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Welcome! Welcome to the 8th annual Available Light Film Festival Industry Conference! As always, this year’s ALFF Industry conference aims to develop Yukon Filmmakers’ skills as producers and directors, create new networking opportunities, and inspire creators. We’re excited to welcome nearly 40 visiting guests who will gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of Yukon culture, its filmmakers, and the stories and experiences that make this region so unique. This year, the conference features sessions on virtual reality, digital storytelling, financing and networking. There will be several extraordinary master classes with esteemed film industry talents: actors Sandra Oh and Chilton Crane, directors Daniel Cross, Ann Marie Fleming, John Walker, and John Hopkins; and renowned playwright and screenwriter Daniel MacIvor. The conference will also feature a keynote address from VICE Media’s John Turner, and a special presentation about the National Film Board of Canada featuring Government Film Commissioner and NFB/ONF Chairperson, Claude Joli-Coeur. The Yukon is home to some of the most remarkable stories in the world. It’s a place of plentiful talent and passionate storytellers. The Yukon film industry is small, but it is strong and vibrant. Our filmmakers continue to receive recognition on the national and international stage and we’re pleased to offer them continuing professional development opportunities at ALFF Industry. Enjoy the festival! Vivian Belik, Industry Producer
Passes and Registra tion Venue: Old Fire Hall (Unless otherwise noted), 1105 Front Street ALFF Industry Passes: $150/$125 YFS Production members.
Purchase Passes online at alff.ca, by phone (867) 393-3456, or at the door (cash and credit). Registration gives you access to ALL Industry events: panels, workshops, master classes, networking events, Available Light Cabarets and Opening Gala after-party. Does not include Sinister Oculus or New North Collective. Individual ALFF Industry workshop tickets: $25/$20 YFS Production members.
Pre-register for individual workshops by contacting vivian.belik@gmail.com. Payment at the door by cash or credit card. Available Light Cabarets: $12 New North Collective: $25 Sinister Oculus: $22 (includes admission to Dead North film screening)
Free Admission to Keynote Address, Cut-Off screening, Spotlight on National Film Board of Canada, ALFF Creative Spotlights, and the ALFF Pitch Event! 3
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213 Range Road, Whitehorse, YT
1•888•407•7681 6
www.drivingforce.ca
Festival Team Festival Director
Andrew Connors Festival Producer
Volunteer & Transportation Coordinator
Tara McCarthy
Andrew Seymour
Social Media
YFS Arts Administrator and Sponsorships
Lead Projectionist
Karen Baltgailis
Artistic Associate
Erin Corbett
Graphic Design and Marketing
Guiniveve Lalena ALFF Industry Producer
Vivian Belik
Industry Assistant
Moriah MacMillan ALFF Industry Guest Host
Kirby Hammond
George Maratos Marty O’Brien Projectionists
David Curtis Marty O’Brien Events Technical Director
Adam Pope
Festival Trailer Production
Vivian Belik Meagan Dueling Moriah MacMillan Alanna Warner Music by Gregory McLaughlin
Festival Photography
Grant Douglas Photography Video Production, Tech and Documentation
Jessica Hall Craig Carpenter Chris Rodgers Zach McCann-Armitage
ALFF Production Assistants
Bran Ram Dar Mustafa
Hospitality Team Leader
Hannah Zimmering YFS Membership Team Leaders
Scott Williams Selena Boothroyd ALFF Pitch Event Producers
Naomi Mark Vivian Belik
thank you National Film Board of Canada, Iris Merritt, Kevin Hannam, Naomi Mark, Duncan Sinclair, Judy Nadon, Jazz Yukon, SPYA, Lee Carruthers, Zach Armitage-McCann, Teresa Earle, Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival, Heather Austin, Chris Ross, Marty O’Brien, Katherine McCallum, Larrikin Entertainment, Michele Genest, Hector MacKenzie, Dylan Soo, Chris McNutt, Rick Steele, TechYukon, Jayden Soroka, Max Fraser, Daniel Janke, Sandy Hunter, Victoria Murphy, Apple Canada, Elizabeth Radshaw, McLaughlin Robert, John Dippong, Lauren Davis, Shirley Vercruysse, Élise Labbé, Sherry White, Michael Boyuk, Vanessa Corkal, Vancouver International Film Festival, Katja De Bock, Kimberley Ball, John Galway, Rachel Feldbloom-Wood, Ranj Pillai, Minister of Economic Development, Yukon Government; the staff at the Old Fire Hall, the staff at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and all the ALFF volunteers! YFS Board of Directors: Jessica Hall, Noel Sinclair, Shaunagh Stikeman, Moriah MacMillan, Leo Lane, Anyes Fabre-Dimsdale, Aileen Horler.
