Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

Canada Crew, a new series aimed at preschoolers from writer/director Ben Mazzotta and producer Maria Kennedy (both NSI Features First) and their company Little Engine Moving Pictures, premieres on TVOKids on June 19, 2017.

Featuring a puppet trio of all-Canadian mascots – Bebe the Beaver, Mo the Moose and Gavin the Canada Goose – the series travels to every province and territory to introduce kids to all the things that make Canada awesome: special people and places, our food, pastimes, animals and nature, and the national anthem to name a few. Along the way, they learn fun facts about our country.

In addition to the 26 x 7-minute episodes, TVOKids will also introduce 14 Canada Crew micro-games to enable kids to continue their own exploration of Canada: one for each province and territory, and one about the nation’s capital.

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Ingrid & The Black Hole, a short from Leah Johnston (NSI Drama Prize), recently screened at Reel Shorts Film Festival in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

Next up, the film screens at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa as part of their Canada Day programming, then in Italy at Shorts International Film Festival, and then as part of Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival. Congrats, Leah.

In Ingrid & The Black Hole, two children experience a lifetime together when they imagine what it would be like to travel through a black hole.

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Last week Global News featured a clip focusing on the growth and success of Manitoba’s film production industry.

NSI board member and Manitoba Film & Music CEO Carole Vivier was interviewed and had lots of good things to say about the state of the media production industry in the province.

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Congratulations to Shelley Niro (Featuring Aboriginal Stories Program) who recently won the 2017 Scotiabank Photography Award.

The award includes a $50K cash prize, a solo exhibition at the Ryerson Image Centre during the 2018 Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival, and a book of the winner’s work to be published and distributed by Steidl.

For decades, Shelley’s innovative and playful practice has changed how many people think about Indigenous art and photography. Her work also involves painting, beadwork, installation and film.

Earlier this year, she also won a Governor General’s Award in visual and media arts.

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Menorca, a feature from Farpoint Films‘ John Barnard, Chris Charney and Kyle Bornais (all NSI Features First), is now available to download and stream on iTunes and Vimeo VOD.

Menorca follows hedonistic soccer mom Claire who embarks on a strange journey of self-discovery and seeks to reconnect with her estranged son by returning his pet rock to the island of Menorca in Spain.

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Photo by Carlo Ricci

Congratulations to Karen Lam (NSI Drama Prize, NSI Totally Television) who’s scored a writing and story editing gig on new Syfy series Ghost Wars.

Set in an Alaskan town over-run by paranormal forces, Ghost Wars chronicles Roman Mercer who must overcome the town’s prejudices and his own personal demons if he’s to harness his repressed psychic powers and save everyone from the mass haunting that’s threatening to destroy them all.

In addition to a solo writing credit, Karen and TELUS Optik™ Local grad Sonja Bennett contribute a shared script to the series. Karen is credited as a story editor for the full season.

Production recently kicked off, and the 13-episode series will air on Syfy later this year.

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A waitress stuck in a dead-end job meets a travelling talent agent looking for Hollywood’s next big star – the only catch is she’s got to cough up some dough for the audition, which is being held at a dingy motel just outside of town.

Creative team

Writer: Martin Baena
Directors/producers: Anita Abbasi, Martin Baena

Filmmakers’ statement

We aim to tell stories of everyday individuals at life’s crossroads; persons rendered heroic – possibly mythic – through the miracle of cinema, whose struggles, though seemingly trivial, take on new meaning for the audience.

In The Talent Scout, written within the tradition of the American road film and film noir, we look to the nature of storytelling in everyday life, not only through the movies, but in the lies we tell each other, the fluid nature of identity and the power of illusion to build and destroy.

In the archetypes of the confident man and his target, a daydreaming waitress literally and figuratively at a crossroads, we find that one has the ability not only to invent and reinvent themselves but also the world around them, to snare their prey and in so doing make a new life for themselves.

About Anita Abbasi and Martin Baena

Anita is a Montreal-born filmmaker, based in Toronto.

She holds a BA in creative writing and art history and has worked incessantly on films throughout her studies and after graduating in 2008.

