OTTAWA — The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) announced the first speakers lined up for the Prime Time 2020 conference to be held January 29-31 in Ottawa.
The speakers who have been announced include:
- Soumya Sriraman — Founding President & CEO, BritBox
- Craig Engler — General Manager, Shudder
- Catherine Tait — President & CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada
- Amal Baggar — Vice-President, Scripted Programming, NBCUniversal International Studios
- Madeline Buxton — Culture & Trends Manager, YouTube
- Nataline Rodrigues — Director of Original Programming, Rogers Media
- Christa Dickenson — Executive Director, Telefilm Canada
- Andrew Peterson — Head of Content Partnerships, Canada, YouTube
- Valerie Creighton — President & CEO, Canada Media Fund
- Gave Lindo — Executive Director of OTT Programming, CBC
- Zach Feldberg — Executive in Charge of Production, Digital Originals, CBC
- Sam Linton — Head of Original Content, Canadian Media, Blue Ant Media
- Jennifer Morrison — Actress, Producer and Director
- Samantha Thomas — Executive Producer
- Ashley Levinson — Chief Strategy Officer, BRON Studios
- Noreen Halpern — CEO, Halfire Entertainment
- Erin Haskett — President & Executive Producer, Lark Productions
- Austin Long — Vice-President, Gaming Partnerships & Strategy, Omnia Media, a Blue Ant Media company
- Amy Cameron — Co-founder, Cameron Pictures
- Agnes Augustin — President & CEO, Shaw Rocket Fund
- Robert C. Cooper — Creator/Executive Producer, Mezo Entertainment
Prime Time 2020 organizers also announced applications are being accepted for Prime Time Throwdown. This year, four finalists will be selected to take the stage and pitch their projects for a chance to win up to $35,000 in-kind post-production and marketing services from Stamp Audio and Innovate by Day. All four finalists will also receive free passes to Prime Time. The application and selection process will be focused on the primary criteria of innovative and immersive cross-platform strategies for audience engagement, audience building and marketing. The application deadline is January 6, 2020. To apply for Prime Time Throwdown, click here.
In addition, applications are now open for the Writers Room at Prime Time, which aims to give professionals with an interest in the business and craft of screenwriting valuable knowledge and tools to get their idea from the page to the screen. The Writers Room will consist of three practical sessions, all taking place during the Thursday and Friday of the conference. The application deadline for the Writers Room is also January 6. To apply for the Writers Room at Prime Time, click here.
The three Writers Room practical sessions are:
SESSION 1: HOW TO SELL YOURSELF AS A WRITER
- Hosted by screenwriter/director/producer and Pacific Screenwriting Program showrunner Robert C. Cooper (Unspeakable, Dark Matter, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Stargate).
SESSION 2: HOW TO PACKAGE YOUR PROJECT
- Hosted by producer Samantha Thomas (Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Once Upon a Time) and actor/director/producer Jennifer Morrison (Euphoria, Sun Dogs, Glee), who has also starred in This Is Us, Once Upon a Timeand
SESSION 3: HOW TO PITCH YOUR GREAT IDEA
- Participants will meet with producers and broadcasters to gain a deeper understanding of how to build a productive and collaborative working relationship that will bring your great idea to the screen.
For more information about hotel and travel deals, sponsorship opportunities, and registering for Prime Time 2020, click here.