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The Government of Yukon recognizes the growing contribution the film and sound industries make to Yukon’s culture and economy. The Available Light Film Festival is now in its fifteenth year, and the Yukon Media Development Unit is pleased to be involved with this year’s event. On behalf of the Government of Yukon, we thank event organizers and volunteers for once again bringing the festival to Yukoners. We applaud your efforts and wish you all a successful festival.
Minister Ranj Pillai
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FRIDAY, FEB 3 12pm to 8pm Acting for the Screen Workshop VENUE: KDCC ARTIST STUDIO PRESENTED BY LARRIKIN ENTERTAINMENT SUPPORTED BY YUKON FILM SOCIETY AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES TRAINING FUND
Instructor: Chilton Crane. This two-day masterclass is for both film and television actors. Ms. Crane will recreate the experience of working as a professional actor in the film and television industry. Please note that this workshop requires the purchase of a separate ticket, and is not included with the purchase of your ALFF Industry Pass. This workshop is currently full. Add your name to the waitlist by emailing: larrikinentertainment@gmail.com.
SATURDAY, FEB 4 KEYNOTE AND ALFF PITCH EVENT 9:30am to 5:30pm | Acting for the Screen Workshop VENUE: KDCC ARTIST STUDIO
9am to 11am | ALFF Industry Meet n’ Greet VENUE: JENNI HOUSE IN SHIPYARDS PARK
11am | Start of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race LOCATION: SHIPYARDS PARK
12pm | Registration VENUE: OLD FIRE HALL
1pm to 3pm | ALFF Industry Keynote Address – John Turner, Vice Media VENUE: OLD FIRE HALL
VICE Director of Development, Mr. John Turner, will introduce media projects from multiplatform broadcaster VICE Media. Projects include series such as Payday, Abandoned, Gaycation, DSOL, Cyberwar and the just-launched Rise (Sundance Festival). This session will also include a screening of the VICELAND documentary CUT-OFF at 2pm. 4pm to 5:30pm | ALFF Pitch Event VENUE: OLD FIRE HALL PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCREEN PRODUCTION YUKON ASSOCIATION
Yukon creators will pitch their projects to guest panelists, in front of a live audience, in a contest to win one of two $10,000 production support prizes: one awarded for a factual project, and one for scripted project. Production prize cash sponsors: BravoFACT, Yukon Media Development Production prize in-kind sponsors: SPYA, Yukon Film Society 9
5:45pm to 7pm | ALFF Industry Reception VENUE: KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE
8pm | Sinister Oculus: Live Cinema Performance 9:30pm | Selections from Dead North Film Festival (Yellowknife, NT) VENUE: KDCC MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM TICKETS: $22 FOR BOTH EVENTS
Not quite a concert, not quite a film, Sinister Oculus combines music, poetry and film to take audiences on a multi-sensory and surreal exploration of the human condition. Collaborative, creative and intense, the group draws inspiration from the landscapes, people and unique experiences of life in Canada’s North. More information on page 14 in ALFF program.
SUNDAY, FEB 5 FOCUS ON NETWORKING VENUE: OLD FIRE HALL
9am Registration 9:30am to 11am Spotlight on the National Film Board of Canada This session provides national and regional overviews of the projects and priorities of Canada’s NFB. Presented by Mr. Claude Joli-Couer, Chairperson of NFB/ONF, Shirley Vercruysse, Executive Producer of BC and Yukon Studio, and Rob McLaughlin, Executive Producer of NFB English digital studio. 11:15am to 12:45pm In Conversation with Sandra Oh Sandra Oh, Vancouver-born star of the long-running series Grey’s Anatomy and such films as Sideways, Under the Tuscan Sun and Tammy, relates her personal experience of starting out in the industry, and behind-the-scenes details of her career in Los Angeles. This conversation is hosted by VanArts instructor and Vancouver actor, Chilton Crane, and Katherine McCallum, artistic producer with Larrikin Entertainment.
