National Screen Institute | Next Level Production Lab - Manitoba Pilot application

About you

Name(Required)

First Last

As it appears on your identification

Your street address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 Town/City Province / Territory Postal Code

Your phone number(Required)

Your email(Required)

This should be an email address you use frequently. This will be the main way we contact you.

Please select the discipline that best represents that expertise you would bring to the lab:(Required)

Screenwriter

Producer

Director

Director of photography

Assistant camera professional

Editor

If you work professionally in more than one area, please select your primary discipline. You can identify additional experience below.

Please identify any additional screen-industry roles, skills or areas of experience that may be relevant to your participation in the lab.(Required)

Professional readiness

Tell us about your professional practice and experience in your primary discipline. What demonstrates that you have a strong professional foundation in your discipline and are ready for this next-level training?(Required)

Please provide up to three examples of work or professional experience that best demonstrate your readiness for this lab. For each, briefly identify:

The name of the project / production
The year
Your role
Your key responsibilities or contribution

Professional credits are welcome, but examples may also include substantial project development or other professional experience appropriate to your discipline.

The name of the project / production, the year, your role and your key responsibilities or contribution.(Required)

Upload your current resumé / CV(Required)

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 64 MB.

Please provide links to relevant work, if available. We don't expect you to create new material for this application.

Why this lab, why now?

Why are you interested in learning about AI-assisted workflows and virtual production at this point in your career? What do you hope to understand, explore or become better equipped to do?(Required)

Previous AI or virtual production experience isn’t required.

How might virtual production, AI-assisted tools or emerging technologies change the way you work? You don't need to be an expert. Tell us what interests you, what questions you have and what opportunities or challenges you see.(Required)

What would you like to learn or feel more confident doing professionally as a result of this lab?(Required)

Collaboration

Tell us about a meaningful collaborative production experience. What was your role? How did you work with other departments or creative collaborators? What did you contribute and what did you learn from the experience?(Required)

What expertise or perspective from your professional discipline would you bring to a multidisciplinary virtual production team?(Required)

Virtual production requires departments to collaborate earlier and differently than they may in a traditional production workflow. How do you approach situations where you need to experiment, learn something unfamiliar or change an established way of working?(Required)

Responsible use of emerging technologies

The lab approaches AI as a tool to support professional practice. Participants will see where these tools succeed, where they fall short and how they can be used responsibly while respecting creative authorship, performers, professional roles and industry best practices.

Participating writers will develop and write the scripts used for the production exercises, and actors will be cast to perform the scripted roles.

What questions, opportunities or concerns do you currently have about the responsible use of AI and emerging technologies within your professional practice? There is no expected position on AI. We’re interested in your ability to think critically about how these technologies may affect your work and the broader production process.(Required)

Discipline-specific questions

Applicants will answer the questions for their primary discipline only.

Screenwriters

Tell us about your approach to writing for production. How do you balance story, character and creative ambition with the practical realities of production?(Required)

What interests you about writing specifically for a virtual production environment? There's no need to propose a project at this stage.(Required)

Producers

Describe your experience taking projects from development toward production. There's no need to propose a project at this stage.(Required)

What would you most like to understand about producing and financing projects incorporating AI and / or virtual production?(Required)

Directors

Describe your approach to preparing a scripted scene for production and communicating your creative vision to performers and key departments.(Required)

What aspect of directing within a virtual production environment are you most interested in exploring?(Required)

Directors of photography

Describe how you approach translating a director's creative vision into decisions about lighting, lenses, composition and camera movement.(Required)

What questions do you have about cinematography within LED volume and real-time virtual environments?(Required)

Assistant camera professionals

Describe your professional camera-department experience and your responsibilities within a camera team.(Required)

What aspects of camera tracking, lenses, focus, camera movement or virtual production camera workflows are you most interested in developing?(Required)

Editors

Describe how you approach story, performance, pacing and collaboration in the edit.(Required)

What interests you about how virtual production and AI-assisted workflows may affect editorial and post-production?(Required)

Career impact

How would participating in this lab contribute to the next stage of your career? Please be specific about how you hope to apply the knowledge, experience and professional relationships developed through the lab.(Required)

Participation commitment

Please confirm that you’re available to participate in the required lab components:

Online sessions in mid- to late January 2027
Full-time in-person training at StudioLab xR, February 22–26, 2027
Full-time in-person training at StudioLab xR, March 1–5, 2027
Applicable final online session(s) in mid-March 2027

Untitled

Yes

No

Is there anything you'd like us to know about your ability to participate fully in the lab or any accessibility supports you may require?

Sharing this information won't put your application at a disadvantage.

Additional information

Where did you first hear that this program was accepting applications?(Required)

Please tell us where you heard this program was accepting applications

Terms and conditions

Contact information

If you need to talk to someone about your privacy or if you have questions about our terms, please reach out to Liz Hover, our Personal Information Officer. You can email her at liz.hover@nsi-canada.ca or call at (204) 956-7800. Read our full privacy policy and the terms of use for our website.

Your application

When you submit your application for the NSI Next Level Production Lab - Manitoba Pilot (the "Program"):

You are agreeing to follow the specific rules and guidelines of the Program.
You confirm that the information you have provided is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.

Agreement to terms

By submitting your application:

You confirm that you have read and agree to our submission terms, privacy policy and terms of use.
You consent to us using your personal information only for purposes related to your participation in the Program.

Use of your information

If you are selected for the Program:

The National Screen Institute can use your name, photo, voice and biographical information to promote the Program and the institute.
This use is not for endorsing any product or service and we will not do so without your explicit consent.

Safety and respect

You agree to follow the National Screen Institute's guidelines to maintain a safe and respectful environment. Read our policy.

These terms are intended to ensure that everyone understands their rights and responsibilities when applying to and participating in our Program. We aim to make this experience positive and inclusive for all participants.

Terms and conditions(Required)

I have read and agree with the terms and conditions

NSI Next Level Production Lab – Manitoba Pilot

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