Presented by the National Screen Institute in association with Telefilm Canada
Submission deadline
The next call for applications will open on July 15, 2013 with a deadline of September 19, 2013.
What is NSI Features First?
NSI Features First is a feature film development training course for teams of first or second time writers, directors and producers.
Successful teams receive group training and a cash award to put towards a story editor and additional development costs.
Past training opportunities have included Judith Weston and Robert McKee workshops, Produced By and AFM conferences in Los Angeles, attendance at festivals such as the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, the Screenwriters Festival in the UK, and TIFF, and Michael Hauge pitch coaching.
Success stories
The course gets results: 15 feature films have been produced since the course launched 15 years ago.
- I Declare War – writer/director: Jason Lapeyre
- Every Emotion Costs – writer/director: Darlene Naponse; producer Joseph Mansourian
- Foodland – writer/director: Adam Smoluk
- Love and Other Dilemmas – producer: Clare Hodge; director: Larry Di Stefano; writer: Deborah Peraya
- Fetching Cody – producer: Carolyn Allain; writer/director: David Ray
- 7 Times Lucky – producer: Liz Jarvis; writer/director: Gary Yates
- On the Corner – producer: Wendy Hyman; writer/director: Nathaniel Geary
- Goldirocks – producer: Lisa Hayes; writer/director: Paula Tiberius
- Flower and Garnet – producer: Trish Dolman; director/writer: Keith Behrman
- Leaving Metropolis – producers: Ken Mead and Paul Stiles; director/writer: Brad Fraser
- Inertia – producer: Brendon Sawatzky; director/writer: Sean Garrity
- Turning Paige – producer: Carolyn McMaster; director/co-writer: Robert Cuffley; writer: Jason Long
- My Father’s Angel – producer: David Bouck, co-executive producer: Trevor Hodgson; director: Davor Marjonovic; writer: Frank Borg
- Violet – producer: Mary Sexton; director/writer: Rosemary House
- The Bend – writer/director: Jennifer Kierans (developed in part through NSI Features First)
How much does it cost?
- $100 application fee per team.
- $1,500 tuition fee per team member if your team is selected.
When does it take place?
The course is 10 months long and begins with two training sessions that take place in winter and spring 2013. You’ll be working from home for the remainder of the course.
Jim Murphy Filmmakers Bursary
In memory of Jim Murphy, NSI along with his friends and colleagues established the $3,000 Jim Murphy Filmmakers Bursary which is presented annually to an NSI Features First team.