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1pm to 3pm | One-on-One Networking Event (pre-registration required) Twenty-minute networking meetings, by appointment. Contact: Vivian.belik@gmail.com Industry participants are given the unique chance to meet industry delegates (in private or small groups) to pitch their ideas, and receive professional feedback on projects. This activity encourages Yukon film and media producers to establish personal & professional relationships early in the festival week. Guests include: Valerie Creighton (Canada Media Fund), Shirley Vercruysse (National Film Board of Canada), Rob McLaughlin (National Film Board of Canada), John Turner (VICE Media), Daniel Cross (EyeSteelFilm), John Walker (John Walker Productions), Kirsten Carthew (Jill + Jackfish Productions), Stephanie Azam (Telefilm Canada), Dorothy Woodend (DOXA Documentary Festival), Raj Pannikar (Fifth Street Entertainment), Tania Koenig-Gauchier (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network). 3:30pm to 4:30pm | Broadcasters Panel Guests: Tania Koenig-Gauchier (Aboriginal People’s Television Network), John Turner (VICE Media), Chris McNutt (Northwestel Community Television) Moderator: Kirby Hammond (Hammond Films) You’ve got a great project, and maybe even a production company partnership. Now you’re developing relationships with broadcasters to get your project out there. Learn what’s important to keep in mind when connecting with a broadcaster. What are broadcasters looking for when deciding on projects and professional partnerships? We’ll hear from broadcasters about their perspectives, as well information regarding the funding and development opportunities available. 5:30pm | ALFF Opening Gala Screening Reception VENUE: YUKON ARTS CENTRE
6:45pm | Opening Gala Film: Angry Inuk DIR. ALETHEA ARNAQUQ-BARIL, 2016, NU, 92 MIN VENUE: YUKON ARTS CENTRE THEATRE
Director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril and executive producer Daniel Cross in attendance. Opening remarks by Mr. Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the NFB, Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of Canada Media Fund and a representative of the department of Economic Development, Yukon Government. 9:30pm to 11:30pm | Gala After Party & Available Light Cabaret: Sauna Music LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL CO-PRESENTED BY JAZZ YUKON AND MUSIC YUKON
Open to festival guests and Industry Pass-holders. 11
MONDAY, FEB 6 FOCUS ON FUNDING AND MARKETS LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL
9am to 10am | Public Financing and Production Panel Guests: Valerie Creighton (Canada Media Fund), Kevin Hannam (Yukon Media Development) Stephanie Azam (Telefilm Canada), Shirley Vercruysse (National Film Board of Canada) Moderator: Teresa Earle (Sagafish Media) In this roundtable discussion, representatives from public film and digital media funding bodies explain program updates from their respective organizations. Yukon participants will have a chance to ask questions about program changes/requirements, and gain a deeper understanding of major public funds in Canada. Representatives will also discuss Telefilm and NFB’s recent gender parity announcements. 12pm to 1pm | North on Screen: Yukon Documentary Showcase VENUE: KDCC MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM
Featuring Pictures Don’t Lie (Lulu Keating), Underdog (Vivian Belik, Naomi Mark), and Shift (Kelly Milner). Opening remarks by Chris McNutt (Northwestel Community Television) and Valerie Creighton (Canada Media Fund). 1:30pm to 3pm | Demystifying Digital Interactive Media Guests: Valerie Creighton (Canada Media Fund), Max Fraser (Hootalinqua Pictures) Moderator: Kelly Milner (Shot in the Dark Productions) What is the future of digital media, and how can Northerners harness the power of interactive media to promote their films and engage with audiences through app, video game and interactive media development? Valerie will highlight successful digital media projects funded by CMF. 3:30pm-4:30pm | Getting Your Film on the Festival Circuit Guests: Dorothy Woodend (Programmer, DOXA Film Festival), Raj Pannikar (Lake Shorts Film Festival), Dan Sokolowski (Dawson City International Short Film Festival, via skype) Moderator: Lulu Keating (Red Snapper Films) Learn to prepare your films for festivals, and how to create a festival strategy! Dorothy, Dan, and Toronto-based producer Raj Pannikar will walk you through the process of finding the festivals that best suit your films, offer tips on submitting your film, explain why screening your film at festivals is important, and what to expect on the festival circuit.
