Business Affairs
Learn By Doing Series

The Canadian Independent Screen Fund, in partnership with BIPOC TV & FilmCreatives EmpoweredVancouver International Asian Film Festival and our allies: The Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative and Film PEI.

Led by Michelle Wong, the Learn by Doing Series are interactive teaching sessions with a set curriculum. Each session is delivered in modules, deep diving into the business of production.

Session 1: Budgets: Development and Production

Viewers will learn how to build a development budget, as well as what goes into a production budget. Viewers will learn how to calculate producer overheads and what is allowed for Producer’s fees.

Session 2: Financing

Viewers will learn how to structure a range of financing scenarios. This session covers interim financing, tax credit calculations, funding sources, and distribution/broadcast licensing.

Session 3: Cost Reports and Accounting

Viewers will learn about accounting practices, how to track and code costs. This session covers related party transactions and implications on multiple shareholders or partnerships.  This session ties back to the first session and test learning and/or growth.

About The Facilitator

Michelle Wong began her formal film training at the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada working with the Oscar award-winning Studio D.  Michelle’s production credits cross all formats, from television movies to feature length documentaries, performing arts specials and features. Her most recent credits include Executive Producer on the documentaries Undetectable: How Stigma Has Gone Viral in the Fight against HIV (Snapshot Studios/Telus Originals), Business Affairs on the features El Chicano, Come True, Global Meltdown and on the scripted television projects produced by Seven24 Films: Heartland (CBC), Jann (CTV), Family Law (Corus), Fortunate Son (CBC), and Wynonna Earp (CTV/Sci-fi).

Michelle is also a founding member of Creatives Empowered, Alberta’s first and only non-profit collective representing film, tv, media and arts professionals – from emerging to established –  who are Black, Indigenous & People of Colour.

About The Program

This is the second in a series of professional development programs and clinics that will be run by the CISF to build capacity among BPOC producers  to manage their own budgets, finances and paperwork in order to retain control of their IP.

Canada Media Fund | Fonds Des Médias Du Canada

This program is created with support from the Canada Media Fund.