Canada represents less than 5% of the world filmed marketplace. How can Canadian producers compete globally with a stronger presence? Many countries would appreciate our funding organizations but are their mandates holding us back from competing more effectively? What are our options? Finance industry professionals address the issues of attracting investment and producing films outside the system.

Ross Mrazek, Senior Manager, Commercial Banking, C.I.B.C.
Warren Nimchuk, Head, Entertainment Tax Division, PricewaterhouseCoopers
David Borg, TAG Entertainment
Earl Hong Tai, Regional Director, Telefilm Canada
Maria Pacella, Investment Manager, Information Technology, GrowthWorks Capital

This essential lecture aims to inspire producers, writers, directors and editors to discover solutions to their storytelling problems. Susan Korda, presenter, will begin with examples of how films have been “saved” in the editing room. Using examples and back-stories from films like Bonnie and Clyde, The Conversation and Jaws, she will show how creative solutions came out of creative messes. From lack of coverage to missing script pages, single-shot scenes throwing rhythms off to thin story; it all has been fixed in the editing room. The second part of the workshop will address the common stumbling blocks – from writing all the way to post – that lead to lack of coverage, uninteresting story and boring exposition and rhythms. This workshop will enlighten the storyteller and deepen his or her understanding of how to meld filmed moments – shot by shot, scene by scene – into rich cinematic experiences. As space is limited, pre-registration is required.

Fresh from his recent Emmy win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in ER, actor Ray Liotta shares his experiences as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. With a career spanning thirty years from television to the big screen, Liotta is best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in Goodfellas, a crowning achievement in long list of screen credits that also includes Field of Dreams, Dominick and Eugene, Blow, John Q., Narc, Cop Land, Hannibal and Identity to name just a few. He is currently in Vancouver shooting Dungeon Siege, a feature film based on the video game of the same name.

Theatrical docs have to a large extent supplanted what we often refer to as art house or independent features in North America. In this session we look at the acquisition, marketing and release of some of the top theatrical docs of 2004/2005 and the strategies used by distributors to maximize their commercial success.

Director to be announced. Please check back for updates.

Finding yourself just short of making your television project a go even though you’ve secured your domestic broadcaster? Export markets can flesh out your financial plan but are difficult to pin down. Do you have the right model to fit into the foreign business cycle? Thinking about your international market sooner rather than later can be the difference between making a sale or not. At this session, producers will get crucial information on how to make their project attractive to foreign buyers and navigate foreign sales.