space (Bell Media)
  (Boat Rocker Media)
  Graeme Manson

Best Writing, Animation

• Mysticons – “Sisters in Arms”
  YTV (Corus Entertainment)
  (Nelvana Limited)
  Sean Jara

DIGITAL MEDIA NOMINATIONS

The Space We Hold

Best Cross-Platform Project - Non-Fiction

• Canada The Story of Us 360
  (Secret Location)
  James Milward, Chris Bennett

Best Original Interactive Production

• The Space We Hold
  (Cult Leader/NFB)
  Patricia Lee, David Oppenheim

If you are a CFC alumnus/alumna with a 2018 CSA to add to this list, please email the CFC at: alumni@cfccreates.com.

Anita Doron has been passionate about telling stories for as long as she can remember. Growing up in the former Soviet Union, she wrote poetry prolifically as a child until a powerful experience with a Super 8mm camera at age 12 led her to shift her creative focus from poetry to filmmaking.

Doron moved to Canada and began studying film at Ryerson University in 1998. From there, her film career quickly flourished. In 2007, she participated in a special co-production with the Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab (CFC Media Lab) and the National Film Board (NFB), in which she collaborated with two other directors, Daryl Cloran and Mateo Guez, to create North America’s first interactive feature film, Late Fragment. In 2012, she received critical acclaim for her Toronto International Film Festival-premiered feature film, The Lesser Blessed, and most recently, she wrote the screenplay for 2017’s The Breadwinner, an Academy Award-nominated animated film, based on the Canadian novel by Deborah Ellis, about a young girl in Afghanistan who dresses as a boy to work so she can support her family.

Prior to her winning Best Adapted Screenplay for The Breadwinner at the Canadian Screen Awards on Sunday, March 11, we chatted with Doron about her creativity-fueled childhood, her eye-opening CFC experience, and the importance of telling stories that need to be told.

How did you first become interested in film?

I was born and grew up in a town that was mostly Hungarian, but it belonged to the Soviet Union. In my town, there was a man-made river. This river was once a beautiful respite for the townsfolk to swim in and enjoy at the end of a hard day, but over time, it became a moving cesspool. Nobody would dare put their feet into the water anymore. It was just accepted, but I didn’t feel like accepting it. I wanted to do something about it.

My friend’s father had a Super 8mm camera, so we borrowed it and started running around and investigating—asking what’s going on and what can be done, and what do the people think. Most people wouldn’t talk to us because they didn’t want to face the repercussions, but we were too innocent to care. So we talked to some of the drunks, who would tell us things like, “When I was a little boy, I used to cool my body in this river and we had this most wonderful childhood next to the river. We had our picnics and now it’s just garbage.” A few days into our production, we got called into the mayor’s office. I even brought a little tape recorder with me, thinking, “Great, now I can ask some questions about the river!” I pressed the button to record, but then they basically told us to stop filming or our parents would be fired from their jobs and reprimanded.

Our parents, however, wisely and generously encouraged us to continue. We did send the film into a lab and it came back completely clear. I don’t think it was the bureaucracy [who ruined it]; they weren’t organized enough to actually sabotage our film. I think we screwed up the exposure. So that was the end of that. Yet it was the beginning of my passion for filmmaking because I saw the power it has. If two 12-year-old girls could put these bureaucrats into a state of fear and worry, then we were onto something.

What do you like best about working in the creative realm?

The freedom. Because I grew up in a place where freedom was limited, my craving for freedom was implanted in me from a very young age. My parents were free thinkers and encouraged me to be one, too. They encouraged me to not see any limits and they led by example. My mother was an engineer and so was my father, and I grew up watching them. They would discuss their work and my mother would draw the complicated schemes for the instruments that she was making for my father. The two of them would discuss and build and work, and I just found it so impressive. They were completely equal in their ability and were having so much fun doing something they both love.

What are you most proud of in your career?

That I didn’t give up when it was hard. I spent two years in the army [1994 to 1996]. Although I am a pacifist and went into the army service kicking and screaming, “I’m a pacifist,” the actual army training was profound for me. It taught me that my limits are much farther away than I knew. When I think I’m exhausted and I can’t go on, I can. So it really helped me see that, and it was actually great training for being in the film industry.

How do you think your experience as an immigrant has shaped the way you tell stories?

