The program, run by the National Screen Institute – Canada and program partner Canada Media Fund (CMF), is designed to foster the growth of women producing professionals in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The program aims to enrich the region’s production community, and its position across Canada and globally.
This part-time, six week program will build on participants’ essential producing skills, including preparing a pitch package for a current project in development. The program is customized to the needs of each participant, and includes expert training from women in the industry including Joan Jenkinson (Black Screen Office), Gloria Ui Young Kim (writer/director, Queen of the Morning Calm) and Anne-Marie Gélinas (producer, Beans).
The National Screen Institute is proud to introduce the nine participants and their projects:
Arianna Martinez (NB), Do I Know You From Somewhere? Erica Meus-Saunders (NS), Not Worthy Gia Milani (NB), Spychics Jeana MacIsaac (PEI), Please, Return to My Father Jessica Brown (NS), Above Snakes Lynn Matheson (NS), An Rèiteach Maja Jacob (NB), Motherland Renée Hackett (NFLD), Birthday Balloon Ruth Lawrence (NFLD), Party Pirate
“Creating training and mentorship opportunities for women in the screen-based industry is part of CMF’s commitment to gender balance,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, CMF. “We’re thrilled to partner with the National Screen Institute to support nine talented women producers from Atlantic Canada. This program will help broaden their skillset, as they take their stories to the next level and reach new audiences.”
Over the next six weeks, participants will take part in masterclasses and one-on-one consultations on topics including pitching and packaging a project; incorporation strategy and business affairs; budgets and financing; legal contracts / agreements; distribution / festival strategy; working with union / non-union and guilds; managing productions; case studies and more.
Participants will work with a content development consultant to prepare their pitch. The program will culminate in an online forum where participants will pitch their projects to a panel of industry experts for their feedback.
Program faculty includes National Screen Institute co-founder Jan Miller as program advisor and Amy Reitsma as program manager, both of whom are based in the Atlantic region.
Propelled by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations, board and staff, the National Screen Institute supports creators from across Canada to tell unforgettable stories. Through industry-informed training and mentoring in film, television and digital media, students and alumni find their voice and place on the global stage, inspiring us to shape a better world.
The National Screen Institute is 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.
Meet the participants
Arianna Martinez (NB), Do I Know You From Somewhere?
Arianna Martinez is a filmmaker living in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
She is a co-founding member of Strike Pictures, and with them has produced several short films that have screened internationally and been licensed to CBC for broadcast. She was the recipient of the Women in Film and Television – Atlantic (WIFT-AT) NB Salute Award honouring a woman in film and television in 2019.
Her most recent works include her short film Maya Eterna, which won the 2021 national CBC Short Film Face Off, and producing Jillian Acreman’s feature film Queen of the Andes through the Telefilm Talent To Watch Program.
Erica Meus-Saunders (NS), Not Worthy
Erica was introduced early to the power of storytelling by her grandfather, who would regale his grandkids with stories of Ber Bookie and ber Rabbi.
Seven years ago, she moved to Nova Scotia specifically to work in film, and has produced and directed several short documentaries, Journey of Feet (2017), Mr. Horizon (2018) and The Dreamers (2019) that have all played at local film festivals (HIFF, Lunenburg Doc Fest, FIN).
Her latest documentary, Music Resistance (2022) was funded through Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative (AFCOOP) Linda Joy Award Grant and she’s currently in production on AFCOOP’s Film 5 program, Eua-Lander.
Erica also works as membership coordinator at Screen Nova Scotia.
Gia Milani (NB), Spychics
Gia Milani is a director, writer and producer from Canada’s east coast.
Her feature film All the Wrong Reasons premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), winning the Discovery Prize. The film also won the Script Accessible Award at Slamdance and the Viewer’s Choice Award at Silver Wave Film Festival.
She won CBC Television’s CBC 3-2-1 Award for her short film on human trafficking, A Dark Radius. Her feature screenplay, Strathcona, was shortlisted for the TIFF/CBC Diverse Screenwriter’s Grant (top six). After her win at TIFF, Gia was named as one of the top Canadian film talents to watch.
