Access BIPOC Producers

With support from:

Empowering producers in Canada to lead resilient companies that are competitive in the global marketplace

Program status:

Applications closed

About

Access BIPOC Producers, presented by EAVE and the National Screen Institute in partnership with the Canada Media Fund, provides training and mentorship for producers in Canada who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) to develop themselves, their companies and a feature film or series (referred to as a ‘project’ throughout) to compete in the global market.

The program will train up to 10 BIPOC producers with a project in development, and up to 10 BIPOC producers without projects – a total of 20 producers from both English and French speaking communities. If applicable, writers may attend workshops 1 and 2 for consultations with script experts.

EAVE has been a major agent in promoting cross-border and cross-disciplinary collaboration for over 35 years, consistently empowering independent producers.

The National Screen Institute and the Canada Media Fund have partnered with EAVE to bring this training to BIPOC producers in Canada.

The goal of the program is to develop global relationships, facilitate the growth of participant companies and advance the financing, export and co-production of IP.

Using EAVE’s methodologies, producers – both with and without projects – will work in groups using the projects as case studies.

Participants will be divided into groups to maximize collaboration and growth, and relationship and network building with fellow participants, faculty and mentors.

At a glance

  • Applications open: August 15, 2024
  • Information session: September 4, 1 p.m. CST / 2 p.m. EST. Register here.
  • Application deadline: October 1, 2024
  • Selected participants notified: Early 2025
  • Workshop 1: six days, full time, in person; Winnipeg, Manitoba, March 19 – 24, 2025
  • Workshop 2: 10 days, part time, online, July 17 – 18 & July 21 – 25 & July 28 – 31, 2025
  • Workshop 3: six days, full time, in person; location TBC, October 20 – 25, 2025

The Canada Media Fund is committed to the development of underrepresented producers and has made a significant contribution to offset the cost of tuition for participants of this program.

Key information

Program dates
January 2025 to October 2025
Location
Part-time, online and in person
Cost
$50 non-refundable application fee; $250 non-refundable tuition fee for producer participants. No tuition fee for writers (for those applying with a project), only flight or train costs for workshops, if attending. Producers receive a travel allowance towards flight or train costs.

This training is for you if:

  • You are a mid-career producer in Canada with or without a factual or dramatic feature film or series currently in development
  • You identify as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour (BIPOC)

To be eligible you must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada aged 18 or over
  • Have already produced a factual or dramatic feature film or series
  • Not be a participant in any other program that would conflict with your ability to commit to this training
  • Commit the necessary time and flight or train costs to complete the program. We will reimburse a portion of your travel costs to attend workshops 1 and 3
  • Own or control a production company
  • Ensure you have full access to your subject or subjects with a written document granting you life rights to their story (if applicable)
  • Maintain creative and financial control over the project as well as technical ownership. This includes ownership of, or option on, all underlying rights (if any)

You can apply to this program:

  • With or without a project currently in development. For producers with a project, training is also provided for the writer they are working with.

Specifically, this training program will:

  • Strengthen BIPOC producers’ capacity to lead strong and successful companies which enable them to retain the IP of their content.
  • Empower producers to be more creatively involved and better able to contribute to the development process.
  • Enable a strong understanding of financial, export and corporate development of both their companies and their content.
  • Strengthen connection between producers to expand networks across provincial and international borders and enhance the quality of productions produced.
  • Enable a better understanding of the central role of marketing at every stage of the development, production, sales and distribution chain.
  • Facilitate an understanding of current, rapid changes in the media industry as it relates to new forms of distribution and exhibition, and new market opportunities presented by video-on-demand and the digital development of television and cinema distribution.

Program phases

Training sessions

Through the workshops, you will enhance and finalize your pitch materials; script or treatment for documentaries; company and financial planning documents; co-production contracts, clearance and rights materials, and chain of title documents.

Through a combination of masterclasses, group work, one-on-one meetings and online feedback sessions you will:

  • Focus on developing each producer’s real projects and/or companies
  • Work within groups led by experienced producers and experts on script analysis, development and production financing, legal aspects of co-production, marketing, pitching, packaging and more
  • Participate in group work reading and giving feedback on the other projects including producers without a project
  • Analyze fellow participant’s projects with industry experts in finance, sales, pitching and story
  • Between workshops, you will receive continued support to complete assignments on project strategy and script development. Participants with projects will receive additional script consultant feedback sessions following workshops 1 and 2

Please note all dates are subject to change.

Workshop 1

Six days, full time, in person

Winnipeg, Manitoba, March 19 – 24, 2025. All producers attend. If applicable, your writer may attend.

Workshop 2

10 days, part time, online

Four to five hours per day for 10 days – July 17 – 18 & July 21 – 25 & July 28 – 31, 2025. All producers attend. If applicable, your writer may attend.

Workshop 3

Six days, full time, in person

Location to be confirmed, October 20 – 25, 2025. All producers attend.

You will:

  • Focus on international sales and company strategies and continue to discuss project development in groups
  • Meet with a sales expert to identify the best international strategy for each project
  • Complete a SWOT analysis of your company and build a company strategy

Program phases

Our commitment to underrepresented voices

At the National Screen Institute we serve and help develop the gifts of Indigenous creators.

We are committed to training participants from a diverse community of voices including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+), people with disabilities, those outside large urban centres, those from regional and remote areas, and various religious groups.

Questions

Please review the FAQ below. Program manager Oyin Bolaji-Idowu ( oy***************@ns********.ca ) is happy to answer any further questions about the application process or training. Disability accommodations are available upon request.


Frequently asked questions


Meet the faculty

Tamara Dawit with curly hair, black long-sleeved shirt against a grey background

Tamara Dawit

Head of Studies

Tamara is an Ethiopian-Canadian award-winning filmmaker and arts industry executive. She has designed programs and policies to support the screen sector for DW Akademie, UNESCO, Canada Media Fund, Afreximbank, EUNIC and the Ethiopian government. 

Oyinkansola-Bolaji-Idowu

Oyinkansola (Oyin) Bolaji-Idowu

Business Support Manager

Oyinkansola first came to the National Screen Institute as an RBC Career Launch Program associate on secondment in September 2020.

Ursula-Lawson

Ursula Lawson

Senior Programs Manager

Ursula has been with the National Screen Institute since 2004 and is the senior programs manager.


Alumni


Program Partners

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