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5pm to 7pm | ALFF Industry Reception VENUE: YUKON ARTS CENTRE STUDIO THEATRE
For festival guests and Industry Pass-holders. 7:30pm | New North Collective: Live Music and Media Art VENUE: YUKON ARTS CENTRE THEATRE TICKETS: $25
New North Collective is an ensemble of six performing artists: singer/songwriter Diyet (YT), guitarist/songwriter Graeme Peters (YT), bassist and storyteller Pat Braden (NT), composer and sound designer Carman Braden(NT), Robert Van Lieshout (YT) and Jan de Vroede (GL). Each of the members of the ensemble bring a diversity of styles and experience to the collective. New music, folk, traditional, jazz and rock inform what the New North Collective creates. Together, they explore their ideas of north – from the land to the people; from the traditional to the contemporary. Songs by the collective will be accompanied by projections of media artists: Aiden Cartwright (Yellowknife), Jay Bulckaert (aRTLeSS Collective, Yellowknife) Lia Fabre-Dimsdale and Barbara Hinton (Splintered Craft, Whitehorse). The collaboration of music, live animation and cinema will be a unique Whitehorse performance only at ALFF! 9:30pm to 12am | ALFF Industry Soak at Takhini Hot Springs
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TUESDAY, FEB 7 VIRTUAL REALITY + MIXED MEDIA LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL
9:30am to 11am | Using Archival Materials in Your Film Guests: Ann Marie Fleming (Sleepy Dog Films), John Walker (John Walker Productions) Chelsea Jeffery (Archivist at Yukon Archives) Moderator: Kirby Hammond (Hammond Films) Learn how and where to research archival footage for your project, obtain clearance, and not get overwhelmed. Fleming speaks to her experience using personal archival material in her film, The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam. And we’ll learn about Walker’s incorporation of public and private archival footage/photos in Arctic Defenders and Québec My Country Mon Pays. 12pm to 2pm | An Introduction to Virtual Reality LIMITED SPACE: 20 PARTICIPANTS
Guest: Vincent McCurley (Creative Technologist, National Film Board of Canada) How can you incorporate virtual reality into your media projects? This workshop and demo explains the process from scratch. Learn the basics of VR by immersing yourself in this new type of media through a hands-on demo. This workshop will teach you how to shoot a VR project on a shoestring budget, as well as outline the types of stories that work best for this format. 4pm to 6pm | ALFF Creative Spotlight – CBC Radio in the Old Fire Hall FREE ADMISSION, OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Musical guest: Soda Pony Live music performances and conversations with filmmakers and media creators. Hosted by Dave White in a live broadcast of CBC Yukon’s Airplay. 8:30pm to 11pm | Available Light Cabaret: Soda Pony LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL CO-PRESENTED WITH MUSIC YUKON AND JAZZ YUKON
Yukon songwriters present their original music in an intimate concert that also serves as an informal showcase to visiting ALFF Industry delegates. Soda Pony (Patrick Hamilton, Aiden Tentrees) in concert plus short Yukon films and other surprises. Admission included with ALFF Industry Pass.
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WEDNESDAY, FEB 8 LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL
9:30am to 11:30am | Documentary Production Master Class with Daniel Cross Moderator: Kirby Hammond (Hammond Films) Daniel Cross, founder of the dynamo documentary production and distribution house EyeSteelFilm, shares knowledge gained from many committed years producing and directing independent Canadian documentaries and interactive documentary projects. Daniel is an Associate Professor of Film Production at Concordia University. He is renowned for his films on social justice, and now heads up one of the most acclaimed documentary production and distribution companies in Canada. Cross will talk about his experiences in the documentary industry, and how he turned an interest in activism into a successful career in film. 12pm to 2pm | Interactive Media Lunch and Working Session: Film and IT Sectors CO-PRESENTED WITH THE SCREEN PRODUCTION YUKON ASSOCIATION (SPYA)
Moderator: Max Fraser It’s a digital world, and the future of content distribution is online. This session is intended for local media producers and tech companies to get acquainted, and explore how they can work together. This session is free for people for who work in the film, digital media and IT sectors. RSVP required: vivian.belik@gmail.com 4pm to 6pm | ALFF Creative Spotlight – CBC Radio in the Old Fire Hall FREE ADMISSION, OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Musical guest: Jennihouse Live music performances and conversations with filmmakers and media creators. Hosted by Dave White in a live broadcast of CBC Yukon’s Airplay. 8:30pm to 11pm | Available Light Cabaret: Jennihouse LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL CO-PRESENTED WITH MUSIC YUKON AND JAZZ YUKON
Yukon songwriters present their original music in an intimate concert that also serves as an informal showcase to visiting ALFF Industry delegates. Jennihouse (Scott Maynard, Sam Gallagher) in concert plus short Yukon films and other surprises. Admission included with ALFF Industry Pass.
