Start of NSI Totally Television training marks 17-year partnership with presenting sponsor Bell Media

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Media release

March 5, 2020

A woman with short dark brown hair and light skin is looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. She has brown eyes, wears pink lipstick, and has wooden, leopard-print earrings. She is wearing a black top, and the background is a light, neutral-colored wall. The lighting is soft and even.

Liz Hover

Director of Operations

Training for four talented Canadian producer/writer teams kicked off this week for the 2020 edition of NSI Totally Television, presented in association with Bell Media. The course provides customized training for teams to develop story ideas into polished packages for the global market.

This edition of NSI Totally Television also marks a 17-year partnership with presenting sponsor Bell Media whose commitment and dedication has helped over 160 Canadian creators develop their storytelling skills and unique voices for audiences around the world.

“Bell Media is proud to support NSI Totally Television. The program has nurtured incredible talent over the years and generated award-winning content for national and international audiences,” said Tom Hastings, director, original programming, drama at Bell Media. “We’re excited by the diverse range of storytellers and projects this year.”

The course gets results: both phase two projects from the 2018 edition of the program were picked up by production companies for further development, six series have been produced, five series have been optioned, one project was produced as a feature film and 3,000+ jobs have been created in Canada’s screen industry through NSI Totally Television projects.

“NSI Totally Television truly provides an exceptional training opportunity for Canadian creators. This year’s cohort of students gets unprecedented access to industry leaders and significant guidance in bringing their projects to the global market. This wouldn’t be possible without the continued investment of Bell Media,” said Joy Loewen, NSI’s CEO.

NSI Totally Television 2020 teams

Reign of Durga

Producer Mark Ratzlaff and writer Nimisha Mukerji (Delta, BC)

Dwayne Has Issues

Producer Eva Thomas (Wallaceburg, ON) and writer Darren Anthony (Etobicoke, ON)

The Trafficked

Producer Rachel Cairns (Toronto, ON)

Lupita

Producer Eva Colmers and writer Gordie Lucius (Edmonton, AB)

NSI Totally Television faculty are program advisor Julie Di Cresce and program manager Liz Janzen.

Teams will develop their projects with the top showrunners and story editors in the country. This year’s guest faculty includes Joseph Kay (Transplant), Alison Lea Bingeman (Bad Blood, Cardinal), Kevin White (Kim’s Convenience), entertainment career coach Carole Kirschner, and executives from New Metric Media, Bell Media and CBC.

During training, teams work with story editors to fine-tune their script and concept, and meet a thoughtfully curated slate of pitch and marketing consultants, execs from major broadcast networks, streaming services, and production and distribution companies to deepen their market intelligence to best identify where their project fits. Teams advancing to phase two attend Content London in December 2020.

NSI Totally Television is made possible by Presenting Sponsor Bell Media; Program Partner Telefilm Canada; and Supporting Sponsors Super Channel, Corus Entertainment and CBC Gem; Provincial Sponsor Creative BC through the Daryl Duke and William Vince Scholarship Fund. NSI Core Funders are Manitoba Sport, Culture & Heritage and the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council.

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About the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI)

We partner with a visionary network of donors, businesses, and private and public organizations to provide industry-informed training in screen-based media, equipping creators across Canada with the skills to tell unforgettable stories.

By prioritizing storytellers from equity-deserving communities – including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC), women, 2SLGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and those in regional and remote areas – we help build a more sustainable industry and a workforce ready to meet evolving market demands.

Our students and alumni find their voices and places on the global stage, strengthening the creative economy and shaping a better world.

Media enquiries

abiola.agbayewa@nsi-canada.ca

The National Screen Institute is supported by: Core Funders: Manitoba Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council, Rogers; Benefactors: TELUS, Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund (CMF), Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE); Patrons: CBC, Paramount+, Creative Saskatchewan; Builders: APTN, TikTok Canada, Indigenous Screen Office (ISO); Strategic Sponsors: Manitoba Film & Music, Department of Canadian Heritage, Bell Media, RBC, documentary Channel, CBC Gem, Neeginan Education, Training and Employment Services, Inc. (NETES), Alberta Film Commission, Creative BC; Industry Partner: National Film Board of Canada; Friends: Ontario Creates, Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), Bell Fund, Sunbelt Rentals Film & TV.