Planning your first project can be a challenging and confusing time. Not knowing where to focus your time, energy or money can lead to half-ideas, miscommunication with your crew and an unfinished product. As a new producer, there is a lot to consider and sometimes you don’t know where to start: story, crew, budget, actors, permits, distribution, and the big picture items that will help you to create and complete your video project. This 4-part course is available for emerging producers who would like to step up their producing game and to help them prepare and plan for their project by charting out the details. Participants should come into the course with a project in mind: a music video, short film or doc, micro-budget web series or micro-budget feature film. It will also feature some guest speakers, practical exercises, breakout sessions, discussions, and mentorship, all toward the goal of being prepared and ready to tackle your project head on.

Workshop cost: $55-185

Instructor: Emily Ramsay is a producer, production manager, and festival director who focuses on local, grassroots storytelling in the Ottawa region. Emily specializes in micro-budget, short and long-form, documentary and narrative projects while freelancing in development, festival strategy, post-production management and producing. Her docu-series “Vs.: Women in Combat Sports”, is in production of its second season and profiles female martial arts and combat sports athletes in the Ottawa region. She is the Executive Director of the Digi60 Filmmakers’ Festival, is a graduate of the Algonquin Scriptwriting and WIFT Media Business Essentials programs, and is a recipient of the CMPA Ontario Production Mentorship, WIFT Connect Mentorship, Toronto Arts Council grant, and City of Ottawa Youth in Culture grant. She is also a producer with AMI, a not-for-profit broadcaster that creates content by and for Canadians who are blind or partially sighted and supports accessible media for people with disabilities.