I READ WITH INTEREST Mario Mota’s article on the golden opportunity for Canadian TV. There is no question that the tens of millions of dollars flowing to Canadian production is a great thing.
The question that comes to my mind is: will this massive increase in funds have the hoped for lasting effect on the Canadian Broadcasting system?
When I look out at the future of the industry, I wonder who are going to be the next outstanding producers and storytellers? Where are they are going to learn their craft and what will the industry have done to ensure their ongoing success?
Training is a big part of the answer. It’s not enough to simply be spending money on production without a view to developing the next generation of storytellers. In our industry, success is about content and creation. Content creators need to be nurtured and trained if they are to succeed.
Right now we have a golden opportunity to not only develop great Canadian programming but also to continue to develop great Canadian storytellers. There has never been a better time for our industry to invest in training.
John Gill
CEO
National Screen Institute
