February 21, 2012, Edmonton – The Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) and Crossroads Television System (CTS), are pleased to announce the creation of the AMPIA/CTS Mentorship Program. AMPIA and CTS both recognize the importance of on-the-job training in the development of professionals in Alberta’s film and television production industry.  Thanks to funding from CTS, AMPIA is pleased to offer an annual Mentorship Program, whereby individuals are able to receive “hands-on” training experience working with experienced professionals in their chosen field of film and television production.

This program is designed to enable interns to receive new training opportunities for a designated production position in which they have no previous experience. This program is not intended to augment production budgets. Internships can take place anytime from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013.

The deadline for applications is Friday March 30^th at 4:00pm.

2012 Mentorship Application forms HERE

The program will run for two years, from 2012 – 2014. In 2012, up to three mentorships opportunities are available. The program will provide a maximum of $4,000 per individual intern/trainee. Producer member applicants must contribute 50 percent of the trainee’s total salary, matching the amount contributed by the mentorship program.

Once an application is approved by a jury comprised of CTS and AMPIA representatives, 50 percent of the total grant will be advanced to the Producer. The balance of the mentorship grant will be paid upon completion of the training period and following receipt of the completed claim forms and evaluation forms from both the Producer (Mentor) and the Intern, detailing the benefits to both the production company and the Intern.

For more information about this release, please contact:

Bill Evans, Executive Director – AMPIA
Alberta Media Production Industries Association
PH: 780 944-0707  E-mail: bevans@ampia.org
#318, 8944 – 182 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada  T5T 2E3

Carolyn Innis, Communications - Crossroads Television System
PH: 905 331-7333 ext. 2265
E-mail: cinnis@ctstv.com
1295 North Service Road
Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4X5

About Crossroads Television System (CTS): 

CTS is a Canadian leader in faith-based and balanced programming, operating stations in Burlington, Calgaryand Edmontonwith repeater transmitters in Londonand Ottawa. CTS creates television and other powerful visual media that can educate, entertain and inspire through positive, superior quality content. CTS features a range of entertaining and inspirational programs, including faith and values content based on biblical principles. Like many Canadians, CTS shares the concern about the decline in quality family programming and is taking a stand to ensure a place for trustworthy, safe television in Canada. www.ctstv.com

For almost 15 years, Steve Kaplan has been the industry’s most sought-after expert on comedy writing and production. In addition to having taught at UCLA, NYU, Yale and other top universities, Steve Kaplan created the HBO Workspace, the HBO New Writers Program and was co-founder and Artistic Director of Manhattan’s Punch Line Theatre. For more information on Steve and the workshop, click HERE.

The workshop will take place Saturday & Sunday February 25th & 26th from 9am – 5pm each day at the Nexen Theatre at NAIT (Room Y-240 in the Spartan/Petro Canada Centre), 11720 – 102 Street.  NAIT Campus Map HERE

The workshop fee is $200 for AMPIA members/$250 for non-members/and $150 for Students.  Registration Form HERE

Presented by AMPIA in association with Mosaic Entertainment, and with support from Teleflm Canada, Alberta Film, the Edmonton Film Commission and NAIT.

The ‘pitch session’ (with four authors each pitching to our four television/film producers) included some excellent story ideas which, in the end, gave the stories’ creators and the writing/publishing people in the audience great insight into our industry.

Thanks to all who participated!

Rogers Broadcasting is actively seeking Alberta-based original unscripted factual series for broadcast on Citytv and our Specialty services.

Creatively, concepts should feature local stories that have relevance to a national audience, with an emphasis on exploring exciting ideas and worlds that have not been exposed on television. Examples of shows currently airing on our services that achieve this include “Oil Change”, a fantastic doc series featuring unprecedented access to the Edmonton Oilers, and “The Quon Dynasty”, which follows the wildly entertaining Quon family, restaurateurs in Edmonton, Alberta.

Creatively, concepts should feature local stories that have relevance to a national audience, with an emphasis on exploring exciting ideas and worlds that have not been exposed on television. Examples of shows currently airing on our services that achieve this include “Oil Change”, a fantastic doc series featuring unprecedented access to the Edmonton Oilers, and “The Quon Dynasty”, which follows the wildly entertaining Quon family, restaurateurs in Edmonton, Alberta.

Rogers will consider both half hour and one hour formats.

Rogers Broadcasting will be accepting proposals until Feb 15, 2012. Claire Freeland, Director of Original Programming, will be attending Real screen Jan 29th – Jan 31st. Should you submit your project before the end of January, we may be in touch to set up meetings at the conference.

Submission materials can include a one-pager, pitch document, bible or demo. Please submit materials along with the attached release form, electronically to Jackie Samuels, Jackie.Samuels@rci.rogers.com using the title “Alberta Local Programming Initiative” in the subject line.

Rogers Submission Release Form (07-11-08)

Rogers looks forward to receiving your submissions.

Thank-you for your time and creativity!

Jackie Samuels

Manager, Development and Production

Rogers Media TV

to a client consultation / information meeting

Telefilm Canada’s Western Region office invites the industry to a client consultation / information meeting.

Following on our Annual Public Assembly in November, Telefilm representatives will outline the new Success Index in more detail; talk about the context and landscape in which the Canadian industry is working these days; and discuss upcoming changes to programs – particularly development financing for the coming year.

