US 

CONNECTING MEMBERS - WOMEN MAKING WAVES CONFERENCE - HALIFAX, NS

February 16, 2017 - HALIFAX (NS) – Women in Film and Television Atlantic (WIFT-AT) is pleased to announce the final round of inspiring speakers, presenters and guests at Women Making Waves 2017, bringing film professionals and fans to Halifax from March 3 to 5.

Fresh from presenting her award-winning film Werewolf in Berlin, Cape Breton writer-director Ashley McKenzie is the guest for the event’s Closing Conversation on Sunday, March 5. CBC’s Angela Antle will interview McKenzie about the recent success of her debut feature Werewolf, pursuing a filmmaking career from Cape Breton, the different pressures she is facing as her films gain more attention, balancing the roles of writer and director, and what drives her as an artist.

(Check out this great CBC news article on her film - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cape-breton-films-makes-splash...)

The workshop lineup for Friday, March 3 will feature Producing with Christina Poivesan, founder and principal of the award-winning production company First Generation Films; Directing with Jordan Canning, Director of We Were Wolves, Suck It Up; Editing with award-winning picture editor Cathy Gulkin; and Distribution with Robin Smith, owner/President of KinoSmith Inc. and CEO of Blue Ice Docs.

The Honourable Wanda Thomas Bernard is the keynote speaker during the luncheon on Saturday, March 4. Honourable Bernard is the first African-Nova Scotian woman to serve in Canada’s Senate, just appointed last October. She will also present the awards. The WAVE Awards are presented annually to honour deserving women in the Atlantic film and television industry.

“This event has just about everything for anyone,” says WIFT-AT founding Chair Jan Miller. “Whether you are in the screen industry and want to learn more from the best about a specific craft, or you’re a screen fan and would like to enjoy hearing from our country’s film leaders, you will leave this event inspired and educated”.

WIFT-AT is also excited to confirm the Opening Reception and Interactive Arcade, on the evening of Friday, March 3, where everyone in the screen industry is invited to experience the first ever WMW Interactive Arcade, showcasing new storytelling technologies across innovative digital platforms. This hands-on event will spotlight an exciting midway of attractions from DHX, Copernicus, Current Studios, and NFB.

“One unique and anticipated event is the Pitch This competition”, says Kimberlee McTaggart, WIFT-AT Chair. “Five WIFT-AT members will present a five-minute pitch of their short film concept before a selection committee of industry experts and a live audience. There is a great prize for the winning pitch.

In addition to the workshops and panels, Women Making Waves offers participants unparalleled opportunities to network with industry professionals in Atlantic Canada as well as from across the country. The Women Making Waves conference takes place from Friday, March 3 - March 5 at Best Western Chocolate Lake Hotel, Halifax, NS.

ABOUT WIFT-AT

Women in Film and Television - Atlantic (WIFT-AT) is a not-for-profit organization that has been in operation since 2009 and has grown steadily, already attracting close to150 members in the Atlantic region. Its vision is to advance, promote, connect and inspire all women working in screen-based industry in Atlantic Canada.

For more information, to register or buy tickets please visit:

www.womenmakingwaves.ca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wiftatlantic

Twitter: twitter.com/wiftat

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For more information or interviews, contact:

Renee Horton, Publicist

Cell: 902-329-9905

E-mail: hortonpublicity@gmail.com

info@wift-at.com

CONNECTING MEMBERS - THE DGC PRESENTS 'SUCK IT UP' BY JORDAN CANNING - HALIFAX, NS

Fresh off its world premiere at Slamdance, The Directors Guild of Canada is delighted to present the new film by Award Winning DGC Director Jordan Canning

SUCK IT UP

Hosted by Hans Engel from the DGC National Directors Division  

Thursday, March 2nd | 7:00 PM | Park Lane Cinema #5

The Screening will be followed by a Q&A with Jordan Canning moderated by award winning DGC Director/NB Film Co-op member Gia Milani 

Reception to follow 

Tickets are FREE for WMW conference ticket and pass holders

Please RSVP to Andrea Levesque at info@dgcatlantic.ca

PAYPAL LINKS ARE UP FOR NBFC MEMBERSHIP AND RENEWALS FOR 2017 

It's time to renew your co-op membership for 2017, renewals are due annually in January for ongoing members. If you email Cat to ask for her help with anything filmic, the first thing she will ask you to do is renew as her focus is the co-op members in good standing. The paypal links for memberships for 2017 are up on the co-op website - http://nbfilmcoop.com/joining

Renewed and New Members: Ty Giffin, Kelly Soong, Camille Coulombe, Bryan McDaniel (Fredericton), Toby Grant (Woodstock), Denis Cormier (Moncton), Franklin Cardy (St. Andrews)

 Award winning filmmaker Bunthivy Nou visited Tony, Cat and Matt recently to introduce her little emerging filmmaker to the Co-op.

