Cascade

Join us as we officially open the 2024 edition of the Banff World Media Festival, featuring special guests and important announcements.

Featuring:

Kevin Beggs

Chair and Chief Creative Officer, Television Group

Lionsgate Entertainment

Jenn Kuzmyk

Executive Director - BANFF, Publisher - Playback

Brunico Communications Ltd.

In Partnership With

Cascade

Join us for a conversation with the Hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage as she discusses issues affecting Canadian content. 

Cascade

Join our esteemed international media leaders as they delve into the currents reshaping the media landscape. From technological convergence to the imperative of diversity and inclusion, they'll navigate the challenges and opportunities of an ever-evolving industry, sharing innovative strategies driving success in the face of disruption.

Featuring:

Bing Chen

CEO & Co-Founder

Gold House

Sandra Dewey

Chief Operating Officer

Media Res Studio

Lisa Kramer

President, International TV Licensing

Paramount Global Content Distribution

Asif Sadiq

Chief Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer

Warner Bros. Discovery

Cori Wellins

Partner, Scripted TV

WME

In Partnership With

Cascade

Join us for an insightful discussion with Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada, as she delves into the organization’s strategic plan for the next three years. After comprehensive meetings and consultations, Telefilm is proud to present their priorities for the next strategic action cycle. The plan was built with the goal of maximizing Telefilm’s impact for the greatest benefit of the industry while strengthening the mobilizing power of Canadian and Indigenous cinema as it adapts to the ever- evolving means of distribution and consumption.

This discussion will explore how they intend to drive collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, shaping the future of the Canadian cinematic landscape to ensure that it thrives nationally and internationally. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in Telefilm’s vision to continue to shape an inclusive, sustainable and prosperous path for the audiovisual industry.

Featuring:

Julie Roy

Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director

Telefilm Canada

In Partnership With

Cascade

In Partnership With

Cascade

In an increasingly challenged industry environment, securing greenlights for premium content is a critical endeavor.  Top players in international financing will unveil their strategies for tackling big-budget projects: from navigating territory interests to leveraging pre-sales and exploring the rise of non-English content, how are these experts crafting deals and driving innovation and getting global content made?

Moderating:

John Elmes

International Editor

Broadcast

Featuring:

Javiera Balmaceda

Head of Originals, Latin America, Canada & Australia

Amazon MGM Studios

Janet Brown

President, Content Distribution, North America & LatAm

BBC Studios Americas Inc.

Prentiss Fraser

President, TV Distribution

Fifth Season

Jack Oliver

Head of Co-Productions

Sky TV

Patrick Vien

Group Managing Director, International

A+E Networks

Theatre

Join these top-tier Music Supervisors who have shaped the sonic landscape of your favourite films and shows. Yes, Music Supervisors have great taste in music, but there’s much more to it. There is a dynamic collaboration between music supervisors, producers, directors and showrunners. Let’s discuss the art of soundtrack selection, licensing hurdles, keeping budgets and timelines in check and the influence of emerging technologies – all the while working to enhance the storytelling and creating memorable moments that have the audience hitting “Shazam” and “download."

Featuring:

Natasha Duprey

Music Supervisor

Must be Nice Productions

The L Word, The Terror, Continuum, The Order, Tiny Pretty Things

Andrea Higgins

Music Supervisor

AHA Sound & Vision

Workin’ Moms, JANN, Coroner, Wynonna Earp, Heartland

Michael Perlmutter

Music Supervisor

Instinct Entertainment

Fellow Travelers, FROM, Wild Cards, Billy the Kid, Degrassi

Lindsay Wolfington

Owner, Music Supervisor

Lone Wolf Music Supervision

Theater Camp, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Virgin River, Sullivan’s Crossing

In Partnership With

Theatre

Canada’s indie producers face a litany of challenges when it comes to producing film and TV, including high interest rates and uncertain regulatory conditions at home, and a fast-changing content buying market abroad. So, how exactly do you get a show off the ground in Canada these days? Our panel of producers unpack the current obstacles indie production companies are contending with, and what they’re doing to overcome them.

