SHOW ME THE MONEY! ~ Funding and Support for Film, Television and Digital Content
Since the violent death of George Floyd on May 25, the Black Lives Matter movement has experienced a climax in the United States, Canada and across Europe. Black communities of all generations have spoken loud and clear about the widespread mistreatment of them. At a time when questions are still strongly present and, in all circles, the world is turned this time on the side of decision-makers in the arts and culture. How do distributors of Canadian and Ontario public funds ensure that funding, support and programs continue to be created and made available to Black and racialized artists in the film and television industry?
Panel 3. Moderator: Lana Lovell a Writer, Producer and Director
Lana Lovell is a writer, producer and director whose career has spanned three decades.Born in England, Lana is of Jamaican and Guyanese ancestry. She has made a career in factual and fictional storytelling dedicated to exploring the lives and times of Black folk across multiple media platforms and continents. Some of her more memorable experiences as a director, producer and writer include works: The CBC series The George Stroumboulopoulos Hour, the Omni television documentary Resilience, the Bravo musical documentary The Incomparable Jackie Richardson, the award-winning documentary Underground, and the Bravo documentary series Caribbean Tales. Lana owns and operates Gloria Grethel Inc., an independent production company based in Toronto, Canada.She is the creator and producer of the theatrical play Elbow Room, as well as, the writer and producer of the digital media theatre production of The Sophia Pooley Years.
The Harold Greenberg Fund/ Bell: Alan Bacchus, Programs Manager
As Programs Manager at Bell Media’s Harold Greenberg Fund, Alan is responsible for managing the Script Development Program, the Short-to-Features Program and other Fund initiatives. Alan oversees the adjudication process and works closely with the Fund’s clients to ensure the creative and administrative needs of both the Fund and the individual projects are met. Prior to the Fund worked at the Canadian Film Centre, Capri Films, and Norflicks Productions, in a number of development and production capacities. As a filmmaker Alan has produced and directed a number of short films. Alan is also a Board Member of imagineNATIVE.
The Shaw Rocket Fund: Agnes Augustin, President & CEO
Agnes Augustin has been the driving force behind Shaw Rocket Fund’s commitment to quality youth and children’s programming since 2004. Her dedication to increasing the profile of the Canadian youth and children’s media industry can be seen through the Fund’s activities and strategic global partnerships.Prior to joining Shaw Rocket Fund, Agnes held senior positions with both Telefilm Canada and Country Music Television (Corus Entertainment). Additionally, Agnes has consulted for PwC, the BC Economic Development Association and many more.