Jeana MacIsaac (PEI), Please, Return to My Father
Jeana MacIsaac is an Islander who is passionate about all things creative.
She has worked in various departments on set and has thrived in all of them. As more production management work was sent her way in both film and theatre, she quickly realized that producing was exactly where she loved to be. She Has The Tools Productions is Jeana’s new production company whose mandate is helping tell meaningful stories and supporting local artists.
Jeana is a lifelong learner who continues to push herself while seeking inspiration and knowledge from those that surround her. She strives to create an environment of encouragement, inclusivity, kindness and professionalism.
Jessica Brown (NS), Above Snakes
Jessica Brown has been working in the film and television industry since 2003.
In 2012 she incorporated Peep Media Inc. with award-winning writer / director Jackie Torrens. They have since completed four television documentaries which include: Small Town Show Biz: 2 Dreams from a Harbourtown (CBC, documentary Channel), Edge of East (CBC, documentary Channel; Screen Nova Scotia Award nominee for best documentary), My Week on Welfare (CBC, documentary Channel, Screen Nova Scotia Award nominee for best documentary) and Bernie Langille Wants to Know … Who Killed Bernie Langille (BravoFACTUAL).
Jackie and Jessica are currently producing the feature-length documentary version of Bernie Langille Wants to Know What Happened to Bernie Langille for CBC’s documentary Channel.
Jessica also produces in the scripted world, and worked as head researcher / field producer for CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes; she produced low-budget feature film Noon Gun; short films My Younger Older Sister and The Toll, the short film / digital media project Hidden Window; as well as line producing the feature film Bunker 6, and producing the television series TV with TV’s Jonathan Torrens for Shaw Media (Gemini Award nominee – best host).
In 2008 she produced her first feature-length documentary film Chasing Wild Horses (BRAVO, CBC, OASIS HD), which has screened around the world, and won awards at New York International Independent Film Festival (best international documentary) and Worldfest Houston (Platinum Remy Award).
Lynn Matheson (NS), An Rèiteach
Lynn Matheson has transitioned into the screen industry after working in communications and administration. She holds a master of business administration and bachelor of public relations. Lynn has developed her filmmaking skills through workshops and courses and a Canadian Media Producers Association internship.
She produced a short film, Bound, which screened internationally, competed in the CBC Short Film Face Off, and won the A&E Short Filmmakers Award (National Screen Institute Online Short Film Fest) and Screen Nova Scotia Award for best short film. In addition, she produced a feature film Headspace, and wrote, directed and produced a short documentary, When We Were Poor, which has screened internationally.
Maja Jacob (NB), Motherland
Over the past 19 years, Maja has worked on film sets and at post-production facilities in Vancouver, Toronto and Moncton. Her passion for filmmaking has shifted to producing and directing, breaking out with her first feature film In God I Trust. The film went on to screen at several film festivals around the world, winning numerous awards.
She now wants to channel all the knowledge she has absorbed over the years into producing. Her goal is to shoot her next feature film Motherland in 2023, develop her original TV series Burtts Lake and to work full-time as a producer.
Renée Hackett (NFLD), Birthday Balloon
Renée Hackett is a producer, actor and writer from Newfoundland & Labrador. After over 20 years in the industry, primarily as an actor, Renée produced her short film Some Saturdays. A successful film festival run sparked an immense enthusiasm and drive to make films and television.
Since then, she has participated in the LA Emerging Producers Mission, the WIDC-CAM at the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, back-to-back WIFT-AT mentorship programs and became a partner in Blue Pinion Films.
Most recently she produced the proof-of-concept for What Odds, her original half-hour series for television.
Ruth Lawrence (NFLD), Party Pirate
Ruth Lawrence (she / her) is a multi-award-winning filmmaker based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Her feature directorial debut Little Orphans was produced through Telefilm’s Talent to Watch Program and won the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature at Whistler Film Festival in 2020.
She directed the CBC documentary, Circus by Komatik, and was a writer / director on the portmanteau feature, Hopeless Romantic. In 2021, she produced or co-produced six short form TV series including the national hit Missus Downstairs with Mary Walsh.
Her next feature, Party Pirate, is scheduled to shoot in 2022.
