(Monday, May 10 — 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM ET / 4:00 – 4:45 PM PT)

In this intimate conversation, Tracey Deer shares her insights on the legacy of The Oka Crisis, coming of age stories, and how her unique creative voice blends both in her unflinching first feature Beans.

Beans is nominated for “Best Motion Picture”, “Achievement in Casting”, “Achievement in Cinematography”, “Achievement in Sound Mixing”, and the “John Dunning Best First Feature Film Award” at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards.

GUESTS:

Tracey Deer | Writer and Director, Beans

Tracey Deer is a Mohawk filmmaker whose two decades of experience includes co-creating, directing, and co-showrunning five seasons of Mohawk Girls. After co-executive producing on Anne with an E, Tracey filmed her debut feature Beans, which premiered at TIFF 2020 to critical acclaim, garnering Tracey the prestigious TIFF Emerging Talent Award and title as one of Variety’s 10 Screenwriters to Watch.

Beans had its European premiere at the Berlinale and has secured US distribution with FilmRise.

Jesse Wente | Executive Director, Indigenous Screen Office

Jesse Wente is Anishinaabe. His family is from Chicago and the Serpent River First Nation. Jesse is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Screen Office and Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts.

This event will be presented in English. Check out our Comment aborder la réalisation d’un long métrage? Du scénario à la postproduction event on Thursday, May 6 to hear Pascal Plante, Sophie Dupuis, and Tracey Deer discuss their Best Motion Picture nominated films in French.

Cet événement sera présenté en anglais. 

Ne manquez pas l’événement Comment aborder la réalisation d’un long métrage? Du scénario à la postproduction le jeudi 6 mai pour entendre Pascal Plante, Sophie Dupuis et Tracey Deer discuter en français des œuvres finalistes dans la catégorie du meilleur film.

This event is free and open to the public.

Screening available for 48 hours from Saturday, May 8th, 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT to Monday, May 10th, 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT

Twelve-year-old Beans is on the edge: torn between innocent childhood and delinquent adolescence; forced to grow up fast to become the tough Mohawk warrior she needs to be during the Indigenous uprising known as The Oka Crisis, which tore Quebec and Canada apart for 78 tense days in the summer of 1990.

An RSVP is required to attend this screening. Online screenings are exclusive to members of the Canadian Academy, CMPA, and DGC Ontario. Space is limited and RSVPs will be on a first come, first served basis.

(Monday, May 10 — 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM PT)

With more streaming services, endless content options, and a more discerning audience than ever before, how can we understand the viewer and create content that resonates? As a producer, how do you identify your audience and how early in development should you know?

This panel shares the tools for an effective understanding of a viewer’s needs on a platform, where to acquire data and leverage it in your pitch, and how to balance the creative with the analytics.

GUESTS 

Gave Lindo | Director of Content Programming, TikTok Canada

Gave has over a decade of experience as a lawyer, executive, and board director within the media and cultural sectors where he has commissioned, structured, or advised on a range of projects across film, television, digital content, gaming, festivals, and live theatre. He is currently leading the content strategy for TikTok in Canada as Director of Content Programming. Most recently, he led CBC’s digital content offerings including CBC Gem, CBC.ca, and CBC Kids as Executive Director of OTT Programming. Previously, he served as Executive Director of the Reelworld Film Festival, worked as a business executive at CBC, and practiced media law. Gave has been appointed to the boards of a number of organizations including Ontario Creates (OMDC), the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, Obsidian Theatre Company, and Laidlaw Foundation. He currently serves on the board of the Children’s Aid Society Toronto and the TO Live St. Lawrence Centre Redevelopment Committee. He is a frequent speaker on the intersection of content and innovation and holds BA, MBA, and JD degrees from the University of Toronto.

Leena Minifie | CEO of Stories First and Co-founder of SaaS Platform Cool.World

Leena Minifie (Gitxaala/British) is an impact, media, film and television producer and digital strategist based in Vancouver, BC. Recent projects include the four-part series and interactive digital timeline British Columbia – An Untold History (Knowledge Network), interactive audiovisual webart Sense of Home (Best New Media ImagineNative 2012), ?E?anx ‘The Cave’ (Sundance Festival 2011, TIFF Top Ten 2011). Impact and marketing campaigns include Indian Horse, The Grizzlies, Monkey Beach and The New Corporation: An Unfortunately Necessary Sequel. Leena is a fellow with the BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the business of media program and the inaugural Bell Reelworld Producer’s Program.

