A pan-Canadian partnership with the CSC is an opportunity to improve access to opportunity in the film and television industry, increase the talent pool, build new audiences, build relationships with the community, and prepare for advancing technology. We are investing in four program areas:
One. Building a bridge
Building a bridge between people in marginalized communities and the film and television industry will allow a pipeline of new talent to be created.
The bridge will:
- Be the path of community outreach and recruitment by the industry into marginalized communities
- Be a path for underrepresented talent to access the industry
- Provide a space for new talent to prepare for entry into internship and mentorship programs
- Build sustainable relationships with community and industry stakeholders
The bridge will be the way in which the industry can increase the talent coming into the pipeline. The CSC Membership structure allows us to:
- Offer ongoing support to people recruited in marginalized communities across the country
- Provide a pathway to building a network within the industry
Building a bridge detail
Two. Education
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We can seize the moment to foster a significant growth of diversity in the industry by reaching out across the country and offering and providing opportunities to be part of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers trailblazing Education Program, which is made up of four components: internship, mentorship, the CSC Live virtual series and an in-person Workshop Series on six topics.
CSC Intern Program
Our internship goal is to facilitate industry-led learning opportunities with the eye to providing practical job skills, offering a 12-week paid program that includes 3 4-week placements:
- In a rental house
- On the set of a live production
- In a post-production facility
The placements above will be supplemented by union courses, such as the set-etiquette courses. We see the mentorship program as a long-term effort with measurable results.
The CSC will help many young and aspiring cinematographers by driving content to directly help their careers, as well as gain a wider audience around the world, expanding reach and influence in the cinematography industry.
If you’d like information on how to sponsor an intern click here.
CSC Mentorship Program
Part of building a bridge between diverse communities is the CSC mentorship program. Developed and initiated on a volunteer basis by CSC members and aimed at reducing barriers especially for Black, Indigenous, people of colour and women, it runs twice a year and offers mentees a minimum of 10 hours with a CSC member over six months. For its spring 2021 sessions, the CSC received 111 applications and currently has 80 mentor/mentee relationships in place. To respond to the level of interest, the CSC needs support for the program to:
- Provide sensitivity and unconscious bias training to all program participants once a year, with each new session of mentees undergoing training
- Hire a part-time administrator to help run the program, recruiting mentees, help drafting correspondence, communicate with program participants, do mentor/mentee pairings
- Evaluate the program
- Provide regular updates to program sponsors and CSC leadership
- Provide training to all program participants once a year, with each new session of mentees undergoing training
We see the mentorship program as a long-term effort with measurable results.
If you’d like information on how to become a Mentorship or Member Sponsor, click here.
Workshops
In addition to partnering with CSC sponsor companies to present discussion events regarding current technology and applications, the CSC has developed its own highly regarded series of specialist training, including:
- Technology and process modules related to cameras, lenses, lightning
- Core fundamental workshops for entry level cinematographers
- Extensive high-level modules for Camera Assistants
- Imaging and lighting workshops for people of various skill levels in film/tv production, commercials, and documentaries
- Advanced workshops led by full member cinematographers for skill progression
- Introductory workshops for actors and others for understanding on-set interplay with a camera team
Online Education
CSC Fundamentals Series: 10 episodes
CSC Insight Series: 10 episodes
CSC Presents … 15 episodes
CSC Audio File Podcast: 26 episodes
CSC Walk-Throughs: Special Presentations
Three. Creating an environment for advancing technology
PAUL BRONFMAN, CHAIR CSC THE FUTURE IS CALLING CAMPAIGN
CSC wants to ensure equal access to the technology that will dominate the industry’s future. In addition to partnering with CSC sponsors to present events on advancing technology and its applications, the CSC is developing its own series of advancing technology workshops, which are continually evolving, and the content of which is being determined by CSC members who are currently working on advanced VP sets and understand the kind of specific training necessary. Each session would be conducted in several locations across the country over three years.
Four. Creating Spaces
The Future is Calling Campaign is about creating spaces for partnership and learning to flourish. With the creation of a Western Hub, a Central Gathering Space joining the central Education Space, we will have a pan-Canadian capacity to creating the content for educational programming, coordinating its mentorship and internship program, and providing a trusted channel of information on advancing technology, as well as a gathering place for members, interns, mentees, and the industry personnel to gather
Vancouver
The CSC – Sim Education and Gathering Space
3645 Grandview Hwy, Vancouver, BC V5M 2G7
(Provided gratis by Sim, our Vancouver space has room for or meeting, hosting, receiving guests and for conducting workshops, screenings, events, and staff offices)
Toronto
The CSC – WFW Education Space
800 Islington Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M8Z 6A1
(Provided gratis by William F White, the Toronto education space has room for training, workshops, and education activity)
The CSC Gathering Space
TBA – 1500 square feet for hosting events, receptions, members meeting spots, and staff offices
Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, Atlantic Canada
Satellite offices staffed by a regional coordinator will be created in each region to create the content for educational programming, coordinate mentorship and internship programs, and provide a trusted channel of information on advancing technology,