A lover of cinema since childhood, Anita has a cerebral relationship with film, complicated by her unconditional love of Sylvester Stallone movies.

She has directed videos for musical artists Amanda Mabro, Zara Ahmed and DJ Downie, and her work has shown at the Reel Dames Film Festival (No, Rush, 2009), the Mexico International Film Festival (Charity Ball, 2010) and COMMFFEST (Raising Our Voice, 2011)

Toronto-based filmmaker Martin Baena is a graduate of Concordia’s film program.

Martin’s work can be seen online at The Seventh Art where he served as lead video editor. He also contributes to Screen Rant and Dorkshelf.

Past directorial efforts include the post-apocalyptic Soledad (2009) and the short subject travelogue Spool (2015).

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In this poignant snapshot of the modern relationship, a dysfunctional night with his girlfriend challenges Jay to evaluate whether the rewards of intimacy and commitment are worth the complicated baggage that comes with.

Creative team

Writer/producer: Jessica Rose
Director/producer: David Lester

Filmmaker’s statement

When Jessica approached me with her script for Alison, I was pretty much ready to shoot the first draft. It was quirky and honest and relevant, and dealt with relationships in a way I rarely see portrayed on the big screen.

This film came together rather quickly. Frustrated with being dependent on funding for our creative expression, we initially approached it as a bit of both an exercise and a challenge: what could we create with a simple two-hander script in one day with practically no budget?

We liked the idea of being able to just practice our craft and play around on set for a day with no pressure – just creative people coming together for a good time. But it snowballed. So many skilled, professional, committed people come on board to help out simply for the love of indie filmmaking.

In one very long 18-hour day, with the skills and generosity of many, we ended up creating a more nuanced and deeper film than we could have imagined creating with so little time and money.

Robert Brunton, our DP, came on board as soon as he read the script. Jessica’s story is extremely intimate, and we all focused on creating a safe and collaborative environment between Robert and the cast.

This story explores the ways in which we love our partners through their pain and baggage – and what that costs us.

We hope you enjoy!

About David Lester

David Lester is a director, producer and writer in Toronto.

Having been obsessed with the films of Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick from a young age (and enticing all the ladies with his riveting Dial-M-For-Murder date nights), David very logically decided to study economics. Thankfully he flunked out of school and realized filmmaking was his true calling.

His directorial debut, Frozen Marbles, won the Cinespace Best Director Award at the the Lakeshorts Film Festival in 2015. His creative partner and wife, Jessica, won the AH! best emerging artist award for her performance in that same project. His second short, Alison, premiered at the Calgary International Film Festival in September 2016.

With his second passion being music, David has naturally gravitated toward directing music videos. His video for Citizen Fame’s Reverie recently premiered online and in Germany and Switzerland on Rock TV and MTV.

David is currently in pre-production for his next short, A Beer With Ella, and developing another music video. When not sitting in the director’s chair himself, David works passionately as a third assistant director in Toronto on various TV shows and films around the city.

The post Alison appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

Zoe and Chris are at the same party. When they find themselves alone all they can seem to talk about is their most recent failed relationships.

As the night wears on, and the discussion digs deeper, the two realize that sometimes it’s easier to tell the truth to a stranger than a lover.

Creative team

Writer/director: Zlatina Pacheva
Producer: Kris McRonney

Filmmaker’s statement

After running into my ex at a friend’s birthday (and feeling all eyes on us as we awkwardly greeted each other) I began to wonder what it would be like to re-meet him and divulge everything I hadn’t said while we were together.

With a number of very supportive (and talented) friends, the story was brought to life.

Upon watching the final product, my ex remarked, “I don’t get it.” Go figure.

About Zlatina Pacheva

Zlatina has had a love affair with movies since watching The Lion King at five and now gets paid to watch over 15 movies a week (don’t ask).

Her biggest passion is independent film and what kinds of stories can be told with a low budget and a big imagination.

She has worked as a unit publicist and social media strategist on exciting projects such as The Trap, How To Deal With An Axe Murderer and Night Owl High, and is committed to helping indie filmmakers in Vancouver promote their projects while also flexing her own writing/directing muscles.

She has a background in communications, public relations and method acting.

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