Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

The Black Screen Office (BSO), in partnership with Telefilm Canada, has launched a new national consultation focused on the representation of Black, People of Colour, LGBTQ2+ and Persons with Disabilities in screen-based sectors called Being Seen: A Directive for Authentic and Inclusive Content.

This consultation was created to help advise members of the industry about how they can work with communities other than their own, work with culturally sensitive content, identify when a story is theirs to tell and create content that avoids stereotypes.

Consultations will be conducted virtually through focus groups, one-on-one interviews with industry representatives and the public who are members of the target communities. They will be conducted in English and French and will consider intersectionality and regional representation.

BSO and Telefilm Canada will be conducting consultations from May to September 2021. Learn more.

Similarly, imagineNATIVE commissioned the On-Screen Pathways and Protocols media production guide to working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, cultures, concepts and stories which was published in 2019. It provides cultural principles and key findings from a national consultation process, and best practices for filmmakers, production companies and funders when depicting Indigenous content on screen, and how communities can be collaborative partners.

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At the National Screen Institute, we’re thrilled to celebrate our alumni and their accomplishments. Through Focal Point we aim to highlight significant milestones our alumni achieve in their projects and careers.

Congratulations to Stephanie Scott (NSI Storytellers) on her new role as executive director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR).

In this new role, Stephanie plans to accelerate the NCTR into the next phase of their Missing Children Project. Through archival film footage, the project will uncover the truth about the many Indigenous children who lost their lives in residential schools. Stephanie believes the power of visual storytelling can move reconciliation forward.

“I want to make sure that every Canadian understands the truth of what happened in residential schools,” says Stephanie. “There are a lot of painful stories that took place. I want this project to provide more understanding.”

Stephanie has extensive film training as the president and producer of the Indigenous-owned film company, Indios Productions Inc. Her 2018 project, First Contact, followed six Canadians on a 28-day journey intended to challenge prejudicial attitudes and shed a light on the true Indigenous experience.

She executive produced the project alongside fellow executive producer Vanessa Loewen (NSI Global Marketing) and director Jeff Newman (NSI associate faculty). First Contact went on to gain two Canadian Screen Award nominations for best direction in a factual series and best factual series.

Stephanie believes her National Screen Institute training helped shape her love of transformative filmmaking and hopes she can create innovative and impactful change in her new role.

“NSI contributed to my future. It made me want to be someone who could make a change through the art of filmmaking,” says Stephanie. “Creative storytelling is something in my heart and I never want to give it up.”

The Missing Children Project is just one of the many steps the NCTR is taking towards groundbreaking digitization and research initiatives. Stephanie and the NCTR team are using a $6 million Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant to develop a searchable database with plans for a new NCTR building.

Congratulations, Stephanie! We are inspired by your passion for storytelling and wish you well in your new role.

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BIPOC TV & FILM is hosting a town hall, Meanwhile in Canadian TV, discussing exclusionary policies in hiring and story representation in Canadian TV.

The town hall will be moderated by film critic and culture editor Radheyan Simonpillai and will feature panelists Ryan Cooper (CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs), Natasha Bacchus, Noelle Carbone, Anthony Q. Farrell and JP Larocque.

This town hall is an opportunity for those who have felt silenced to claim their place in the industry. BIPOC TV & FILM is asking those interested to share their stories anonymously though an intake form which the hosts will then share during the event. If you are interested in sharing your experience, fill out BIPOC TV & FILM’s intake form.

Join in on this important conversation on May 5 at 6 p.m. CT through Zoom. Register online now.

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