I hope it has shaped me to have more empathy with and understanding for things that are different and distant from me. Because at the end of the day, we all experience the same colour of sadness and the same colour of fear; it’s all the same. Our cultures don’t separate us; our mutual human existence unites us.

"The bottom line for me is generosity and kindness. Nothing else matters. Put something generous into the world in whatever way you can."

- Anita Doron

Describe your time at the CFC. What did you learn from the experience that stuck with you?

Anita Lee [NFB] and Ana Serrano [CFC] came up with this brilliant idea to make an interactive feature film, Late Fragment, with three zany directors and I was one of them. The other two were Mateo Guez and Daryl Cloran. So we spent more than a year working on it together, figuring out the framework for the story, and then, because the framework was on restorative justice, we travelled to a high-security prison in Montreal and met with prisoners. We talked to them about how they arrived at this place of being in prison, which profoundly affected us all.

There also was the whole process of making the film. I absolutely fell in love with Ana and Anita and the whole team, and I learned that their way of thinking was very new and exciting to me because they are real innovators. They take cinema, new media and storytelling, and they come at it from a really different angle from what I was used to, which was more traditional filmmaking and its modes of storytelling. Their way still involved authentic storytelling with the greatest of hearts and passion. Figuring it all out was like a puzzle for me; the interactive aspect was a puzzle, and then the puzzle of the story, and the puzzle of the three stories together, and these elements all connecting. It was just one of the most amazing things for my brain.

What career advice you would give to a young artist just starting out in the film industry?

Figure out what really excites you and tell those stories. Not the stories that are popular or the ones that will get funding, or those that will appeal to this or that group — forget that. Just find what you really love, enjoy, and what you feel needs to be told – what’s burning inside you to be told.

Also, look outside yourself. This would be advice I would give my younger self. For me, I was always interested in the lives of others. That’s important. If there are stories that are not being told and you are in the position to tell them, then tell them.

How did you feel when The Breadwinner was nominated for an Oscar this year?

It was so joyful, and such a different level of experience to be put in that category of all the Oscar-nominated films that had come before. We also felt honoured to represent independent filmmakers and independent animation. We’re such a rare breed at this level, because we’re up against studios, and it’s incredible to be in this company. I really felt by the end of it that we made an incredible film. I’m glad we could do justice to Deborah Ellis’s story, as well as to the people of Afghanistan and to the women who had to—and still have to—live through things like that, not just in Afghanistan but in many parts of the world.

Any final thoughts?

The bottom line for me is generosity and kindness. Nothing else matters. Put something generous into the world in whatever way you can. Whether it’s telling stories, or making excellent coffee, or decorating, it doesn’t matter. Nothing has a higher or lower value. The only value is putting something good into this world. 

This piece has been edited and condensed for publication.

(L to R): Lisa Codrington, Jordi Mand, Dennis Heaton, Julia Holdway, A.J. Demers, Laurie Anne Smith and RJ Lackie.

Last night we celebrated the 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program Showcase at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. This annual event is the final component of the five-month Bell Media Prime Time TV Program.

Yesterday’s showcase marked the 18th year of the program. In its 18 years, the program has seen more than 120 writers and TV creators come through its doors and go on to achieve success as television writers for series that have aired in Canada, the U.S. and internationally, such as recent titles Killjoys, Cardinal, Ghostwars, Private Eyes and The X-Files, to name a few. The roster of program alumni include writers and TV creators like alumnae like Michelle Lovretta, who has created three different series since leaving our doors, including the science fiction hit Killjoys; Tara Armstrong, whose critically acclaimed series Mary Kills People recently saw it’s Season 2 finale; or Michelle Ricci, who co-created, wrote and executed produced Frankie Drake Mysteries. Additionally, two critically acclaimed hit series, Orphan Black and Travelers, have been developed in the program’s story room. With a track record like this, it’s no wonder that the Bell Media Prime Time TV Program has become the go-to source for the North American broadcast industry to scout professional series writers, emerging TV creators and exciting original series content.

Tom Hastings, Director of Drama, Original Programming, Bell Media addresses guests at the 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Showcase.