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VENUES
OFH KDCC JH YAC Studio
Old Fire Hall, 1105 Front Street Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, 1171 Front Street Jenni House, Shipyards Park Yukon Arts Centre, 300 College Drive Yukon Arts Centre Studio Theatre (left at the bar, through double doors)
TIME
FRIDAY, FEB 3
VENUE
12pm to 8pm
Acting for the Screen Workshop
KDCC
9
PAGE
SATURDAY, FEB 4
9:30am to 5:30pm
Acting for the Screen Workshop
KDCC
9
9am to 11am
ALFF Industry Meet n’ Greet
JH
9
12pm
Registration
OFH
9
1pm to 3pm
ALFF Industry Keynote Address – John Turner, Vice Media OFH
9
4pm to 5:30pm
ALFF Pitch Event
OFH
9
5:45pm to 7pm
ALFF Industry Reception
KDCC
10
8pm
Sinister Oculus: Live Cinema Performance
KDCC
10
SUNDAY, FEB 5
9am
Registration
OFH
10
9:30am to 11am
Spotlight on the National Film Board of Canada
OFH
10
11:15am to 12:45pm
In Conversation w/ Sandra Oh
OFH
10
1pm to 3pm
One-on-One Networking Event
OFH
11
3:30pm to 4:30pm
Broadcasters Panel
OFH
11
5:30pm
ALFF Opening Gala Screening Reception
YAC
11
6:45pm
Opening Gala Film: Angry Inuk
YAC
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9:30pm to 11:30pm
Gala After Party & Available Light Cabaret: Sauna Music
OFH
11
MONDAY, FEB 6
9am to 10am
Public Financing and Production Panel
OFH
12
12pm to 1pm
North on Screen: Yukon Documentary Showcase
KDCC
12
1:30pm to 3pm
Demystifying Digital Interactive Media
OFH
12
3:30pm-4:30pm
Getting Your Film on the Festival Circuit
OFH
12
5pm to 7pm
ALFF Industry Reception
Studio
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7:30pm
New North Collective: Live Music and Media Art
YAC
13
9:30pm to 12am
ALFF Industry Soak at Takhini Hot Springs
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TUESDAY, FEB 7
9:30am to 11am
Using Archival Materials in Your Film
OFH
14
12pm to 2pm
An Introduction to Virtual Reality
OFH
14
4pm to 6pm
ALFF Creative Spotlight – CBC Radio in the Old Fire Hall
OFH
14
8:30pm to 11pm
Available Light Cabaret: Soda Pony
OFH
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TIME
WEDNESDAY, FEB 8
VENUE
PAGE
9:30am to 11:30am
Documentary Production Master Class w/ Daniel Cross
OFH
15
12pm to 2pm
Interactive Media Lunch and Working Session: Film and IT Sectors
OFH
15
4pm to 6pm
ALFF Creative Spotlight – CBC Radio in the Old Fire Hall
OFH
15
8:30pm to 11pm
Available Light Cabaret: Jennihouse
OFH
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THURSDAY, FEB 9
9:30am to 11:30am
Closing the Yukon Financing Gap
OFH
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12pm to 1pm
Filmmaker’s Roundtable/Training Consultation: Film and Digital Media Future Training Programs
OFH
18
1:30pm to 3:30pm
Shooting and Directing Documentary with John Hopkins
OFH
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Studio
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SUNDAY, FEB 12
10am to 12pm
Screenwriting Master Class w/ Daniel MacIvor
ALFF INDUSTRY PRESENTING PARTNERS
YFS ANNUAL SUPPORT
ALFF INDUSTRY SPONSORS
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THURSDAY, FEB 9 LOCATION: OLD FIRE HALL
9:30am to 11:30am | Closing the Yukon Financing Gap Guests: Kelly Milner (Shot in the Dark Productions), Neil Macdonald (White Hole Productions), Andrew Connors (Yukon Film Society), Max Fraser (Hootalinqua Pictures) Moderator: Daniel Cross (EyeSteelFilm) How do Northerners make the most of current financing sources like CMF, Northwestel, and Yukon Development and Production Funds at Yukon Media? What’s the best way to create new market opportunities through digital distribution? How can we access the Canada Media Fund Experimental Stream? And where can we look for alternative sources of financing for film and digital media projects? In this session, industry experts explain the Canada Media Fund’s Northern Production Incentive, and Yukon filmmakers discuss obtaining funding from non-traditional sources. Daniel Cross, founder/producer of EyeSteelFilm, an innovative Montreal-based documentary production and distribution company, leads the panel in discussing ways to create and find markets for Yukon film and digital media. 12pm to 1pm | Filmmaker’s Roundtable/Training Consultation: Film and Digital Media Future Training Programs YFS and SPYA Filmmaker’s Roundtable. SPYA will present training research from studies conducted over the past year. The floor will then be opened to visiting and local filmmakers (and community members) for a discussion of local training needs. Ideas brought forth will inform the development of new training opportunities and programs. Free admission, no registration required. Open to everyone. 1:30pm to 3:30pm | Shooting and Directing Documentary with John Hopkins John give notes from the field on working as both a cinematographer and director in documentary. Hopkins shot and directed the NFB’s acclaimed documentary Bluefin. He offers tips on what works best on set, what to avoid when juggling both roles, and how being both cameraman and director can allow for more intimate moments with your characters. John is a documentary and TV commercial producer, writer, editor, and director of photography based in Prince Edward Island.
