Breakthrough 2023 Participants have been busy!!!

Congratulations to our DOC BC YT NT Breakthrough 2023 participants for their hard work in honing their pitches this month!!!

On Saturday March 4th, they met with mentor producers Nisha Pahuja, Julia Ivanova and Joella Cabalu, who provided the participants with valuable insight on their projects.  Thank you Nisha, Julia and Joella!

Two weeks later they pitched again to Gordon Loverin (Knowledge Network) and Teri Snelgrove (NFB) who provided concrete advice and information on when, where and how to pitch to decision makers. Thank you Gordon and Teri!

And with all of the hard work, it is important to play!!! Our participants met each other for the first time in person and were joined by Baljit Sangra (DOC BC YT NT Chair) and Brishkay Ahmed (Breakthrough Facilitator). It was a good chance to hang out and get to know each other better in 3 D (smile).

We would like to thank Creative BC for their generous support to the Breakthrough program and to the participants themselves. 

Breakthrough 2023 Story Editing with Sturla Gunnarrson

The Breakthrough 2023 program continued with its second session on
Story Editing with Sturla Gunnarsson. 

Brishkay Ahmed facilitated this session with special guest Sturla Gunnarsson is an Oscar© nominated, Emmy Award© winning Canadian filmmaker.  Sturla has directed a broad range of fiction, non-fiction, theatrical and television productions and is known for his humanistic treatment of contemporary themes. Our participants are: Hayley Gray, Sonya Lee, Jon Chiang, Linda St. Pierre, Tammy Jones and Inder Nirwan. It was an incredible opportunity to learn!

Click here for more information about Sturla Gunnarrson.

Call for Proposals Short Films on First Peoples’ Cultural Revitalization in B.C.

Call for Proposals
Short Films on First Peoples’ Cultural Revitalization in B.C.

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council and Knowledge Network recognize the effects of colonization on Indigenous peoples. They are seeking Indigenous filmmakers to produce stories reflecting the cultural values First Peoples bring to British Columbia. Their stories will be broadcast on Knowledge Network and its streaming platforms.

Knowledge Network and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council will be providing Q&A Sessions by Zoom on the following dates:

Thursday February 23, 2023, at 10:00 am
Tuesday February 28, 2023, at 2:00 pm

To register for any of these info sessions please email Gordon Loverin at gordonl@knowledge.ca.

Deadline for Submissions – March 17th, 2023 at 5:00 pm.

Click here to learn more on the Knowledge Network site

Breakthrough 2023 Program – Update

***DEADLINE EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 16 2022****

DOC BC YT NT  has extended its call for submissions to its THIRD Breakthrough Program, sponsored by Creative BC.

Prepare to pitch for development funds and a development deal for your project. Sell your project to prestigious festival markets like Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and beyond! Six emerging and high-potential producers will be selected for a rigorous and intimate market-preparation course where they’ll hone their project pitches and materials to prepare for festivals and markets like the Deal Maker program at Hot Docs.

Emerging producers will learn to pitch for development funds by meeting key industry mentors at each session such as broadcasters, distributors, and story and trailer editing consultants. They will be supported to workshop their pitch and encouraged to apply to festival markets like Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and beyond!

FOLLOW THE LINK for more information AND to SUBMIT VIA FILMFREEWAY:

HTTPS://FILMFREEWAY.COM/DOC_BCYNT 

DOC BC YT NT Annual General Meeting 2022

The DOC BC YT NT Executive Board invites you to our 2022 Annual General Meeting which will be held in person at the Irish Heather Gastropub in Vancouver and virtually on Zoom.
This is an opportunity to hear about the accomplishments in 2022, meet other documentary filmmakers, reconnect with your community, network and celebrate our DOC BC YT NT members!
7 pm PT/8 pm MT: AGM
8 pm PT/ 9 pm MT: Holiday Mixer Party!!!!
Registration is required. Space is limited at the in-person venue. To register:
The Irish Heather Gastropub is located at 248 E Georgia Street in Vancouver.
We hope to see you at our AGM!!!! Let’s celebrate our members and our sponsors!!!

BREAKTHROUGH PROGRAM 2023

***DEADLINE EXTENDED to DECEMBER 16 2022***

DOC BC YT NT opens call for submissions to its THIRD Breakthrough Program, sponsored by Creative BC.

Prepare to pitch for development funds and a development deal for your project. Sell your project to prestigious festival markets like Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and beyond! Six emerging and high-potential producers will be selected for a rigorous and intimate market-preparation course where they’ll hone their project pitches and materials to prepare for festivals and markets like the Deal Maker program at Hot Docs.

Emerging producers will learn to pitch for development funds by meeting key industry mentors at each session such as broadcasters, distributors, and story and trailer editing consultants. They will be supported to workshop their pitch and encouraged to apply to festival markets like Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and beyond!

Awards & Prizes
Selected filmmakers will get exclusive access:

For four months leading up to Hot Docs, bi-weekly sessions with acclaimed documentary filmmakers and project-specific feedback from funders, broadcasters, distributors, and peers. As well as workshops, where participants will hone their trailers and work on their pitch materials with story editors, producers, and pitch specialists.