Tom Hastings, Director of Drama, Original Programming at Bell Media, the program’s title sponsor, echoed this viewpoint at last night’s showcase, sharing with the audience that, “There’s no doubt that the CFC’s Prime Time TV Program is the finest in the country if not on the continent; it is the wellspring that nourishes our entire industry.” He also shared his enthusiasm for continuing to work with alumni of the program and seeing what original ideas and content they create, “We, on the network side, are only as good as the writers that come to us with ideas, with scripts, and with drive, and passion and patience,” added Hastings.

Andrew McQuinn, Director, Creative Development, ABC Signature Studios addresses guests at the 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program Showcase.

Andrew McQuinn, Director, Creative Development at ABC Signature Studios, another program sponsor, also made some remarks at the showcase. He spoke of how, in the two years since ABC Signature Studios has been a partner to the program, it has been very fruitful for them. Last year, they bought alumna Karen Nielsen’s script, Parker’s Fall, and they look forward to working with this year’s residents (now alumni) in the future, “If the future of television is in your hands, then we’re in good hands,” shared McQuinn.

The 2017/18 residents – A.J. Demers, Lisa Codrington, Julia Holdway, RJ Lackie, Jordi Mand and Laurie Anne Smith – worked with and learned from award-winning writer/producer (and a CFC alumnus!) Dennis Heaton as this year’s Executive Producer in Residence. During the first part of the program, they worked with Heaton in the story room developing his original series called The Craving. As Hastings explained at yesterday evening’s event, the program was privileged to have Heaton at the helm of this year’s story room and the six writers were very lucky to learn from one of Canada’s most talented showrunners, “He’s extraordinary and multi-faceted, I can’t think of someone better [for the writers] to have gone through the program with.”

The 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program residents accept their certificates onstage with Executive Producer in Residence Dennis Heaton.

Heaton had this to say about his time as Executive Producer in Residence, “It was my privilege to select and help train this new generation [of TV writers]. Because of their skills and commitment, I have the privilege of now possessing seven scripts that are unlike anything that I’ve ever developed before. The 2017 Prime Time Program was one of the single most enjoyable creative experiences of my career.”

During the second part of the program, the residents focused on business planning, leadership training, case studies and developing their own original series concepts. The six writers premiered their three-minute TV Teasers, which are designed to give viewers a glimpse into each writer’s original series concept and a taste of their voice. Take a look at this year’s TV Teasers below:

Congratulations to our 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program residents on their dynamic and compelling TV Teasers and original series concepts. We look forward to watching the content they create enliven and enrich our industry.

CLICK HERE to see more photos from the 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program Showcase.

We extend a special thanks to our title sponsor, Bell Media, our associate sponsor, ABC Signature Studios, as well as the Government of Ontario for their continued support of the Prime Time TV Program.

And we are hugely grateful to all of the 2017/18 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program guests and mentors who worked with our talented TV writers this year, especially:

• Executive Producer in Residence: Dennis Heaton
• Professional in Residence: Al Magee
• Original Series Mentor: Lesley Grant
• Original Series Consultants: Graeme Manson, Shernold Edwards, Jennifer Kennedy, Sean Reycraft, Patrick Tarr, Peter Mohan
• Casting Director Mentor: Marissa Richmond
• Teaser Music Mentor: Tom Third
• Teaser Editor Mentor: David Ostry

The CFC is currently accepting applications for the next CBC Actors Conservatory, the only full-time comprehensive professional on-camera acting program in Canada. In the weeks leading up to the application deadline (March 30, 2018), we will highlight several Actors Conservatory alumni through featured Q&As, during which we will discuss their craft and their development since their time at the CFC.

Our first CBC Actors Conservatory Spotlight focuses on Emily Piggford. This 2016 CBC Actors Conservatory alumna has appeared on series like The Girlfriend Experience, Michael: Every Day, Killjoys and Hemlock Grove, and is a lead and producer on webseries That’s My DJ (from Cineplex Entertainment Film Program alumna D.W. Waterson!).

What were your biggest takeaways from your time in the Actors Conservatory? How have you utilized them while working on series like That’s My DJ and The Girlfriend Experience?

With so many incredible mentors sharing their skills and approaches to the craft with us, I emerged from the CFC with new tools in my kit and a sharper edge on some I'd been carrying with me and I am so grateful for that.

