Talent to Watch Prep Series
3 x 3-hour sessions + 1 individual coaching session
Session 1: February 8 – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Artspace Building Boardroom, 4th Floor, 100 Arthur Street
Session 2: February 14 – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Artspace Building Boardroom, 4th Floor, 100 Arthur Street
Session 3: February 15 – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Winnipeg Film Group Media Lab, 3rd Floor, 100 Arthur Street
Deadline to Apply: February 4, 2026 @ Midnight
Program Overview
The Talent to Watch Prep Series is designed to support emerging Canadian filmmakers preparing to apply to Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program through the Industry Partner Stream. Delivered over three 3-hour sessions and one individual coaching meeting, this hands-on series helps participants strengthen their project’s creative vision, production viability, and submission materials.
Through guided workshops, feedback, and mentorship, participants will gain the clarity, tools, and confidence needed to pitch a competitive first feature film project that aligns with Telefilm’s Talent to Watch funding and evaluation criteria.
Eligibility – Talent to Watch Prep Series
This preparation series is for emerging filmmakers who intend to apply to Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program through the Industry Partner Stream.
Maximum of 10 qualified participants.
To apply you must:
- Be eligible under Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program guidelines.
- Be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- Be emerging filmmakers (producer, director, or writer) with experience in short films, web, TV, or other screen-based work.
- Have not yet produced, directed, or written a feature film.
- Have a completed script or a script in advanced development (nearing completion).
- Have a project intended as their first feature film (fiction or documentary).
- Be connected to the Designated Partner offering the prep program (as a recent alumni, active member, or incubator participant).
- Be available to attend all three group sessions and one individual coaching session.
Recommended Readiness:
- Have a short film or previous project that demonstrates your creative voice.
- Be developing a story suitable for a $150K–$500K micro-budget.
- Be open to feedback and collaborative discussion.
Session 1 – Program Overview & Project Vision
Goal: Understand the Talent to Watch (TTW) program and define the creative direction of each participant’s project.
Topics:
- Introduction to TTW: purpose, goals, and opportunities for emerging filmmakers
- Program streams: Industry Partner, Festival Selection, Apply-Direct
- Key funding details and commitments
- Understanding Telefilm’s focus on originality, diversity, and cultural impact
- Shaping your project’s story and creative identity
- Building a strong director-producer collaboration
Activity: “Story & Vision Mapping” – participants share their film concept and refine their one-line pitch.
Session 2 – Creative Package & Pitch Development
Goal: Build strong creative and presentation materials that meet Telefilm’s evaluation standards.
Topics:
- Telefilm evaluation focus:
- Creative Elements (40%)
- Track Record (30%)
- Project Viability (15%)
- Cultural Impact (15%)
- Crafting the 5-minute video pitch (clarity, emotion, innovation)
- Developing a director’s vision statement and synopsis
- Building a Community Engagement Plan that demonstrates authenticity and respect
- How to position your project’s relevance and audience appeal
Activity: Participants draft their logline, vision statement, and outline a video pitch; peer feedback and discussion.
Session 3 – Production, Viability & Submission
Goal: Strengthen the practical and professional side of each project and prepare for submission.
Topics:
- Budget range ($150K–$500K) and project feasibility
- Incorporation, ownership, and insurance essentials
- Audience reach/marketing
- Sustainability planning
- team readiness
- Submitting through Telefilm’s Dialogue portal
- Required documents: script, pitch video, budget, engagement plan, sustainability plan
- Understanding how projects are evaluated and selected
- festival/distribution strategies
Activity: Participants build a short “submission checklist” and share next-step goals for finalizing materials.
1:1 Coaching Session (60–90 min)
Purpose: Individualized feedback and support.
Focus Options:
- Pitch video review
- Script or treatment feedback
- Community Engagement Plan refinement
- Budget and viability feedback
- Choosing the best stream and submission strategy
By the End of the Series, Participants Will Have:
- A defined project vision and eligibility pathway
- A draft creative package and pitch plan
- A realistic viability and production outline
- A submission checklist and action plan
How to Apply
Apply by clicking on Register Now, and fill out the form by February 4, 2026!
Spaces are limited. Successful applicants will be contacted and provided with an invoice for the registration fee.
Presented by the Winnipeg Film Group in partnership with On Screen Manitoba, the Talent to Watch Prep Series is part of a shared commitment to supporting emerging Manitoba filmmakers as they take the next step toward feature filmmaking. Through targeted training, mentorship, and industry-aligned preparation, this series helps participants strengthen their creative and professional readiness for Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch Program while fostering a supportive, locally grounded development environment.
About the Instructor
Roger Boyer is an Indigenous filmmaker based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Passionate about filmmaking, he has produced, written, and directed over 15 music videos, short documentaries, and short films.
Many of these have screened at numerous film festivals around the world, including the American Indian Film Festival, imagineNATIVE Film Festival, the Accra Indie Film Festival, the Native Spirit Film Festival, and the Gimli Film Festival.
Roger is a graduate of Capilano University’s “Filmmakers in Indigenous Leadership & Management Business Affairs” program as well as the National Film Institute’s Art of Business Management.
Roger’s Talent To Watch feature film, “Green Hill”, is currently on the festival circuit. Roger has directed on the TV series “Acting Good”.