Michel Pratte | President, Boat Rocker Media & General Manager, Boat Rocker Studios

Michel Pratte is the President of Boat Rocker Media and General Manager of Boat Rocker Studios. He currently oversees the day-to-day operating divisions of Television, Kids & Family and Representation, in addition to the Studio. He joined Boat Rocker in 2008 and has held multiple positions within the company during his tenure. Pratte spearheaded the expansion into original digital content and led Boat Rocker’s corporate development activity. This included leading many key transactions and investments, most notably the acquisitions of Jam Filled, Matador Content, Untitled Entertainment, and Platform One, and various venture investments. Pratte currently serves on the boards of Serial Box and Industrial Brothers. Prior to joining Boat Rocker, Pratte worked at the British House of Commons and completed a Masters in International Political Economy at the London School of Economics, and an Honors Degree in Economics and History from McGill University.

Rignam Wangkhang | Producer

Rignam Wangkhang is an award-winning multimedia producer with the CBC. He is currently a Producer at the CBC Creator Network, which seeks to improve the relevancy of the public broadcaster by discovering and developing the work of digital content creators across Canada. He recently served as Chair DiversifyCBC, an Employee Resource Group that represents over 350 people of colour to advocate for inclusion at the CBC. He has produced documentaries, essays, and reported for the CBC from Yellowknife, Winnipeg, and Toronto.

MODERATOR

Anita Li | Founder and EIC of The Other Wave

Anita Li is a media strategist and consultant with a decade of experience as a multi-platform journalist at outlets across North America. She is also a journalism instructor at Ryerson University, the City University of New York’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and Centennial College. Anita is the co-founder of Canadian Journalists of Colour, a rapidly growing network of racialized media-makers in Canada, as well as a member of the 2020-21 Online News Association board of directors. To keep up with Anita, subscribe to The Other Wave, her newsletter about challenging the status quo in journalism.

This session is free for members of the Canadian Academy, CMPA, and DGC Ontario. Tickets are available for purchase for non-members.

Presented by City of Toronto

In this Ways & Means conversation, Indigenous Governance Consultant Marcia Nickerson joins us for a conversation about the Indigenous Screen Office’s On-Screen Protocols & Pathways document. This session will provide additional information about what is currently being developed since the publication of the guide, the Canadian Screen Awards’ new Narrative Sovereignty rule, and will answer questions from members to help provide specific tools and resources to engage with these protocols on your own productions. 

Presented by the Director’s Guild of Canada in Ontario

This Director’s Cut session provides a sneak peek, behind the scenes look at the new television series Pretty Hard Cases. Co-creator and director Sherry White, and season one directors Cory Bowles, Jordan Canning, and Winnifred Jong discuss directing and leading the first season of the series.

Presented by Director’s Guild of Canada in Ontario

In this Director’s Cut session, directors from today’s leading comedy series break down what goes into directing a scene: capturing improvisation and humour, delivering and editing jokes and gags, and techniques for your next comedy.

Presented by Boat Rocker Media

Join this conversation to hear creators discuss how their television series came to life: finding and securing distribution, connecting with the right partners, and maintaining creative control over their story.

Presented by the Bell Fund and with the support of the Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival.

This edition of Academy Talks gathers emerging and established filmmakers to discuss mentorship: those who have helped boost their careers, how they prioritize nurturing new talent, and how industry development affects and encourages success.

Presented by Boat Rocker Media, and in partnership with Regent Park Film Festival

Join us at our next Academy Talks: In the Room session at the Regent Park Film Festival (November 26-29, 2020). Our panel of filmmakers will offer advice on how to refine your story and create solid conflict and intrigue in your pitch, what makes a good pitch stand out among many, and advice on how to make the strongest case for funding and resources available.

Presented by the Director’s Guild of Canada in Ontario

In this edition of Academy Talks: Director’s Cut, director Gloria Ui Young Kim sits down with the cast of Queen of the Morning Calm to discuss the relationship between director and performer, the collaboration behind building a character, casting and building your team, maintaining a communicative set, and more.

7:00 – 8:00 PM ET

Presented by Ontario Creates

Our Interactive Digital Media panel will discuss the voracious appetite for video games, interactive, and web content, and their growing audiences in Canada and around the globe. The content creators for these new platforms will discuss how to expand your client base, and find new audiences. 

Annual General Meeting – open to all members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television

Everyone is welcome to attend the AGM, however, voting is restricted to Academy Voting Members

2:00 PM ET