1. Free one-year DOC membership with all its benefits, including free access to other DOC events.

2. The Breakthrough Alumni Network, a private group where alumni share opportunities and information.

3. Digital pass to the 2023 Hot Docs Film Festival (attend industry sessions, network with key industry professionals, set up meetings to sell their projects, and connect and collaborate with peers).

Rules & Terms
The following information is required to apply:

1. In one to three pages, give us a summary of your industry and work experience, your educational background and past professional development, or mentorship programs. Please note that many past applicants choose to submit a CV plus a list of broadcast credits and/or a filmography. This section should be used to convey your relevant experience to the jury, so please share your accomplishments with us!

2. In no more than one page, tell us why you would benefit from the Breakthrough Program and what you hope to achieve by attending a pitch session such as the Hot Docs Festival and Forum, or equivalent. Why would this program be timely for your career as a producer or director intending to produce your next project? Tell us about how you intend to interact with the other participants in the program to build community and how you have built a community in your career thus far.

3. In no more than one page, tell us briefly about the main project you are intending to workshop during this program. If available, please include sizzle, trailer, visual elements/references and/or websites you have.

4. In no more than one page, if you have a second or third in development, you may tell us about them. We encourage you to include links to any trailers, visual elements/references and/or websites you have. However, this is not mandatory.

To submit follow the link, register, and submit via FilmFreeway. *If you have any trouble with the FilmFreeway platform or need to send us more information, please email docbc@docbc.org.

TO SUBMIT FOLLOW THE LINK, REGISTER, AND SUBMIT VIA FILMFREEWAY:

HTTPS://FILMFREEWAY.COM/DOC_BCYNT 

Doc Ignite Comes to BC!!!

Doc Ignite comes to Vancouver and Victoria! 

About this event
Offering direct market intelligence and skills training, Doc Ignite workshops provide filmmakers with access to a wide range of professional development curriculum. Doc Ignite labs aim to provide new opportunities to filmmakers across all regions of Canada and continue to help them launch sustainable documentary careers.
Vancouver – Thursday October 27, 2022 [9:30 –  6:30]
Location: Cineworks, 1131 Howe St. Vancouver
Victoria – Saturday October 29, 2022 [9:30 –  6:30]
Location: Haus of Owl, 780 Blanshard Street, Victoria
About the workshops:
Hot Docs presents full day professional development sessions on market intelligence and production for documentary filmmakers.
Session 1: From Treatment to Screen
How do you lift words on the page to the screen for a documentary? In this interactive session, participants will get practical takeaways on how to break down scenes from the treatment to manageable bite-sized ways to ensure coverage to the story during the shoot. Prepare for your next documentary with confidence.
Session 2: Market Intelligence
Amid a changing documentary landscape, this session will outline key market trends. Learn how Canadian and international broadcasters, platforms, distributors and exhibitors have shifted their business models in response to the pandemic, and how filmmakers have adapted their approaches to pitching and project financing. Hear insights and observations from buyers and industry experts, as well as the Hot Docs Industry team.

Lunch is provided. Reception to follow the workshop.

DOC BC members can attend for free. Non-members $10.

For IBPOC filmmakers, DOC offers a free two-year membership.
To become a member, visit: https://docorg.ca/join-doc/
This is a great opportunity for our documentary filmmakers!  Hope to see you there!

BREAKTHROUGH APPLICANTS 2022!

ANNOUNCEMENT TIME! We’re so excited to announce our 2022 Breakthrough participants! Scroll through to learn about our wonderful filmmakers!

An image of Jaime with her full name below, "Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos"

Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos (she/her) is a director, producer, editor and founder of Her Stories Inc. Her projects primarily concern the empowerment of women, social and environmental justice. Winner of the ‘Hot Doc’s Cross Currents Doc Fund’ (2021) with co-director Kayah George for their documentary ‘Our Grandmother the Inlet’ which will move into production late January 2022.

Jaime Leigh’s film “What About Our Future?” which she executive produced, co-directed, shot, and edited with co-director Cláudio Cruz & producer Jen Muranetz was supported and funded by Creative BC and has appearances by David Suzuki and Greta Thunberg. The project screened at DOXA (2021) receiving the ‘Nigel Moore Youth Programming Award’, One World Humanitarian Film Festival (2021), The Vancouver Short Film Festival (2021), DOK Leipzig (2020), Aesthetica Short Film Festival & Now Symposium (2020/2021), St. John’s International Women’s Festival (2020), Planet in Focus (2020), and Eco-Cine Film Festival (2020), BIFED (2020) and was a finalist for ‘The SIMA Awards’ (2021.) ‘What About Our Future? participated in the ‘Hot Doc’s Doc’s For School’s’ Program’ and ‘SIMA Classroomes’ playing in over 600 schools, and had its broadcast premiere on ‘Hollywood Suite’ on March 21st 2021. The project was selected for SMI’s ‘Story to Action’ program (2021).

Jaime Leigh just completed an eight-week course through Sundance with her upcoming film “Ask the Plantain” which she will be co-produceding with award-winning producer Shelby Manton (Boldly).

An image of Jay with his full name below, "Jay Cardinal Villenueve"

Jay Cardinal Villeneuve, a Nêhiyawi- Bush Cree/Métis, was born and raised in northern Alberta and is an intergenerational residential school survivor who began acting on stage in community theatre productions when he was just a young buck. Him/He emerged from hustling VHS rentals at Video Gallery in Slave Lake, Treaty 8 territory, to nabbing a Theatre scholarship for College, where he subsequently dropped out and hitchhiked to Vancouver Coast Salish Territory to work in film & television.

After short stints in TV, independent film, radio, KFC, telemarketing and street theatre, he snuck into Capilano University where he paid his dues by selling film school students short film scripts for their assignments, then graduated from the Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking program; with honours. Villeneuve concurrently worked as a private video statement gatherer w/ the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada for several years where he was honoured with the name “Smeent” meaning Mountain Man in the Kwakwaka’wakw language. His many YouTube short films have gone the opposite of viral, but some have actually played in film festivals. As an actor, you can see him in some cool movies like Beans and Brother I Cry (where he was robbed of a Supporting Actor Leo Award), and even a TV show here and there, like Get Shorty.

As a filmmaker he managed to snag some hardware for his films like the critically acclaimed Holy Angels and Is That One of Your Jokes; which is not a question, or a joke, but the title of the film. He also received honourable mention from the MPPIA Short Film Award at the 2018 Whistler Film Festival for the live pitch of his Louis Riel short script Gods & Devils. Jay is basically what would happen if Tom Jackson and Blanche Devereaux (from Golden Girls) had an illegitimate love child that was raised in a small town surrounded by dense forest; and people LOL! He also has three rad kids, who are not illegitimate, and often star in his cardinal cinéma c[art]el indie films.

“live to dream, dare to live; live your dreams if you dare!”
~ jay cardinal villeneuve

An image of Jamuna with her full name below, "Jamuna Galay-Tamang"

Jamuna Galay-Tamang is a storyteller whose lineage is Tamang, Dënësųłinë́ Métis, German & Ukrainian. Her Indigenous roots in Canada are tied to Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan (Treaty 6 Territory) and she was born on stolen Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh Territories. She is a daughter, sister, proud aunty, beader, hide tanner and corn husk weaver. In herprofessional work, she loves exploring themes related to identity, public health equity, and transformational Indigenous/social justice. Jamuna was a 2021 Vancouver International Film Festival Catalyst Mentee and was the recipient of a Fox International Fellowship at Yale University in 2019-2020 where she was supported in this filmmaking process. She holds a Master’s in Journalism from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria. She lives and works on the beautiful unceded and stolen territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh Peoples who have been stewards and caretakers of these lands for time beyond record or oral history.

An image of Kent with his full name below, "Kent Donguines"

Kent Donguines is a Filipino-Canadian narrative and documentary filmmaker who runs Aimer Films Inc. based in Vancouver, BC. He produced the award-winning films IRIDESCENCE, THIS INK RUNS DEEP which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, and WATERSHED which is currently featured in Los Angeles Comic-Con through Geekfest. He also created the short documentary, KALINGA (CARE) that had its World Premiere at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival and is currently one of the projects selected by Story Money Impact to impact produce through their inaugural Story to Action program. In 2021, Kent is named as one of Playback’s 10 to Watch as he continues to champion Filipino-Canadian and underrepresented stories.

An image of Milena with her full name below, "Milena Salazar"

Milena Salazar is a documentary filmmaker interested in creating artistically driven, socially engaged work. Her award-winning short films, as well as her collaborations with other filmmakers as an editor or cinematographer, have screened in film festivals across the globe. Alongside her film projects, she has championed documentary cinema and its independent filmmaking community through various roles in arts organizations and film festivals in Vancouver, BC. She is currently working on her first feature Robot Kindergarten, an essay film about robotic pet companions and their wider societal and ethical implications.

An image of Yasmine with her full name below, "Yasmine Renaud"

Yasmine Renaud (she/her) is a French Canadian cultural producer, arts administrator, and filmmaker based in Dawson City, Yukon.

Her longtime love of theater led her to be a founding member of the Dawson City League of Lady Wrestlers (DCLOLW), a performance art collective, where she was the artistic director for 4 years. The DCLOLW received international attention and was featured in the Toronto Star, the Huffington Post, and VICE.

Yasmine has stage managed at Edinburgh’s International Fringe Festival and produced for Scotland’s national broadcaster, STV, before returning home to focus on building community and capacity in the Yukon.

Her films have been official selections at various festivals such as Available Light, Wonderhorse, South Texas Underground, and the Scottish Short Film Festival, where ‘Last House on CCTV’ won the audience choice award. She most recently wrote her first short film, Birdbox and is currently producing for television.

We’re so excited to begin the program with these amazing filmmakers! Stay tuned to hear more about their projects.