THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IS OPEN

Application deadline: August 31, 2021

Women in Film & Television Vancouver (WIFTV), in association with the Whistler Film Festival (WFF) announce the 10th consecutive MARKET PREPARATION MENTORSHIP.

WIFTV and Whistler Film Festival (WFF) are pleased to offer this development program to provide a producer, director or writer to take a feature film or limited series project to market. 

The chosen mentee will receive a 2021 WFF Premium Industry Pass to attend the 2021 Whistler Film Festival + Summit, December 1 – 5, 2021 (if able to proceed in-person; online dates and times vary), as well as a personalized coaching session with an experienced producer prior to the festival. This private coaching session will cover several topics to prepare the Mentee to pitch their project(s) during the 1+1 on meetings during the 2021 WFF Content + Summit.

The goal of the mentorship will be to provide the recipient with experience in preparing their project pitch for presentation to potential collaborators, funders and partners. The recipient will feel more confident and informed in regards to the preparation required and how to best present their ideas. The recipient will receive valuable insight into building their career and may maintain a relationship with their mentor past the Festival period.

Prior to the Festival, the mentee will participate in personal coaching sessions with a local Executive Producer/Marketing Executive mentor personally chosen by the WFF and approved by WIFTV. 

Topics for personalized coaching may include:

• Creating a one sheet.
• Pitching advice.
• Who is buying what?
• Who to target with your project.
• How to add cache and marketable elements to your project.
• How to build an audience for the project/marketing 101

Following the personalized coaching session, the mentee will attend at least three 1+1 meetings with Summit guests to pitch their project. It is expected that the mentee will enhance their experience by engaging in both the Festival and WIFTV social media channels. 

Sophie Kokott was our 2020 Mentee. Read the release here.

REVIEW PROCESS:

Applications will be reviewed and selected by a jury of independent industry professionals and WFF representatives and will be announced by WIFTV in early October.

 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be a WIFTV Experienced or Early Career/Student member (woman producer, director or writer) in good standing (may join at time of application).
• Must have a feature film project or a limited series project (documentary or fiction) in development suitable to pitch at the festival.
• Must be available to attend the 2021 Whistler Film Festival in December (if able to proceed in-person, the festival will take place Dec. 1 – Dec. 5, 2021; online dates and times vary).
• Must write a blog post for WIFTV and Whistler Film Festival during the Festival dates.
• Must participate in social media engagement for the promotion of the festival and programs.
• Must complete a final report within two weeks of the mentorship completion to be submitted to both WFF and WIFTV.
• Must have paid the registration fee ($30 plus GST).

HOW TO APPLY:

Register above and make your payment online: $30 + $1.50 GST = $31.50.

Email operations@womeninfilm.ca with “WFF Mentorship” in the subject line and attaching a single PDF document that includes:

• A one-page synopsis of your feature film project
• Your CV
• A one-page description of the project’s development history to date, and listing any attached key creatives (include bio/info links, if possible)
• A one-page letter outlining how you and your project will benefit from the mentorship

The Whistler Film Festival Society is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, industry and audiences in Whistler. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.