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SUNDAY, FEB 12 LOCATION: YUKON ARTS CENTRE STUDIO THEATRE
10am to 12pm | Screenwriting Master Class with Daniel MacIvor Daniel MacIvor is widely known as an award-winning playwright, and is a major force in the Canadian film industry. He has received widespread recognition for his acting, as well as his writing, producing, and directing on films like Marion Bridge, Past Perfect, Trigger, Whole New Thing and Wilby Wonderful. Daniel is considered one of Canada’s true creative geniuses. This session offers a unique and wonderful learning opportunity wherein Daniel MacIvor will share his screenwriting process, and how he made the interesting leap from writing for the stage to writing for the screen.
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Festival Guests Alethea Arnaquq-Baril DIRECTOR, ANGRY INUK
Alethea is an Inuit filmmaker from the Canadian arctic where she has been running Unikkaat Studios Inc. since 2005. She recently joined Arnait, the renowned women’s video collective. Alethea directed and produced the award-winning film Angry Inuk, a feature doc for broadcast on Super Channel and CBC (a Unikkaat/NFB coproduction in association with EyeSteelFilm). Angry Inuk premiered at Hot Docs 2016, taking home the Audience Choice Award. Stephanie Azam NATIONAL FEATURE FILM EXECUTIVE, TELEFILM CANADA
Stephanie manages funding decisions for the national portfolio of English-language film investments. Prior to working for Telefilm, Stephanie was with Zeitgeist Films in New York as the Director of Theatrical Marketing. She began her career in finance with the Business Development Bank of Canada in Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ottawa. René Bourdages GENERAL DIRECTOR, CREATION AND INNOVATION, NFB
René is a media executive with more than 30 years of senior level operating experience. Before joining the NFB he founded ELEVADO Media; the first boutique executive advisory company in film, serialized content, and immersive entertainment. Mr. Bourdages holds a Certificate in Business & Management of Entertainment from UCLA, and was selected as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40. Kirsten Carthew DIRECTOR, SUN AT MIDNIGHT
Kirsten Carthew directed The YK Doc Projects Abe & Alfred and Fish out of Water. She has written multiple screenplays, including the Brazilian feature film Uma Loucura De Mulher (2016) starring Mariana Ximenes. The Sun at Midnight marks Kirsten’s directorial debut. She is a former producer and journalist with CBC, and has experience working as a filmmaker/transmedia producer in Canada, the United States, as well as Europe and the Middle East.
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Festival Guests Andrew Connors ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, YFS AND JACKLEG FILMS
Andrew Connors is the artistic director of the Yukon Film Society and the Festival Director of the Available Light Film Festival. He is the producer of the multi-disciplinary production The Grub-Stake Revisited, and the feature documentary/silent film release The Grubstake Remix. Andrew has directed and written film and television productions that have been screened on CBC Newsworld, Bravo!, APTN and at film festivals around the globe. Chilton Crane SCREEN AND STAGE ACTING INSTRUCTOR, VANCOUVER INSTITUTE OF MEDIA ARTS
Chilton is an actor, director, instructor, and acting coach based out of Vancouver, B.C. She currently runs a full-time conservatory program for Acting at Vanarts. Chilton has been acting professionally for 30 years, with extensive film and tv credits including iZombie, Travellers, The Killing, Supernatural, 4400, and the feature film Cut Bank, wherein she co-starred with Billy Bob Thornton, John Malkovich, and Liam Hemsworth. Valerie Creighton PRESIDENT AND CEO, CANADA MEDIA FUND
Valerie Creighton is an industry leader in Canadian arts, culture, and media. She has gained recognition for revamping some of the country’s most important organizations in the arts sector over the last 35 years. An expert in organizational change, Valerie is known for her outstanding and insightful work in promoting Canada’s cultural wealth. Valerie works to position Canadian programming and innovative content at the forefront of the global marketplace. Daniel Cross FOUNDER, EYESTEELFILM
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Cross’s Montreal-based production and distribution company, EyeSteelFilm has been recognized as one of the top 100 non-fiction production companies in the world by Real Screen magazine. Daniel is a multi-disciplined award winning documentary filmmaker, with a long history of directing and producing theatrical documentaries and exploring new media documentary approaches. He received the Trailblazer award at MIPDOC in Cannes, and was the inaugural Mentor of the Year recipient from the Canadian Media Producers Association.
