Latest news with #BanffWorldMediaFestival
Edmonton Journal
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton film and entertainment industry works together to grow
Article content 'The long play is to have a TV series or streaming series, and if you have a series, then we will, for the community, provide more stable employment for the local crews. And that's really our long term goal,' said Depoe. Dept. 9 is a full-service production facility, offering everything a production might need from studios to dressing rooms to post-production editing and everything in between. As such, the studio would be well-suited to facilitate the production of a series. According to Depoe, a couple of series' production are getting close, with some planning to begin shooting next year. Still, Depoe said the studio is working hard for even more. Having just returned from the Banff World Media Festival, Depoe said they're gaining some more traction with various partners as projects have progressed. 'We had a lot of positive response from either streamer, broadcaster or co-production partners,' said Depoe.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump's Trade War Plot Twist May Be a Hollywood That Looks for Even More Co-Productions
Donald Trump talked about slapping a 100 percent tariff on all foreign movies to make a 'troubled' Hollywood great again. But judging by the conversations at the Banff World Media Festival — both among content creators and acquisition execs and during panel and keynote speeches — global collaboration to create new partnerships and content across borders and tackle mutual financial challenges is the byword this week in the Canadian Rockies. Advertisement More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Collaboration is the one word that keeps coming up. I've never seen people all over the world — buyers, producers – more open to finding ways to get projects made and over the line,' Allison Wallach, head of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment Studios, told a Banff fest panel on unscripted content. The discussion on the evolution of unscripted fare took place against the backdrop of Trump's talk of a foreign movie tariff quickly pivoting to a discussion of Americans possibly taking part in official international co-productions for the first time. And that plays directly into the wheelhouse of Canadian and other international producers that have been doing multi-passport films and TV series for decades. 'Deals I never thought I'd get away making, all of a sudden 50 percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing,' Wallach added about recent dealmaking. Advertisement Sharon Scott, president, A+E Factual Studios, added during the unscripted content panel that global collaboration has moved from the sidelines to front and center for recent dealmaking. 'I love a coproduction. I didn't used to, but they definitely help on the financial side, and you make new friends and partners,' she said. Scott also touted the benefits of tapping film tax credits, including in Canada. 'Anything that can be done anywhere, should be done here,' she said of shooting content in Canada, whether TV shows or just expert interviews for an unscripted series. The result in Banff for an entertainment industry looking to cut content budgets and produce for and with the world was more deliberative conversations between potential partners. 'Everything is a conversation now. That's a really good thing. We just want to get the best content for our customers and we want to work with fantastic partners from all around the world to do that,' Anais Baker, head of international formats at Amazon MGM Studios, told the unscripted TV panel. Advertisement Michaela Di Mondo, executive vp of distribution, international at Fremantle Canada, at one point directly addressed producers in Banff and urged them to take advantage of American and other international producers looking to forge new partnerships. 'For you guys in the room, producers, this is your time. Here's an opportunity where the world is kind of saying, where else can we work? Where else can we do hub structures. Where else can we do co-productions? How can we cost save where it doesn't mean 'that's too Canadian,' versus look how amazing that was, and the cost was even better,' Di Mondo said. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At Banff, Media Leaders Debate AI as Job Killer
Bing Chen, executive chairman and CEO of Gold House, issued a dire warning on Monday about artificial intelligence: the emerging digital technology stands to eliminate entry-level entertainment industry jobs. 'The notion of replacing entry-level jobs for our children, we have yet to have a solution. Because this is no longer about upscaling. This is about full replacement of you when you were 22, 27 or 28,' Chen told the Banff World Media Festival. More from The Hollywood Reporter Banff: Taye Diggs, Jennifer Whalen to Lead 'New Spanish' Live Script Read (Exclusive) 'Stranger Things' Music Supervisor Nora Felder Joins Banff World Media Festival Board (Exclusive) Chuck Lorre to Keynote Banff World Media Festival But Kevin Johnson, CEO of WPP Media Canada and president and WPP Media, countered the jury was still out on whether AI will cut a swathe through the economy and take over jobs, never to be replaced, or instead could create new opportunities and reshape the workspace. 'I think it's way to early for us to press the button and say our kids are not going to have a job anymore, or worrying about what I feel was the same when computers came in,' Johnson argued during a panel moderated by The Hollywood Reporter's Mikey O'Connell. The panel was held against the background of escalating industry disruption, which includes advertising woes and licensing declines and movie theater uncertainty and a shake-up in streaming. That left global media executives in Banff to unpack the forces transforming the industry, and how they were responding. John Morayniss, CEO of Blink49 Studios, said content creators these days were forced to work with more collaborators and go for increased creative finesse. 