BUZZ

NB GAME CREATOR HEADING TO WOMEN MAKING WAVES CONFERENCE

Guide will be presenting a public exhibition at the "Women Making Waves conference" Interactive Exhibit in Halifax on March 3rd. Visitors can enjoy a demonstration and share questions or feedback with New Brunswicker Rebecca Goodine, Guide's team leader.

All are welcome; gamers, filmmakers, and everyone else in between!

GUIDE tells the story of Fia, a phoenix chick born into a lonely and frightening world. When a stranger appears and offers to lead her to safety, Fia follows, but this guide’s way of seeing things may cast more shadows than light.

GUIDE is a game for children and young adults being designed with the goal of promoting awareness and understanding among players about social anxiety. By asking players to challenge the fearful voice of Fia’s Guide, they learn to deal with themselves and ultimately others in a more compassionate way. GUIDE was originally conceived as a short “playable trailer” for an international game design competition co-hosted by organizations iThrive and Games4Health, and ultimately the project won second place in the category of adolescent empathy. Gameplay in GUIDE consists of 2D “platforming,”with players able to run, jump, glide, and burn their way through multiple environments and puzzles on their quest for freedom. 

To read more about Guide and the game team, head to: https://guidethegame.com/
For more information about Rebecca and other game she's worked on please visit: https://rebeccagoodine.com/games/

WOMEN IN FILM AND TELEVISION PRESENTS: NEW WAVES

New Waves is WIFT-AT’s workshop-based initiative for young women aged 18-30. It is a series of five workshops for a group of 10 participants with an interest in the film and television industry.

New Waves takes place during the months of March and April. The one of a kind program launches at the Women Making Waves conference (March 3-5). As a series of five workshops, each intensive session is hosted by an industry professional and will cover a wide range of skills: Writing, Directing, Creating content for the Web, Editing, and Animation.

The purpose of the New Waves program is to foster appreciation and understanding of this sector in Nova Scotia and to empower young women to pursue their interest, and perhaps a career, in film, television or digital media

WIFT-AT is an organization with more than 150 members, many of whom are professionals in the industry. We strive to cultivate our unique ability to provide contacts and mentors amongst our broad network, and hope to inspire a younger generation. It is these women who will continue to challenge the gender imbalance of those entering the industry.

We are very excited to meet these up-and-comers!  Could one of them be you?? 

TO APPLY:

Please send us a cover letter describing your interest, any relevant experience and what you hope to gain from New Waves. Attach it to an email addressed to: riley.raymer@gmail.com. 

Deadline: February 26 

Participants will be announced February 28 

2017 SHORT FILM VENTURE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

FREDERICTON - 4 talented New Brunswick filmmakers could be able to launch a career in film through the Short Film Venture Program offered by the New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-operative and Department of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture

The deadline for program applications is March 3, 2017, and final recipients will be notified on May 12, 2017.

"Through this program, we are supporting emerging New Brunswick filmmakers with some experience who have a serious interest in telling excellent stories," NB Film Co-op ED Tony Merzetti said. "If you are a NB director with a great short script, the best way to make a name for yourself in Canada is with a great short film. It's like having a calling card of your work to showcase your talent to the world.”

The program offers up to $4,000 for digital projects and $6,000 for celluloid-based projects to successful applicants to assist in their production of a short film. The proposed film must be 10 minutes or less in running time and dramatic in nature. Comedies are accepted as well. Experimental, animated or documentary films will not be considered.

In addition to the Short Film Venture funding offered, selected candidates also have the opportunity to train and mentor through the New Brunswick Film Co-op and are required to take workshops through their annual program which takes place in Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton. As well, Short Film Venture productions will receive special consideration for a screening at the annual Silver Wave Film Festival.

Completed applications will be submitted to a jury, and up to four projects will be selected. The selected applicants must complete their productions by March 31, 2018.

