NSI Business For Producers – Atlantic Women’s Edition
Top row from left: Maja Jacob, Erica Meus-Saunders, NB Film Co-op member Gia Milani; middle: Lynn Matheson, Renée Hackett, Jessica Brown; bottom row: NB Film Co-op member Arianna Martinez, Jeana MacIsaac, Ruth Lawrence.
Today, through NSI Business for Producers – Atlantic Women’s Edition, nine Atlantic women set off on a new producing path as the first cohort of this regional training initiative.
The program, run by the National Screen Institute – Canada and program partner Canada Media Fund (CMF), is designed to foster the growth of women producing professionals in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The program aims to enrich the region’s production community, and its position across Canada and globally.
This part-time, six week program will build on participants’ essential producing skills, including preparing a pitch package for a current project in development. The program is customized to the needs of each participant, and includes expert training from women in the industry including Joan Jenkinson (Black Screen Office), Gloria Ui Young Kim (writer/director, Queen of the Morning Calm) and Anne-Marie Gélinas (producer, Beans).
The National Screen Institute is proud to introduce the nine participants and their projects:
Arianna Martinez (NB), Do I Know You From Somewhere?
Erica Meus-Saunders (NS), Not Worthy
Gia Milani (NB), Spychics
Jeana MacIsaac (PEI), Please, Return to My Father
Jessica Brown (NS), Above Snakes
Lynn Matheson (NS), An Rèiteach
Maja Jacob (NB), Motherland
Renée Hackett (NFLD), Birthday Balloon
Ruth Lawrence (NFLD), Party Pirate
“Creating training and mentorship opportunities for women in the screen-based industry is part of CMF’s commitment to gender balance,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, CMF. “We’re thrilled to partner with the National Screen Institute to support nine talented women producers from Atlantic Canada. This program will help broaden their skillset, as they take their stories to the next level and reach new audiences.”
Over the next six weeks, participants will take part in masterclasses and one-on-one consultations on topics including pitching and packaging a project; incorporation strategy and business affairs; budgets and financing; legal contracts / agreements; distribution / festival strategy; working with union / non-union and guilds; managing productions; case studies and more.
Participants will work with a content development consultant to prepare their pitch. The program will culminate in an online forum where participants will pitch their projects to a panel of industry experts for their feedback.
Program faculty includes National Screen Institute co-founder Jan Miller as program advisor and Amy Reitsma as program manager, both of whom are based in the Atlantic region.
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NSI Business for Producers – Atlantic Women’s Edition is funded by Program Partner Canada Media Fund (CMF); Strategic Sponsor Telefilm Canada; Provincial Sponsors Newfoundland & Labrador Film Development Corporation, FilmPEI, Province of New Brunswick; Industry Sponsor Nova Scotia Business Inc (NSBI) / Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council. More sponsors will be added as confirmed.
About the National Screen Institute – Canada
Propelled by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations, board and staff, the National Screen Institute supports creators from across Canada to tell unforgettable stories. Through industry-informed training and mentoring in film, television and digital media, students and alumni find their voice and place on the global stage, inspiring us to shape a better world.
The National Screen Institute is committed to training participants from a diverse community of voices including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+), people with disabilities, those outside large urban centres, those from regional and remote areas and various religious groups.