'The business of making traditional content is getting harder and harder, and it requires way more partnerships and way more creative ways,' Morayniss said. He pointed to Blink49 Studios making an investment in Stapleview, the Los Angeles-based digital-first comedy producer launched in 2022. 'They have direct relationships with their audience, they understand their audience and they're marketing to their audience,' Morayniss said of Stapleview getting closer to the coal face to mine new viewers for content exploitation. That was a theme picked up by Prentiss Fraser, president of Fox Entertainment Global, who argued having more distribution channels for content at her major studio had helped discover more ways to monetize content in turbulent times. 'There's just a lot of ways to exploit content in our ecosystem that's been created, and then pairing that with the opportunity to build a distribution infrastructure that has the ability to finance projects just seemed like a recipe for great success,' Fraser said. Whether escalating tech innovation, including YouTube and artificial intelligence, industry consolidation, Wall Street market gyrations or just general belt-tightening among content consumers and creators, such economic headwinds and challenges were on the mind of media leaders on stage in Banff. But Gold House's Chen cautioned Banff delegates about getting too caught up in the current debate about whether YouTube can outlast Netflix as the most popular streaming platform amid continuing industry consolidation. We've been here before, he urged. 'Life is so cyclical. It contracts and expands. It contracts and expands, and narratively we are in a similar phase where we were literally a decade ago in 2014, where everyone thinks YouTube is the new hot thing because of time spent,' Chen remarked. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Canadian Industry Rebuffs Trump's DEI Rollback
The Canadian film and TV industry won't be sweeping efforts to boost diversity, equity and inclusion as part of a racial reckoning under the carpet anytime soon in the face of the Donald Trump administration's DEI crackdown. That commitment came Monday at the Banff World Media Festival, where major Canadian broadcasters, producers, guilds and funding agencies unveiled a statement of values to double down on efforts to advance diversity and inclusion in the domestic screen industry to reflect the country's multicultural communities. More from The Hollywood Reporter Trump's Trade War Will Loom Large Over the Banff World Media Fest 'Maxton Hall: The World Between Us' Renewed for Season 3 at Prime Video Stephen Curry, Nicola Coughlan, Patton Oswalt Lead All-Star Voice Cast of Sony's 'GOAT' 'It's holding each other to our promises, our commitments,' Christa Dickenson, CEO of CPAC, Canada's C-SPAN network, told The Hollywood Reporter. The statement of values asserts 'we believe that diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and lived experiences (including those of individuals from diverse racial, sexual, and gender identities and expressions, as well as those with disabilities) lead to stronger, more engaging, and innovative content.' The goal for Canadian media players is to continue reflecting and representing all domestic audiences with a diverse field of programming. 'We commit to actively dismantling systemic discrimination, including racism, ableism, and other forms of oppression, within our organizations and throughout the screen industry,' the statement of values added. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, whose death sparked protests for racial justice, the Canadian film and TV industry, backed by government financing and tax credits, committed itself to greater diversity of creative voices, including new talent from the country's Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities. But the second Trump administration has seen DEI efforts south of the border come under attack, with the U.S. entertainment industry putting efforts to diverse screen content on the back burner. The Canadian industry, after a series of consultations and bargaining, by contrast has looked to press ahead to maintain hard-won equality gains and resist pressures to once again marginalize and erase certain peoples on screen. Joan Jenkinson, CEO of the Black Screen Office, told THR that, at a time of retrenchment in Hollywood from diversity and inclusion efforts, Canada's screen industry is distinct and stepping forward. 'We're doubling down on what we believe and, despite the rhetoric and the vitriol coming from Trump and from other parts of Europe, we're saying we want to be leaders in this space,' she insisted. Jenkinson in her earlier address in Banff on Monday said the Canadian industry would not retreat, and instead will double down on its commitment to diversity and inclusion. 'Today, at Banff, we say this together: Canada's screen industry is not backing down. We're stepping forward.' Around 75 major Canadian industry players and organizations have so far signed the statement of values, and more are expected to come on board after the unveiling in Banff. That effort has been helped by the federal Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, continuing to invest in diverse homegrown talent, in front and behind the camera. And while the Canadian industry made early gains to close a gender gap in the film and TV industry, making strides in advancing and promoting talent from underrepresented Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities has been slower and more incremental. Canadian media players face the same economic headwinds and slimmed-down content budgets that has led some of its American peers to give up on ideals. Against that backdrop, a beneficiary of a shift to supporting underrepresented voices in the domestic industry has been indigenous content creators, which includes producers of the recent Netflix and CBC comedy North of North, starring Anna Lambe. 'As the world's first national Indigenous broadcaster, APTN is proud to be a founding signatory and to help lead this collective step forward. Together, we're shaping a screen industry that is more inclusive, more reflective of the communities we serve, and guided by values that represent us all,' Mike Omelus, CEO of APTN, Canada's indigenous-focused TV network, said in a statement. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Cision Canada