Please go to the Co-op website to download the applications forms at: http://nbfilmcoop.com/programs/short-film-venture-program

NB FILM CO-OP WORKSHOPS ACROSS NEW BRUNSWICK

Check out all our workshops: http://nbfilmcoop.com/workshops

(there is a paypal link on each workshop page title you click on to register for each workshop, see below).

Through this annual provincial training programme coordinated by the NB Film Co-op, you can learn from qualified, specialized instructors.

By participating, you acquire new, incredibly interesting skills, and enjoy the camaraderie of the film community in New Brunswick.

The NB Film Co-op workshop series provides hands-on practical film and video training for members and non-members alike. Formally registering and paying in advance is the only way to ensure you will have a seat in any of the offered courses. Register in person at the NB Film Co-op (call or email to make an appointment first please!) (Cash, Cheque or Money Order) or by mail (Cheques and Money Orders only). Pay Pal is now an option as well. There are always limited spots available for all workshops so please call or email staff to see if there are available spots before you send your payment. You can put your name on the waiting list for workshops already full. 

Workshops and Courses

The Majority of the workshops are held at the NB Film Co-op at 732 Charlotte Street, Fredericton, NB beginning in early February annually. Instructors and workshop times are subject to change. There are separate workshop programs and schedules for workshops happening in Moncton and Saint John beginning in March annually. All participants will be notified by email/telephone of any changes with the workshop for which they have registered. For all day workshops, we recommend that you bring your own lunch.

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FREDERICTON - SHOOTING AND EDITING A SCENE AFTER BREAKING IT DOWN

Workshop Page: http://nbfilmcoop.com/workshops/shooting-and-editing-scene-after-breakin...

Date: Saturday, March 11, 2017 - 11:00am to 6:00pm

Fee: Film Co-op Members: $45.00/Non-Members: $55.00

Class Limit: 6

Workshop Instructor: Matt Carr

Location: New Brunswick Film Co-op, basement resource centre, 732 Charlotte Street, Fredericton 

Workshop Description:

Okay, you've finally got your script set. Now all you need to do now is painstakingly go through it piece by piece to get it ready for production.

Script breakdowns are no joke; they are a tedious, detailed, daunting task. You have to comb through each page looking for elements that are important for scheduling, budgeting, and pretty much anything else that you'll need to prepare for the project. So -- where do you start? What do you look for?

In this hands on lab, the instructor will take you through the process of breaking down a small scene and then the participants will get to shoot and edit it.

Instructor's Biography:

Matt Carr is a graduate of the Digital Filmmaking program at daVinci College and is an experienced creative editor and camera person comfortable in both the independent and commercial film and television sector. Matt has helped out on multiple productions since graduating.

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FREDERICTON - PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT AND THE AD ON SET

Workshop Page: http://nbfilmcoop.com/workshops/production-management-ad-set

Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Fee: Film Co-op Members: $25.00/Non-Members: $35.00

Class Limit: 8

(Film Co-op Members are required to take this workshop before they direct/produce their own projects through the Film Co-op)

Workshop Instructor: Victoria Clowater

Location: New Brunswick Film Co-op, basement resource centre, 732 Charlotte Street, Fredericton 

Workshop Description:

The production manager on an independent production wears many hats in contrast to a commercial production. This workshop will cover: being hired as a volunteer PM, budgeting and breakdowns; setting up the production office where ever that may be; hiring volunteer crew with the director; workspace organization; production scheduling; locations, daily production reports; location management; petty cash; deal memos; cast contracts, craft services and much, much more!

First ADs must be authoritative team-leaders and motivators, whilst also being approachable team players. They need exceptional organizational and time-management skills. The ability to plan ahead, trouble-shoot and pay close attention to detail is vital. Overall, they provide the key link between the Director, the cast and the crew, whilst also liaising with the production office, and providing regular progress reports about the shoot.

Instructor's Biography:

Victoria first joined the Co-op in 2011, and has been able to work on a variety of projects, from short films to independent features, television productions, and more. Among the NBFC community, she has produced and production managed a number of short films, including the CBC 3-2-1 award-winning The Art of Decay (directed by Jillian Acreman), the winner of the NB Joy Award, Chopsticks (directed by Britany Sparrow), and zack & luc, winner for Best Short at the 2014 Silver Wave Film Festival. Most recently, Victoria directed and produced the queer comedy web series, Babes, which is now available on YouTube.

