2016 Bell Media Executive Producer Accelerator Lab Now Accepting Applications

– Annual two-part program provides enhanced training to Canada's next generation of
executive producers –

– Applications accepted until Nov. 6, 2015; program begins Jan. 11, 2016 –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1FTtckK  

TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2015 Bell Media announced today that applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Bell Media Executive Producer Accelerator Lab. Part of the $11.6 million Bell Media TV Skills and Film Development Initiative, the two-part program provides mid-level television producers with unique hands-on training to assist their career advancement within Canada's television industry. Those wishing to apply should visit BellMedia.ca and submit an application by Friday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. ET. The program begins Monday, Jan. 11, 2016.

"Since its inception, the Bell Media Executive Producer Accelerator Lab has helped more than a dozen participants further their careers in the television industry," said Corrie Coe, SVP, Independent Production, Bell Media. "We are pleased to once again provide aspiring Executive Producers with an inside look at the operations of a Canadian broadcaster as well as honing the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in this role."

Past participants have been enjoying busy and productive careers since completing the Executive Producer Accelerator Lab. Following her apprenticeship at Shaftesbury Films, Jennifer Pun (2014 participant) has been co-producing the feature film The Void and working with Camillion Corp. on its development slate, which includes a Will Sasso project currently in development with Bell Media. Joey Case (2015 participant) has been promoted to Creative Director and Executive Producer at Essential Media Canada, and has become an equity partner in the company. Jennifer Little (2015 participant) has been working in an Executive Producer role at RTR pitching shows to broadcasters, digital arts portals, and working on the business affairs side of the business as well.

The Bell Media Executive Producer Accelerator Lab is comprised of two components:

Broadcaster Internship

The broadcaster internship trains up to six producers in a group-based curriculum during a six-week internship at Bell Media's Toronto headquarters. Participants are exposed to the fundamental operations of a Canadian multi-platform broadcaster while learning more about the business model and economics of Canadian television production and its relationship to broadcasting through hands-on sessions with internal departments, panel discussions with industry experts, and exploration of case studies and coaching sessions.

Production Apprenticeship

Following the broadcaster internship, two participants will be selected for a specialized 8-10 month apprenticeship with a top independent Canadian production company or Bell Media In-House Productions. This placement will span of the life of one program cycle and is intended to expose the participant to the Executive Producer's role and responsibilities, and provide meaningful access to the day-to-day running of a large-scale series. Companies that have hosted participants previously include Force Four Entertainment, marblemedia, RTR Media, Shaftesbury, and Temple Street Productions.

Applicants for the Bell Media Executive Producer Accelerator Lab must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants over the age of 19. Applicants must have a minimum of five years' experience in production, business affairs, legal, marketing, distribution, and/or development, and a minimum of five production credits in video, film, or other multimedia projects.

About the Bell Media TV and Film Skills Development Initiative
The $11.6 million Bell Media TV Skills and Film Development Initiative is a suite of national mentoring and promotional programs, which ensure a comprehensive range of training for writers, producers, directors, and showrunners in the Canadian television and film industry at different stages of their careers. Currently, five of these multi-year initiatives are exclusively funded by Bell Media. The program supports the Banff World Media Festival, the Bell Media Diverse Screenwriters Program (Writers Guild of Canada) for emerging and mid-career writers from diverse backgrounds who intern in a writing room of a Bell Media TV series; the Bell Media Primetime TV Program (Canadian Film Centre), which provides series development for TV writers; the Bell Media Executive Producer Accelerator Lab, which provides immersive and experiential broadcast and production experience for mid-level producers; the NSI Totally Television Program (National Screen Institute), a training course for writers, producers, and showrunners to hone concepts with the goal of landing a development deal with a broadcaster; and the Telefilm Talent Fund (Telefilm), which helps fund and promote films from emerging and established filmmakers.

About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, and MASTERCHEF CANADA. Among the original scripted series on Bell Media pay and specialty channels are the internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK, the smash-hit thriller BITTEN, Space's most-watched original series KILLJOYS, Bravo's most-watched original drama 19-2, award-winning dramedy SENSITIVE SKIN, and upcoming cult comedy, LETTERKENNY. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to hit factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others.

About Bell Media
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 34 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out of Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 13,500 advertising faces in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with premium subscription on-demand streaming service CraveTV, as well as its innovative GO video streaming services including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital startup Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

SOURCE Bell Media

Shannon Smithson, Bell Media, 416.384.2725 or [email protected]