08-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
THE BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL AND PARAMOUNT+ IN CANADA ANNOUNCE 'SEASON TWO' RENEWAL OF BANFF SPARK: PRODUCERS EDITION
The Call for Applications will be announced in August, 2025 BANFF, AB and TORONTO, June 8, 2025 /CNW/ -- The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is pleased to announce that Paramount+ in Canada has renewed the BANFF SPARK Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media: Producers Edition for a second year. The program renewal was announced today during the opening ceremonies of the 46th edition of the Banff World Media Festival, taking place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel from June 8-11, 2025. This national program is open to Canadian women, (including non-binary individuals), from across the country and is aimed at working toward gender parity in the media industry by supporting growth, investment, scaling, and sustainability of women-owned media companies. Twenty-five (25) women who own their own production outfits will participate in: a series of customized, virtual sessions covering high-level aspects of business strategy and planning, finance, and marketing best practices; one-on-one 'concierged' meetings with individuals, and curated sessions during the Banff World Media Festival. They will also benefit from a significant marketing and promotional campaign to help build their business profile in the industry. Participants receive a Banff World Media Festival pass, and a travel stipend to offset costs of attending the Festival. "Paramount+ in Canada has been an incredible and committed partner to advancing gender parity in our industry. This first-of-its-kind program has already generated positive career growth for more than 225 women participants by helping them form strategic partnerships, and hone their business skills. Despite the achievements and progress made, our industry still has work to do in breaking down barriers for women, and especially racialized women, to help them gain a foothold in the global marketplace," says Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director, Banff World Media Festival. "We are honoured to partner with Banff World Media Festival for a second consecutive year to continue the BANFF Spark Program: Producers Edition," said Vanessa Case, Vice President Content, Paramount+, Canada. "Investing in Canada's up and coming producers isn't just the right thing to do—it's a strategic imperative. Inclusive leadership drives innovation, improves decision-making, and ultimately reflects the audiences we serve." BANFF Spark provides business guidance, and a gateway to the Canadian and global film and television industry through the renowned Banff World Media Festival's (BANFF) conference and marketplace. Programmed through an intersectional lens, the initiative has a core mission to empower women of color, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ women, and non-binary individuals to advance both domestically, and across the global media industry. This initiative is the eighth partnership Paramount+ in Canada has announced that reinforces its commitment to inclusivity. In addition to supporting the 2025 and now 2026, the streamer has announced partnerships with the 2024 Reelworld Summit, the, inkcanada to Connect Emerging Writers with Industry Allies; a collaboration with the; a collaboration with the Black Screen Office for the Black Creators Festival Initiative; a joint venture with BIPOC TV & Film and the National Screen Institute Partner for the new ELEVATE program; and partnerships with both The Shine Network Institute (TSNI) for the Indigenous Producers Budgeting Intensive and with the Pacific Screenwriting Program and the Indigenous Screen Office to Create the Indigenous Screenwriters Lab in 2024. About the Banff World Media Festival Now in its 46th year, the Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) and the Rockie Awards host one of the most important global conferences and content development marketplaces - gathering top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press and media companies. BANFF's intimate, retreat-style event serves as a leading destination for development, co-production and co-venture partners and offers an unparalleled opportunity for international decision-makers to connect, map the future of the industry, and execute new business deals. Summit Series keynotes, Master Classes and renowned Showrunner Superpanels feature the industry's most inspiring creative and business leaders and give global profile to the most talked-about shows. The Rockie Awards recognize the best content and most influential entertainment industry executives, talent and creators in the world. BANFF continues to deliver important fellowships and initiatives including: the BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media: Producers Edition, the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, and the Indigenous Screen Summit and Pitch Forum. Together these programs have provided more than 1000 opportunities for under-represented professionals in the Canadian media industry. For more information on the Banff World Media Festival, click here. @banffmedia #BANFFMediaFestival #ROCKIEAWARDS About Paramount+ Paramount+ is a global digital subscription video streaming service from Paramount that features a mountain of premium entertainment for audiences of all ages. Internationally, the streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows, and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including SHOWTIME®, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, and the Smithsonian Channel™, in addition to a robust offering of premier local content. The service currently lives in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and Japan.