Dave Forget, Director, Contracts and Certification, and John Dippong, Director, Industry Promotion – Western Region, will be hosting the sessions in Winnipeg (January 23), Regina (January 24) and Calgary (January 24).

They will be joined by Michel Pradier, Director, Project Financing, for the Vancouver session on January 26.

Please RSVP by Friday (January 20) to Julianne Lockhart, julianne.lockhart@telefilm.ca, (604) 666-1566 (x 2614) or 1-800-663-7771

As we ‘warp’ into the digital world of multi-media content, this workshop will identify new ways to tell and share our stories; create new partnerships and audiences; look at use new business models and; generate new revenue streams.

Industry leaders from multiple disciples will use successful case studies collaborations between ‘book and screens’ to look at new sources of funding and marketing/distribution opportunities. There will also be a fun pitching session designed to match writers with producers of film, television and digital media.

Join us for this initial workshop: Saturday January 28th, from 1pm – 4pm in the Gallery Hall, in the University of Calgary’s new Taylor Family Digital Library.

Registration Fee: $25 for AMPIA and BPAA members, $40 for non-members, $15 for NAIT, SAIT & RDC Students. Registration form HERE

SCHEDULE:

1:00pm            Intro & Overview: BPAA & AMPIA

1:15pm            Cross-over Case Study: How Writers cross over into film and/or TV and what are    the pros, cons and surprises? Filmmaker Gary Burns and author Joel Bakan will discuss their    collaborative process and their experiences turning books into films.

Panelists:        Gary Burns, Radiant City, Waydowntown; Joel Bakan, The Corporation, Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children

2:15pm            Following the Money: A session designed to answer the nagging question asked by writers everywhere – how do I make money doing this? Our panel will guide you through the red tape and hidden mine fields of their respective funding programs.

Moderator:       Shirley Vercruysse, Harrow Films

Panelists:        Jeff Brinton, Alberta Film; John Galway, Harold Greenberg Fund; Val Creighton, Canada Media Fund

3:15pm            Pitch Fest/New Title Showcase: Titles from four (4) writers will be presented/pitched to producers. Each successful applicant will have 3 minutes each to ‘pitch’, followed by 10 minutes of question and answer from film & television professionals. Applicants are required to submit a synopsis of their story ideas for consideration by AMPIA and the BPAA. Fill out attached Pitch Template HERE. Pitches must be submitted by 9:00 am Friday January 27.

Moderators:     Bill Evans (AMPIA) & Lyn Cadence (BPAA)

Panelists:        Shirley Vercruysse, Harrow Films; Joe Novak, Bow River Productions; Randy Bradshaw, Certain Films; Michael Jorgensen, Myth Merchant Films

4:15 – 5:00pm  Reception

AMPIA welcomes the release of revised guidelines for the Alberta Multimedia Development Fund. Highlights include streamlining the Alberta Production Program from three to two streams and boosting the  potential maximum grant amount to up to 30% of Alberta spend.  Also, the intake period for the Export Market Development Grant is now year-round, and there are new incentives for Alberta producers in the Alberta Project/Script Development Grant Program and Alberta Stories Component.

‘We would like to thank Minister Klimchuk and the staff at Alberta Film for taking time to consult with AMPIA and the Alberta Media Production Community on these important and positive changes,’ says AMPIA Executive Director Bill Evans. ‘We believe these new guidelines will make Alberta more competitive and will encourage new investment in our industry, which in turn will create more job opportunities for Albertans and also provide the impetus for the development of new infrastructure for this growing business sector.’  For more details please click HERE.

***This is the official CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS to the 2012 Rosie Awards!*** 

Our deadline this year is Friday, January 20th.  PDF Download of our Entry & Payment forms HERE  

Or in Word: Entries Form HERE / Rules & Regulations HERE / Payment Form HERE

The workshop included panels on Narrative Strategies, Social Media and the Law, and Following the Money. The session also featured case studies of successful cross-platform content productions, and a number of networking events designed to encourage collaboration between Film, TV and Digital Producers. In all, over 60 meetings were facilitated, and participants left the Banff Centre enthused about future collaborations and already talking about next steps – very exciting!

From L to R: AMPIA Executive Director Bill Evans, Cael Johnston, Mike Shields, Shaun Johnston & his wife Susan

A great big thank-you to all who came out Saturday November 5th to honour Shaun Johnston at our 23rd Annual David Billington Award Luncheon!

Approximately 200 people were at this year’s event, and many stories and many laughs were shared.  In the words of former Billington Award recipient Fil Fraser: “It was like the room was one big hug.”

Other comments we’ve received:

-”Congratulations to Bill and the team for producing a ‘moving’, entertaining, well organized and successful celebration of excellence in Alberta!”

-”Really enjoyed seeing Fred Keating hosting again!”

-”Your organization did a great job of venue, meals, speeches and overall organization. Great job!”

-”A wonderful event guys. Congratulations to both of you and your team for putting on one of the best Billingtons I have attended.”

-” It was a great afternoon.  Well planned and well executed.  I was proud and happy to be a part of it.  Nice to see Shaun get the award and also so many former winners in attendance.  It was a great day.  Our industry needs a big “hug in” once in a while.  Build a little community spirit!”