Moderating:

Jordan Pinto

North American Editor

C21 Media

Featuring:

Erin Haskett

President

Lark Productions

Lisa Meeches

Founder and Executive Producer

Eagle Vision

Carolyn Newman

Executive Vice President, Global Scripted

Blink49 Studios

Jordy Randall

Executive Producer

SEVEN24 Films

Richard Speer

President

Attraction

Theatre

When streamer investment was accelerating year over year, the private equity industry appeared to take a strong interest in the TV and Film content business. We witnessed numerous private equity investments in both content producers and talent vehicles in North America and Europe. As the era of "Peak TV" fades into the rearview mirror, what does the future hold for Private Equity investment in the content business?

Cascade

Formats, IP, renewals, AI and strikes: join this powerhouse panel of creators - each boasting decades of writing on and helming some of the biggest shows - as they discuss the craft and business of making hit series in 2024.

Featuring:

Tassie Cameron

Showrunner & Executive Producer

Cameron Pictures

Barbie Kligman

Showrunner, Executive Producer

Nkechi Okoro Carroll

Showrunner, Executive Producer

Julie Plec

Showrunner, Executive Producer

Meredith Scardino

Showrunner, Executive Producer

Cascade

In 2020, many businesses expressed public statements against racism and injustice, and voiced a desire to boost support by creating DEI leadership roles in response to the movement ignited after George Floyd’s death. Cut to 2024 and we’ve witnessed the mass exodus of Black women executives from major Hollywood studios and DEI efforts in the entertainment industry are waning. Were the promises for inclusive hiring practices, diverse partnerships, and financial commitments sustainable or performative? How do we do more than increase awareness and change attitudes, but change behaviors and decision-making to improve entertainment studio bottom-lines? Hear from some of the Black women executives who led the change – their wins and losses, and why they ultimately left - and other DEI executives and practitioners who continue to champion a more inclusive culture, including increased representation in their storytellers and content at their entertainment companies.

Moderating:

Elita Fielder Adjei

Vice President, Communications, CBS Stations/Paramount

CBS

Featuring:

Jeanell English

Founder and CEO

Elizabeth, LLC.

Karen Horne

Founder

The Karen Horne Company

Theatre

Dive into the world of music supervision with one of Hollywood’s most sought-after music supervisors, the multi-nominated Grammy and Emmy award-winning Nora Felder, known for her work on Stranger Things, Yellowjackets, Ray Donovan, Californication, Better Things, to name a few. In this exclusive intimate and interactive session, join Nora as she shares her creative approach from ideation to execution, offering insights into how she helps select the ideal musical accompaniment  for her filmmakers. 

Drawing from her extensive experience, Nora will shine a spotlight on some  of her personal favorite standout moments from two of her acclaimed series: the gripping drama Yellowjackets and the hilariously dark comedy What We Do In The Shadows. Through these case studies, you will gain a deeper understanding of the pivotal role music plays in enhancing narrative depth and emotional resonance within television.

Featuring:

Nora Felder

Music Supervisor and Producer

Cascade

Get up to speed on the rapidly evolving landscape of Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels. This session will dive deep into the strategies that industry leaders are implementing to capitalize on this growing platform, the challenges they face, and the opportunities they foresee in the realm of digital streaming.

Featuring:

Sean Cohan

President

Bell Media

Daniel Mekinda

EVP, Head of GroupM Motion Entertainment Canada

GroupM Canada Inc.

Jim Packer

President of Worldwide Television Distribution

Lionsgate

In Partnership With

Cascade

Enshittification, the gradual decline into irrelevance faced by media platforms that fail to evolve with their audience, is the sword hanging over every media owner's head. This era, characterized by rapid tech growth, domination and control, threatens to diminish your value, compelling an urgent shift from legacy approaches to innovative engagement. In this gritty guide, we challenge you to overhaul your strategy, placing the audience's preferences at the core. It's a clear call: disrupt your own models or be side-lined by those who will. For those daring to adapt, the future is bright; for the rest, irrelevance awaits.