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FREDERICTON - DIRECTING

Workshop Page: http://nbfilmcoop.com/workshops/directing

Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Fee: Film Co-op Members: $35.00/Non-Members: $45.00

Class Limit: 8

(Film Co-op Members are required to take at least one directing course before they direct/produce their own projects through the Film Co-op)

Workshop Instructor: Cam Woykin

Location: New Brunswick Film Co-op, basement resource centre, 732 Charlotte Street, Fredericton 

Workshop Description:

Using a combination of presentation, discussion and practical exercises, the workshop will cover filmmaking from the director’s perspective. This workshop will also cover working with actors and how to elicit the best performance from them.

The workshop is especially useful for those new filmmakers who are interested in writing, producing and directing their own material. 

Biography:

Woykin is a Toronto-based artist and educator, and currently teaches film production at the University of New Brunswick. He received his BFA in visual arts from the University of Lethbridge, an MFA in film production from York University and, in 2011, was recognized by the Toronto International Film Festival as one of Canada’s emerging talents in film. His creative work has been exhibited at festivals, galleries, and alternative spaces across Canada and internationally. Woykin's recent collaboration is The Stairs, a feature documentary he contributed to as cinematographer. The project recently won the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award, Canada’s richest arts prize, which is presented annually by the Toronto Film Critics Association.

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FREDERICTON - PRODUCTION DESIGN

Workshop Page: http://nbfilmcoop.com/workshops/production-design

Date: Thursday, March 23, 2017 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Fee: Film Co-op Members: $25.00/Non-Members: $35.00

Class Limit: 8

(Film Co-op Members are required to take this workshop before they direct/produce their own projects through the Film Co-op)

Workshop Instructor: Tracey Lavigne

Location: New Brunswick Film Co-op, basement resource centre, 732 Charlotte Street, Fredericton 

Workshop Description:

The Production Designer conceives and creates the overall look, mood and style of the film, working in close conjunction with the Director and the DOP. This can mean adapting existing locations to ones purpose, or creating new ones from scratch.

This workshop will look at the stages of practical preparation and production on a film, dealing with restrictions of money, time and resources.

Biography:

Tracey Lavigne is a production designer with several short film credits. She won the Excellence in Art Direction award at the 2015 Silver Wave Film Festival for her work on Lisa Jodoin's "In Search of Laura Fearne", and was nominated in 2014 for "Tracing Blood". She is a serial DIYer with many creative interests, including playing with power tools, hobby farming, music, and filmmaking. Tracey was a recipient of the Jane LeBlanc Filmmaker award in 2016.

NBFC MONDAY NIGHT FILM SERIES SCHEDULE: JANUARY - APRIL, 2017

We have launched the programme for the Monday Night Film Series (January - April 2017) on our website. Our next film is below.

Please check out all the details at: http://nbfilmcoop.com/exhibition/monday-night-film-series 

We have print programmes and posters available at Tilley Hall.

Tony, Cat and John

20TH CENTURY WOMEN

FEBRUARY 27, 2017

Mike Mills

USA, 2016

English

118 minutes

Principal Cast: Annette Benning, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup

Film Circuit favourite Mike Mills is back with the eagerly awaited follow-up to his acclaimed debut, Beginners. Following that film’s exploration of Mills' adult relationship with his father, 20th Century Women looks back to the director’s life growing up with his mother in Santa Barbara, California, telling a loosely autobiographical tale of the women who helped shape him.

Despite incessant renovations on her sprawling old house, Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening, Danny Collins, The Kids Are Alright) nonetheless maintains an open-door policy that provides a home base not just for her teenage son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), but also for Jamie’s close-friend-next-door Julie (Elle Fanning, Trumbo, Ginger & Rosa), twentysomething lodger Abbie (Greta Gerwig, Maggie’s Plan, Frances Ha), and local mechanic William (Billy Crudup, Spotlight, The Stanford Prison Experiement). With no paternal presence for Jamie, Dorothea recruits Abbie as a role model for him. However, their makeshift family arrangement is complicated by Abbie’s own distracted self-searching and Jamie’s burgeoning feelings for Julie.

20th Century Women presents a subtly layered view of the turbulent final moments of 1970s America, enriched by Mills’ skilled infusion of era-appropriate music and fashion. Ultimately, however, the film’s performances shine brightest as Bening’s brilliant work is supported beautifully by Gerwig, Fanning, Crudup, and newcomer Zumann, all of whom contribute to making Mills’ sophomore effort a must-see.

The sheer likability of these lived-in characters is a powerful magnet, thanks to insightful writing and a note-perfect ensemble anchored by a never-better Annette Bening. —David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter