Program Recap: Rising Voices Canada
Curious about how Rising Voices Canada is getting along? Look no further. Here’s an in-depth recap of the program so far, come back soon for more details!
Orientation + TIFF Canada’s Top Ten
A private reception was held at Soho House Toronto on January 25th to welcome the filmmakers to the program. There, they met representatives from Indeed, Hillman Grad, TIFF and BIPOC TV & Film, and industry leaders and executives from Telefilm Canada, Project 10, and ACTRA.On January 26th, the participants arrived at TIFF Lightbox for a full-day orientation to outline program expectations and key activities and receive initial feedback on their scripts from program mentor-facilitator V.T. Nayani and Hillman Grad’s Rishi Rajani and Justin Riley.
Workshops and Speaker Sessions:
To ensure the program provides valuable growth and relationship-building opportunities, the filmmakers are attending up to two monthly workshops or guest speaker sessions featuring Canadian and American creatives, executives and subject-matter experts to enhance their knowledge of the filmmaking process.
The Fundamentals of Film Casting with Guest Speaker: Jesse Griffiths
February 15, 2024
Jesse Griffiths, Casting Director and founder of Jesse Griffiths Casting (JGC), provided casting tips for filmmakers, insight into how the casting world operates, and information about how his team ensures the casting process is as inclusive as possible. In March, he joined participants for 1:1 sessions to answer specific questions and work towards their mini-table reads.
Screenwriting & Feature Film Development with Guest Speakers: Meredith Vuchnich and Jingyi Shao
February 29, 2024
Award-winning Canadian screenwriter and story editor Meredith Vuchnich joined participants for a session on skills for moving through the rewriting process and getting your script production-ready. She also spoke about breaking into the Canadian film industry and carving a niche for yourself. Following their session with Meredith, writer-director Jingyi Shao joined participants, speaking candidly on his experience breaking into Hollywood and the journey of completing his first feature film, Chang Can’t Dunk (Disney+), which Rishi Rajani and the team at Hillman Grad produced.
Financing & Business Development with Guest Speakers: Karam Masri, Peggy Lainis, Margaret Lewis & Marcia Douglas
March 14, 2024
Karam Masri (Film & TV Programs Consultant, Ontario Creates), Peggy Lainis (Regional Feature Film Executive, Telefilm Canada), Margaret Lewis (Relationship Manager, Media and Entertainment - Commercial Banking at RBC), and Marcia Douglas (Executive Director, Bell Media Fund) joined participants for a discussion and 1:1 sessions, speaking on financing and business development.
Pre-Production Workflow with Guest Speakers: Doménica Castro & Constanza Castro of 271 Films
March 28, 2024
Doménica & Constanza Castro are the founders of 271 Films, who work closely with Rishi and Hillman Grad, having executive produced all the short films for Rising Voices USA. They have also produced films and commercials featured on HBO, Amazon, and Mubi, and their films were screened at festivals, including Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival. They joined us for a session moderated by Rishi, where they discussed the pre-production process, including but not limited to how they work with writers to get scripts ready, the realities of indie filmmaking and working with lower budgets, and how to tackle production limitations without losing the essence of one’s script.
Entertainment Law & Business Affairs with Guest Speakers: Janine Beach and Brittany Ryan
April 11, 2024
Lawyer and Founder of Phoenix Entertainment Advisors, Janine Beach, joined participants for a session to discuss topics including the relationship between talent and lawyers, what a representation team looks like, critical points of general writing & directing deals, and what entertainment lawyers look for in clients. Following this, participants met with Brittany Ryan, a Business Affairs at Bizable Media, to discuss rights management, film financing, project management, and compliance with Canadian industry guidelines & reporting requirements.
Come back for updates!
Table Reads and Scene Studies in Collaboration with Jesse Griffiths Casting and ACTRA Toronto
We are grateful to Jessie Griffiths Casting and ACTRA Toronto for their partnership and support during the RV Canada Table Reads. Their participation and support helped our participants enjoy the benefits of table reads and seeing their first features finally come to life! Special thank you to JGC’s continued commitment to supporting the work of BIPOC TV & Film. Our gratitude runs deep. 💛
Tribeca Film Festival Creators’ Market
The crew hit up NYC from June 9 to 13 to attend AND PITCH at TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL + the TRIBECA Creators’ Market. You can learn more about the market here.
Updates coming soon. In the meantime take a peak at our beautiful bunch!
Next up: Toronto International Film Festival - September 5-15, 2024 !