Festival Guests Teresa Earle SAGAFISH MEDIA
Teresa is a producer, writer and editor. For the past two decades, she has worked in the creative industry spanning numerous northern locations. This spring her production company, Sagafish Media, will release its first feature documentary. Her company is currently producing a second documentary in the Northwest Territories. Teresa does a variety of freelance and commercial work, and has served on several boards including the current board of SPYA. Ann Marie Fleming WRITER/DIRECTOR, WINDOW HORSES
Ann Marie Fleming is an award-winning Canadian independent filmmaker, writer, and artist, born in Okinawa to Chinese and Australian parents. Her film work incorporates various techniques: animation, documentary, experimental, dramatic. Fleming’s work focuses on themes of family, history and memory. Max Fraser HOOTALINQUA MOTION PICTURES
Max is known for his short films and the award-winning TV documentary Never Happen Here - The Whitehorse 9/11 Story. The film aired on CBC’s documentary channel and CBC North TV, earning four awards and screening at festivals in the US and Canada. Fraser’s most recent documentary, Bond of Strangers, screened at Banff International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary. Kirby Hammond HAMMOND FILMS, ALFF INDUSTRY GUEST HOST
Bilingual director/producer Kirby Hammond has been active in media and the arts since the late 1980s, beginning with publishing in Ottawa and later on radio at Northern Native Broadcasting and CBC Yukon. In early 2005, he received NFB funding to make a short doc about Yukon artist Meshell Melvin. Now based in Winnipeg for more than 10 years, Kirby has been directing and producing insightful documentaries about topics ranging from artistic legacy to inner-city issues, from newcomer experiences to a unique portrait of a mail carrier. Kirby is currently researching his next projects and directing for TVA’s documentary series Chacun sa route. 23
Festival Guests Kevin Hannam FILM OFFICER, YUKON MEDIA DEVELOPMENT
After graduating from BCIT in 2006, Kevin worked in Vancouver as a production coordinator and television production manager for CBC, HGTV, OWN and the W Network. Kevin relocated to the Yukon in 2011, and has been working as the Film Officer for the YFSC since January, 2013. John Hopkins DIRECTOR, BLUEFIN
Writer/Director/DP John Hopkins has garnered awards for his work as cinematographer on films like Donna Davies’s Kitchen Goddess (NFB), Christine Richey’s feature docs Tops and Bottoms (TVO/Arte), and In the Gutter and Other Good Places (CBC). The latter won the Genie Award for best feature doc, and the Hot Docs award for Best Cinematography. Julia Ivanova DIRECTOR, LIMIT IS THE SKY
Julia Ivanova is a Vancouver documentary director, editor, and cinematographer. She has made nine features and long-form documentaries. Ivanova self-edited four of her own films, including Family Portrait in Black and White, which screened at Sundance and won Best Canadian Feature at Hot Docs. Her most recent film, Limit is the Sky (produced in association with the NFB), was released in the fall of 2016. Claude Joli-Coeur GOVERNMENT OF CANADA FILM COMMISSIONER, CHAIRPERSON: NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA
Claude Joli-Coeur has been an influential figure in the film and audiovisual industry for over 30 years. He is the 16th Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada. Mr. Joli-Coeur has been working with the NFB for more than 12 years. As Assistant Commissioner (2007 to 2014), he headed Government Relations and Strategic Planning as well as Business Affairs and Legal Services. Until recently, Claude served as the National Film Board’s Acting Commissioner.
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Festival Guests Lulu Keating RED SNAPPER FILMS
A versatile, award-winning filmmaker, Lulu Keating has been writing, directing and producing films for over 30 years. She works in a wide variety of genres and media, making animated, dramatic, and documentary films. Keating’s production company, Red Snapper Films Ltd., was incorporated in 1985 when she directed a documentary in Japan. Tania Koenig-Gauchier MANAGER OF PROGRAMMING, WESTERN REGION, APTN
Tania Koenig-Gauchier is a television producer with nearly 20 years experience in broadcasting and independent production and in APTN’s Programming Department. She has worked as a producer for CTV, APTN, and CBC, and has a background in business, as well as marketing and promotions for television. Tania recently completed the Ch’nook Aboriginal Management Certificate Program (AMP) at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Lisa Mazzotta PRODUCER, RIVER BLUE
Lisa Mazzotta is a multi-platform content producer, her work receiving several nominations and winning a Creative Arts Emmy Award. Her projects have engaged audiences on some of the top shows on television, for networks such as Warner Bros, NBC and Nickelodeon. Lisa is an advocate of global education and social change, having developed youth leadership projects in Canada, India and South Africa. Daniel MacIvor SCREENWRITER, WEIRDOS
Daniel MacIvor is widely known as an award-winning playwright, and is also a major force in the Canadian film industry. He has received widespread recognition for his acting, as well as his writing, producing, and directing, and is considered one of Canada’s true creative geniuses. His plays have been nominated six times for the Chalmers New Canadian Play Award, and have won numerous Fringe Festival awards – nationally and internationally.