Featuring:

Adam Cunningham

Chief Strategy Officer

Allied Global Marketing

In Partnership With

Theatre

Through online platforms like YouTube, the distribution playing field has been leveled and Canadian storytellers have thrived on the global stage. Now, countries, companies and creatives are grappling with the possibilities and impacts of generative AI. This panel will explore the real experiences of creators and producers in how they create today, how AI has influenced the creative process, and whether AI can push creative expression, and become the tool that gives rise to equal opportunities in production

Cascade

Bigger budgets, commissioning crunches and the need for global appeal mean collaboration between international networks and Canadian producers is essential. This panel of unscripted execs will reveal how cross-border partnerships can merge creativity, talent, and resources to get to greenlight.  Find out their programming needs and gain valuable insights into what it takes to become their ideal production partner.

Featuring:

Lyle Gamm

SVP, Original Series, CNN

Warner Bros. Discovery

Kate Phillips

Director of Unscripted

BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Mike Stiller

Head of East Coast Development

A+E Networks/The HISTORY Channel

In Partnership With

Ivor Petrak

It’s 2024 - yet the fight against racism, particularly anti-Black racism, remains an urgent issue in the industry. While progress has been made, much work remains to embed anti-racism strategies deeply into organizational frameworks, production practices, and mentorship programs. This professional development session, led by Natasha Tony, an expert in combating anti-Black racism, offers practical insights for creating meaningful change within your organization and personal practice. Join to learn how to effectively challenge and transform the underlying structures perpetuating racism.

Space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Theatre

Some big questions have arisen in the post-pandemic era. Are we contributing to the wellness of kids through the content they are immersed in? How is content evolving to super serve young minds with positive messages, mindfulness and entertainment at its core? Join our panel of kids commissioners as we discuss how they are programming, how they are engaging audiences, and what they're commissioning.

Moderating:

Mark Bishop

Co-President, Blue Ant Studios

Blue Ant Media

Featuring:

Lisa Cinelli

Executive in Charge of Production, Children & Youth

CBC Kids

Tommy Gillespie

Senior Director, Content Production

PBS Kids

Kirsten Hurd

Commissioning Editor

TVOkids

Ivor Petrak

The Government of Alberta Film and Television Tax Credit Program team will provide an overview of the exciting changes to the Alberta FTTC Program.

In Partnership With

Cascade

How do we cultivate environments where trans and non-binary individuals feel a true sense of belonging on set? How do we guarantee that queer stories are not just told, but told authentically? And how do we empower 2SLGBTQ+ creatives to be the architects of their own narratives? These pressing questions lie at the heart of the first-ever 2024 Pink Paper, which will be unveiled exclusively at the Banff World Media Festival by Pink Triangle Press. This pioneering report offers a comprehensive analysis of LGBTQ2S+ representation within the Canadian media landscape, spanning film, television, gaming, and streaming services. It encapsulates the lived experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ professionals and evaluates the community’s depiction in leading screen productions. Join our all-star panel of Canadian industry luminaries—from celebrated actors to influential broadcasters, writers, and producers—as they unpack the report’s findings and discuss the strides and challenges toward a more inclusive media world.

Moderating:

Michael Serapio

Anchor, PrimeTime Politics

CPAC The Cable Public Affairs Channel

Featuring:

Emily Hampshire

Actor, Writer, Producer

Cassandra James

Actress

Michelle Mama

Co-Founder

GAY AGENDA

Alexander Nunez

Writer, Actor, Producer

Border2Border Entertainment

Cascade

With an increased demand for content that has worldwide appeal, how can local stories access the international marketplace? Our panel of top producers and distributors offer their insights on the path from local to global including financing scenarios and production considerations to get to greenlight.  

Priority seating for DOV participants.