The CBC Development Workshop for Diverse Creators is a training series designed to help emerging creators who identify as part of an Indigenous, disability or visible minority community to sharpen their professional skills, expand their network, and bring new perspectives and ideas to the CBC. The third in this series will be a program for creative storytellers with a special interest in short-form digital videos (unscripted).
Over four full-day workshops, participants will be connected with CBC decision makers, in-house producers and our partners in production, who will provide guidance as well as tools and resources to help participants develop their own pitches and production plans for original programming. At the end of the workshop select participants whose projects best align with the CBC’s programming mandate will be offered an opportunity to produce a digital short for CBC Arts or CBC Docs: Short Docs.
Up to twelve applicants will be selected to attend the Workshop on the basis of the following submissions:
Please see more details on submissions below and in the Terms and Conditions.
Four-day Workshop - September 14-17, 2016
The workshop will provide an introduction to the mandates of CBC Arts and CBC Docs: Short Docs, followed by intensive sessions with industry professionals with a focus on short-form video storytelling for a multi-platform audience.
The Workshop will take place at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto (250 Front Street West). Out-of-town creators are encouraged to apply and if selected, participants, travelling in excess of 100 kilometres will be reimbursed for travel (economy class airfare from nearest airport, or train station or gas/mileage with receipts). All participants will be responsible for their own lodging and all other costs and expenses to attend the Workshop.
We are interested in developing diverse film and video makers from across the country who can deliver original, creative short videos that tell stories about Canadian issues, arts and culture… and have the potential to be highly shareable in the digital space.
We are looking for story pitches that showcase fresh, innovative Canadian artists and cultural producers. Our idea of “the arts” is inclusive and contemporary: our ideal story pitches explore less traditional art forms like digital arts (e.g. GIFs), web series, podcasting, urban culture, street dance, and the intersection of the arts & social media. They feature fresh, diverse, irreverent, and distinct artists - and are highly shareable. Check out previous stories at our site cbc.ca/arts, but surprise us with something we’ve never seen or done before!
We are looking for stand-alone, short-form documentary concepts on a wide range of subjects. Our ideal short docs are character-driven, modern and focus on a single, unified, strong narrative, less than 10 minutes in length. They have active, unfolding story-lines, have the potential to provoke conversation and to be highly shareable in the digital space. For more information see our guidelines at cbc.ca/independentproducers/genres/cbc_docs_shorts and our site at cbc.ca/shortdocs
Emerging to mid-level creators with a special interest in short-form digital content (unscripted). Eligible applicants must:
PLEASE NOTE: Incomplete applications or incorrect file types/formatting will not be considered.
Applications will be reviewed by a jury made up of CBC executives and creative decision makers.
Participants will be selected to attend the Workshop on the basis of the following submissions:
See Terms and Conditions for additional details on eligibility and criteria.
If you are selected, you will be notified by phone and/or email by mid-July.
No. The jury will only review the required materials.
No. Video samples must be sent as links to material that is already online (YouTube, Vimeo, or other)
Emerging to mid-level creators have two to five years of experience in production and may have some educational training.
For the purpose of this program, diversity refers to Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities.
The program is specifically developed to bring more diverse creators into the industry. If you do not identify, we will have no way of knowing if you are eligible for the program.
Eligible applicants will be evaluated solely on the material they submit along with their application.
No. The program is aimed specifically at diverse creators. However, if you don’t meet these criteria and you’d like to pitch a project to CBC Docs: Short Docs, go to cbc.ca/independentproducers/genres/cbc_docs_shorts. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for this workshop but have something you’d like to pitch to CBC Arts, please write cbcarts@cbc.ca with the word PITCH capitalized in the subject line.
The letter of interest and intent helps determine if this program is a good creative fit. We would also like to know whether you currently see your particular diversity reflected on screen and, if applicable, how you might bring that perspective to your work. Finally, your letter should reveal your personality (including humour) so that the jury has a good idea of who you are. Don’t forget your three original story ideas! See Terms and Conditions for additional details on eligibility and criteria.
No. This workshop is for individuals and the prospective participant should be able to produce a digital video on his/her own.
The program is free of charge and offers no financial assistance. Out-of-town creators are encouraged to apply and if selected, participants, travelling in excess of 100 kilometres will be reimbursed for travel (economy class airfare from nearest airport or gas/mileage with receipts - see Terms and Conditions for details). All participants will be responsible for their own lodging and all other costs and expenses to attend the Workshop.
The four-day workshop is a full-time, daily commitment. Successful candidates should plan to arrive the day before the Workshop (Tuesday, September 13). There may also be extra-curricular networking opportunities to attend. Candidates who accept an offer to produce commissioned work will complete that on their own time.
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