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Festival Guests Neil Macdonald DIRECTOR, WHITE HOLE PRODUCTIONS
Born and raised in Whitehorse, Neil studied at the University of British Columbia receiving a BA in Film Production, and is an alumnus of the National Screen Institute’s Features First program. He was nominated for a Leo Award for his work as Director of Photography on The Anachronism, and has worked as gaffer and lighting technician on projects like The Killing, The Twilight Saga New Moon & Eclipse, and Tron Legacy. Vincent McCurley CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIST, NATIONAL FILM BOARD
Vincent McCurley creates socially-relevant digital works that explore the creative relationship between technology, story, and form. His works include interactive documentaries, animations and video for web, mobile apps, installations, and virtual reality. Vincent is the creator of Cardboard Crash, a Webby award-winning interactive VR experience examining the ethics of artificial intelligence in self-driving cars. Cardboard Crash was an official selection at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. McCurley is currently working on stereoscopic 360-videos, and enjoys sharing his knowledge of the production and post-production pipelines involved. Rob McLaughlin EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, NFB DIGITAL STUDIO
Rob McLaughlin is a Canadian producer and journalist best known for his work in interactive media. He is currently the Executive Producer of the National Film Board of Canada’s Digital Studio in Vancouver. From 2008 to 2011 he was the Director of Digital Content and Strategy at the NFB; He led the development of the institution’s digital programming strategy and pioneering interactive documentary work, including Welcome to Pine Point and Bear71. Chris McNutt MANAGER, NORTHWESTEL COMMUNITY TELEVISION
As Manager of Northwestel Community Television, Chris is a hunter, gatherer, and farmer of northern video content. He produces, programs and develops said content in partnership with independent northern screen producers in both the Yukon and NWT. As a producer, Chris has won national community television awards in both Canada and the US. McNutt contributes to the overall growth 26
Festival Guests of the screen media industry in the North through his executive work with the Screen Production Yukon Association. Chris is currently developing his slate of 2017 projects for Northwestel, and is keen to talk with any producers about their ideas and work for the coming year. Kelly Milner PRODUCER, SHOT IN THE DARK PRODUCTIONS
Kelly Milner grew up in the Yukon. She earned a journalism degree and worked briefly in the northern television industry before pursuing a Masters in Resource Management. In 2015, she rediscovered her storytelling roots and founded Shot in the Dark Productions. SHIFT is her first film; the project unites her experience working with indigenous communities with her unique Northern storytelling perspective. Sandra Oh LEAD ACTOR/PRODUCER, WINDOW HORSES
Sandra Oh is a Canadian actress known for her role as Dr. Cristina Yang on ABC’s medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, a role that earned her a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild awards, and five nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Oh’s feature film acting credits include roles in The Princess Diaries, Under the Tuscan Sun, Last Night, Sideways, and a supporting role on the HBO original series Arliss. Raj Pannikar PRODUCER, FIFTH GROUND ENTERTAINMENT
Raj Pannikkar is an award-winning Toronto based producer. Raj is also an independent writer, filmmaker and creative consultant for film, television, and digital media. Productions with his outfit Fifth Ground Entertainment include the documentary series Reelside for The Movie Network, the half-hour comedy series Rent-A-Goalie for Showcase, and the music documentary series The Rawside Of... for IFC.
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Festival Guests John Turner DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, VICELAND/VICE
John Turner is the Toronto-based Director of Development for VICELAND, VICE Media’s 24-hour cable channel launched in 2016, and currently viewed in 70 million homes in North America. Prior to VICELAND, John developed a series for Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions in New York. His six-part financial crime series, Dirty Money is currently in production with Netflix and Gibney. Shirley Vercruysse EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA, BC & YUKON STUDIO
Shirley Vercruysse is the Executive Producer of the National Film Board of Canada’s BC & Yukon Studio. Shirley leads the team in the production of documentary and animation projects. Prior to joining the NFB in February 2014, Vercruysse was an independent film and television producer based in Calgary, Alberta. Her feature credits include waydowntown, A Problem with Fear, Comeback Season, Radiant City, Angels Crest, The Future Is Now!, and Fubar II. John Walker DIRECTOR, QUÉBEC MY COUNTRY MON PAYS
John Walker’s films have screened at major international film festivals around the world. He has received 19 nominations and awards from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, including the coveted Donald Brittain Award for best social/political documentary. Walker’s films include Arctic Defenders, A Drummer’s Dream, The Fairy Faith, Passage, Strand: Under a Dark Cloth, Distress Signals, Men of the Deeps and the critically acclaimed feature drama, A Winter Tan. Dorothy Woodend FILM CRITIC AND DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING, DOXA
Dorothy Woodend has been film critic for The Tyee since 2004. Her work has been published in magazines, newspapers, and books across Canada and the US, as well as in a number of international publications. Dorothy is also Director of Programming for the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver.
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