The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI) announces their new Lifestyle Series Producer training course, created in response to the need for more factual and lifestyle series producers in Canada.
The course provides advanced training focusing on the skills required to produce a lifestyle series. This includes a week-long customized training session followed by a practical eight-week apprenticeship on an existing lifestyle series in production.
Candidates will connect with top lifestyle series producers, network executives, production executives and other industry leaders to round out their knowledge base and industry contacts. Upon completion of the course, candidates will be ready to take on the role of series producer.
There is no call for applications. Production companies nominate candidates they feel are ready to make the leap to being a series producer.
Shaw Media, Corus Entertainment and Bell Media have approved a new line item in the participating series’ budget that supports the apprenticeships.
Cineflix Media, Paperny Entertainment, Peace Point Entertainment Group and RTR Media Inc. are the first to sign on as participating production companies.
Industry veteran Al Magee (Design Rivals, Smart Woman Survival Guide, Love by Design) is the program advisor and NSI’s Brandice Vivier is the program manager.
“The Lifestyle Series Producer training course is a great example of NSI meeting the needs of the industry,” said Christine Shipton, Vice President, Original Content, Shaw Media. “Shaw is thrilled to be a supporter of the program.”
“Bell Media believes this training initiative will further expand the skills and talents of Canada’s factual producers,” said Paul Lewis, President and General Manager, Discovery Channel Canada. “We take great pride in commissioning programs seen around the world and we are committed to working with the production community to ensure the next generation of producers is just as able to compete at an international level.”
“By apprenticing in production of existing series the participants of this course have a tremendous opportunity to learn from the best and in the best setting,” said Vibika Bianchi, VP, Original Programming, Lifestyle, Reality, Factual Entertainment at Corus Entertainment. “This is the kind of program our industry needs to continue to keep up with the demand for talented lifestyle showrunners. Graduates will be ready to dive into the role and we look forward to welcoming them.”
NSI Lifestyle Series Producer 2012 is made possible by Program Partners Shaw Media, Corus Entertainment and Bell Media, and Supporting Sponsors Cineflix Media, Paperny Entertainment, Peace Point Entertainment Group, RTR Media Inc., and Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).
About the National Screen Institute
Renowned for having given many emerging filmmakers, television writers and producers their first breaks, the National Screen Institute provides training and production support through courses like NSI Totally Television, NSI Drama Prize, NSI New Voices, NSI Features First and the upcoming NSI Aboriginal Documentary course.
NSI also offers national exposure through the NSI Online Short Film Festival and provides vast resources and support to those in the film, television, and digital media industry at nsi-canada.ca.
All media enquiries
Lauren MacDiarmid, Communications & Programs Coordinator
tel: 204.957.2999 or email: lauren.macdiarmid@nsi-canada.ca