[For example], we practiced the Meisner technique with Risa Bramon Garcia and I have found that incredibly useful when I need to quickly and deeply access my character and connect with a situation/my scene partner. Before the CFC, I first did Meisner with Dayle McLeod on That's My DJ to develop the strong, personal connection necessary for our work. After exploring Meisner at length with Risa at the CFC, I discovered just how useful a tool it is for me. I have used it on days where my energy is low or unfocused on set, or if I didn't have a significant amount of time with material due to tight turnarounds or rewrites. Even if I didn't have a partner, I modified, flowing through a one-sided Meisner style warm up (I did this in my trailer on Killjoys, for example, to help me drop in and connect with the text).

When I have more time with the material and I know it won't change too much, I love to apply the approach we studied with Lindy Davies of rigorous research and "dropping in" the material. When I worked on The Girlfriend Experience, ourwonderful writer/director, Lodge Kerrigan, informed me that his shooting is quick and his direction succinct. I was provided with the scripts sufficiently in advance and there were few rewrites, so I did my "Lindy" work and came to set with a rich foundation that allowed be to perform quickly, cleanly and confidently.

Emily with fellow CBC Actors Conservatory alumnus Jade Hassouné in That's My DJ Season 3. 

How did working with residents and alumni from other CFC programs (during the Conservatory) affect your approach to acting and collaboration?

Working with my fellow residents and alumni, there was a strong sense of mutual investment and excitement in each other’s growth and potential. I think this was enhanced by our awareness of shared experience, of being part of the CFC community. This truly is what all collaborations should be and it can be sometimes forgotten or not pursued, especially in an environment where we may feel like a visitor.

Being quite introverted, I have definitely experienced making myself smaller on a big set where I was there say for a day or two and didn't want to "impose." Experiencing the sense of patience, pride and support when working with my peers at the CFC alerted me to the notion that collaboration is as much an attitude as it is an action, and that it can't exist if I don't show up, open up and make a connection with the people I need to work with. I've learned to adjust my perspective on collaboration and see it not as imposing, but supporting and contributing.

What advice would you give actors just starting their careers (and perhaps considering applying for the Conservatory)?

Don't box yourself in before you've even unpacked yourself. Put yourself in circumstances and company that will allow you to explore your range, abilities and desires.

I think it is excellent to be aware of the technical or commercial aspects of the industry and how you can work with it (i.e. being aware of your "hit" or being aware of what is "trending" in terms of content and casting) but, ultimately, trust the integrity of who you are and what you have to offer. Establish a positive relationship with your ego where you have the confidence to be proud and aware of your abilities and ambitions, but don’t let your entitlement hinder your ability to be patient and collaborative.

Observe. Breathe. Trust. Leap. Enjoy.

Canadian actors, want to apply for the CBC Actors Conservatory? HERE’S HOW.

PLEASE NOTE THAT NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 30, 2018. 

The CFC is currently seeking nominations for the next Slaight Music Residency, a creative and business initiative for Canadian composers and songwriters. In the coming weeks, we’re going to continue highlighting Slaight Music Residency alumni through featured Q&As, during which we will discuss their past, present and future work in the screen-based entertainment industry.

Our second CFC Music Spotlight focuses on Jeff Morrow, alumnus of the 2012 Slaight Music Residency. Since leaving the CFC, Jeff has written music for Marvel’s Ant-Man, Fox’s The Peanuts Movie, Dreamworks’ Trolls and Disney Animation’s Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.

What effect did the Slaight Music Residency have on your career? For example, you have collaborated with program mentor Christophe Beck. 

It sounds trite, but the CFC was life changing. It was the fulcrum of a huge shift in my career.

Thanks to the Slaight Music Residency, I've had the chance to score artful, award-winning indies and popcorn blockbusters.

How do you approach creating music for previously established characters, such as Olaf or the Trolls?

In creating a new musical theme for Olaf, Christophe Beck and I had to come up with something that would match his featured role in Olaf's Frozen Adventure and also come close to keeping up with the almost manic energy that Josh Gad brings to the character. In this case, we went with something very short and simple: an uncomplicated theme allowed us to use it for excitement, danger and emotion, so we could play it throughout the featurette.

Christophe Beck talks to the residents of the 2012 Slaight Music Residency, including Jeff Morrow. 

What advice do you have for aspiring composers, especially as they consider applying for the next Residency?

