Students Can Sign Up For Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television Membership
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is inviting Toronto Film School students to join its community of more than 4,500 talented industry professionals working in Canada’s film, television, and digital media sectors.
Aimed at students currently enrolled in any full-time post-secondary program related to the media industry, the Academy’s student memberships are just $45 (+HST) a year and grant its holders access to a whole host of advantages, said Katie Elder.
“They’re the future of the industry, so we’re working really hard to engage new, emerging professionals,” said Elder, the Academy’s manager of Programming & Membership.
“We have tons of benefits for students – number one is that they are joining a community of industry professionals from all across Canada. They to step into this community of people who work in every aspect of the industry, and they get to step into all our networking events, and hopefully find their next collaborator and learn something new.”
The Academy is a national, non-profit association dedicated to the “promotion, recognition, and celebration of exceptional achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media.”
While student members are not eligible to vote for the annual Canadian Screen Awards and Les Prix Gemeaux, they are entitled to reap all the other benefits Academy membership entails – including free entry into the Academy’s year-round professional development programming and exclusive screenings.
“All of our Academy members receive free admission to our Academy Talks and Academy Screens series, which are networking and professional development events that we run throughout the year,” Elder said.
“They include moderated panels, keynote speakers and interviews with filmmakers, as well as preview screenings of films that are coming out in the future that we’re excited about.”
In 2018 alone, the Academy helped host close to 100 events, including nine Academy Screens events, 60+ partner screenings across Canada, 15 Academy Talks events, and 12+ panels at the Members Lounge during Canadian Screen Week.
One recent example of a successful panel was the Academy Talks: In the Room with Feature Film Distributors event, which was presented by Boat Rocker Media on June 25 at the Centre for Social Innovation.
Moderated by Lea Marin of the National Film Board of Canada, that event brought together representatives from Pacific Northwest Pictures, Elevation Pictures and D Films Corporation in a discussion about the future of feature film distribution in Canada. The panelists were also able to offer members in attendance some tricks to pitching and selling their projects, advice as to what distributors are looking for and how to find the sales agent for their projects, as well as other useful tips.
Another event sure to be popular is the upcoming Academy Talks: Ways & Means | Setting the Look, slated to take place Aug. 13 at Toronto City Hall featuring music director Cazhhmere, Handmaid’s Tale colorist Bill Ferwerda, Panavision Image Technology Specialist Thomas Rose, and cinematographer Stuart Campbell.
During that event, the diverse panel will discuss the technologies and techniques that go into creating “vibrant and distinct” looks, including memorable cinematography, cameras and lenses, and colouring.
“We have a broad range of members with different experience levels who work in different facets – we have directors and producers, but we also have costume designers and actors, and Foley artists and editors,” Elder said.
“So, we try to program our events to reflect that diversity. We really try to touch upon all those different topics and hope that people will come out and learn something new.”
During Canadian Screen Week – which this year will take place March 23-29, 2019 – Academy members are also eligible for discounted tickets to gala events, as well as free access to the Academy’s Members Lounge, which Elder said hosts five days of all-day industry programming.
“Leading up to our live broadcast of Canadian Screen Awards gala on the CBC, we have a whole hub of people coming together in our Members Lounge all week,” she said.
“We have panel discussions, in-conversations with our award winners, daily networking cocktails, complimentary luncheons and happy hours, and lots of other cool stuff like that.”
The Academy, in partnership with ACTRA, also offers a multitude of additional benefits, discounts and special offers through the Members’ Advantage Program, including:
– automotive discounts on Zipcar, Discount;
– clothing and apparel discounts on brands such as John Fluevog, m0851, Australian Boot Company, and the Source Shop;
– fitness and recreation discounts at several gyms, and pilates and yoga studios, including Mansfield Club Athletique, Union Yoga + Wellness, and the MNJCC Fitness Centre, among others;
– travel and hotel discounts, including VIA Rail Canada, the Beverly Hilton and Toronto Bloor-Yorkville Marriott;
– discounts on industry publications such as The Hollywood Reporter, Playback, Screen Daily, and IMDB Pro;
– 20 per cent discounts on books at Indigo, Chapters, Coles and IndigoSpirit stores across Canada;
– and exclusive free admission to Canadian films at Cineplex Odeon, Famous Players, and Galaxy Theatres.
“Student membership is definitely something we’re putting more effort into growing this year, as we work to help bridge that gap for students between going to school and joining the industry,” Elder said.
For more information on student memberships at the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, go to https://www.academy.ca/members/eligibility/