Don't second-guess applying! The team at the CFC has created a unique program that will inspire you, push you creatively and connect you to others doing the same.

Olaf in a scene from Olaf's Frozen Adventure. 

Want to nominate a creator for the Slaight Music Residency? Here’s how.

Please note that nominations must be submitted by March 30, 2018.

We are pleased to share that five CFC alumni films will be participating in Telefilm Canada’s CANADA NOW film series. The series will screen at the IFC Center in New York City from March 22 to 25, 2018 and at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre in Los Angeles from April 12 to 15, 2018, before touring to venues nationwide.

The Canada Now 2018 showcase features a diverse, engaging, entertaining selection of the best in contemporary Canadian cinema, including alumni projects Black Cop, Cardinals, Mary Goes Round, Meditation Park and Unarmed Verses:

Cardinals

Friday, March 23 at 9:15 p.m.

Micro-budget thriller Cardinals stars alumna Grace Glowicki and is produced by alumnus Matt Code, executive-produced by alumnus Chris Bennett, with music by alumnus Todor Kobakov.

Unarmed Verses

Saturday, March 24 at 5 p.m. 

Includes intro and Q&A with director Charles Officer

Award-winning documentary Unarmed Verses (winner of TIFF’s 17th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival People’s Choice Award and Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award at Hot Docs 2017) is from alumni Charles Officer (writer/director) and Lea Marin (producer).

Meditation Park

Saturday, March 24 at 7 p.m.

Bittersweet comedy Meditation Park is written, directed and produced by alumna Mina Shum, produced by alumni Raymond Massey and Stephen Hegyes, and features alumnus Don McKellar.

Black Cop

Saturday, March 24 at 9:15 p.m. 

Includes intro and Q&A with director Cory Bowles

Political satire Black Cop is the first feature written and directed by alumnus Cory Bowles. It stars CBC Actors Conservatory alumna Sophia Walker and features music by Slaight Music Residency alumnus Dillon Baldassero.

Mary Goes Round

Sunday, March 25 at 7 p.m. 

Includes intro and Q&A with director Molly McGlynn

Writer/director and CFC alumna Molly McGlynn’s first feature, Mary Goes Round, was developed at the CFC through the Cineplex Entertainment Film Program Writers’ Lab. It features the work of several CFC alumni; it is produced by Matt Code, executive-produced by Aeschylus Poulos, edited by Christine Armstrong and Bryan Atkinson, and features music by Dillon Baldassero and Casey Manierka-Quaile, as well as two original songs by Lisa Conway, and an appearance by Bruce Novakowski.

CLICK HERE for additional screening details and ticket information.

CANADA NOW is presented by Telefilm Canada in partnership with the Consulates General of Canada and with the support of Air Canada.

CLICK HERE for more information on CANADA NOW.

Erica Proudlock

CFC is delighted to be welcoming back Erica Proudlock (former Manger of CFC Film Programs) as the newly appointed Executive in Charge of Programs and Talent beginning April 3, 2018.

"Erica has a great eye for and is passionate about talent," said Kathryn Emslie, Chief Programs Officer, CFC. “Her positive outlook, strong design and leadership skills, and remarkable ability to build relationships and partnerships with and for our growing alumni community are tremendous assets that will help us realize the strategic vision for our talent.”

This role will see Proudlock working as part of the Programs department’s Executive Team (alongside the Chief Programs Officer, Associate Director of Content and Associate Director of Talent), where she will be responsible for executing on talent development strategies and curriculum across all film, TV, actor and music programs, while capitalizing on opportunities that successfully fast-track CFC talent into the global marketplace.

Proudlock holds a BA in Arts Management from the University of Toronto, a Masters of Education from York University, and is just wrapping up a year-long contract working with one of Canada’s top talent agencies, Vanguarde Artists Management, adding even more business skills to her toolbox in support of talent.

Proudlock is thrilled to be returning to the CFC, "There is nowhere quite like the CFC for discovering talent, fostering strong industry partnerships and supporting diverse creative voices,” shared Proudlock. "The impact the alumni has had on the marketplace and international stage is inspiring. Uncovering and championing storytellers and arming them with the skills and creative tribe they need to execute their vision is what drives me, and I am excited by the opportunity to rejoin the Programs department and the dynamic CFC alumni community."