Filmmaker Tools
DOC Business Concierge
DOC’s Business Concierge program is a national, bilingual consultancy service providing on-demand, one-on-one support for under-represented documentary creators actively developing, producing, and distributing their content.
For the current edition of this program, “under-represented” is defined as: Black, Indigenous, People of Colour and / or racialized creators, those living in remote areas of Canada (remote being defined as one’s primary residence being 150 km from cities of over 500 000 people), creators living with a disability, creators who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and those who have arrived in Canada within the last 24 months.
DOC Business Concierge provides filmmakers with the opportunity to sign up for a free consultation session with a veteran producing consultant, in order to get project-specific advice telling them exactly what they need to know, precisely when they need it most.
Whether one is preparing to pitch a project for production, trying to think through all the various financing scenarios, or trying to marry the creative story with production realities in Canada, producers receive valuable counsel to ensure that their project is on the right path and to avoid costly mistakes. More broadly, this program seeks to develop documentary filmmakers who have been historically under-represented in our sector by building their capacity and growing their experience.
Participation in this program is open to any DOC member who identifies as one or an intersection of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, People of Colour and / or racialized creators, those living in remote areas of Canada (remote being defined as one’s primary residence being 150 km from cities of over 500 000 people), people living with a disability, people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and those who have arrived in Canada within the last 24 months.
Both the Director and Producer need identify as one of this program’s priority communities in order to participate.
DOC Business Concierge was originally conceived as a pilot program for BIPOC creators funded by Ontario Creates, and then expanded into a National, bilingual program financed by the Canada Media Fund. The first two rounds of this program supported 80 participants with free consultation sessions in 2022 and 2023.
This current edition of DOC Business Concierge is funded by WBD Warner Access Canada and will support 30 participants between June and November 2023. Based on feedback from DOC members across the country, participation in this edition has been opened up to a wider spectrum of DOC members who have faced systemic barriers to their success in the industry.
Please note that DOC Business Concierge program is exclusively available for first-time participants.
WE HAVE 2 GOALS
1
Grow the number of production companies owned by documentary creators who identify as one or more intersections of BIPOC, remote, living with a disability, 2SLGBTQIA+ and new Canadians.
2
Support DOC’s BIPOC, remote, disabled, 2SLGBTQIA+ and new Canadian members in the creation of their creative work
our CONSULTAnts
DOC Business Concierge provides free on-demand, one-on-one sessions with a veteran producer consultant over zoom. Once the consultant has reviewed the project to ensure it is an eligible fit for this program, you will be invited to sign up for a consultation session.
Leena Minifie (Gitxaala/British) is a film, television, impact producer and digital strategist in Vancouver, BC. Notable projects include Bones of Crows, four-part series and interactive digital timeline British Columbia – An Untold History, interactive web art Sense of Home (Best New Media ImagineNative 2012), and ?E?anx ‘The Cave’ (Sundance Festival 2011, TIFF Top Ten 2011).
Marketing campaigns include Indian Horse, The Grizzlies, Monkey Beach, Night Raiders, Run Woman Run, Shadow of Dumont, The New Corporation: An Unfortunately Necessary Sequel and Coextinction. Leena is both a BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women and Bell Reelworld Producer’s Program fellow. She recently acquired the rights to adapt the Canada reads winning novel, Jonny Appleseed.
Leena’s areas of consultation:
- How to identify audiences and broader scope audiences for your films – based on interests and psychographic (this will help pitching)
- What is the core messages, and social themes in your film (and how to keep that centre)
- If you need to do Indigenous protocol – what does that look like?
- Trauma-informed filmmaking questions and assistance
- How to interest sales agents, distributors, and funders in your film
- How to shoot and make lists of assets, BTS, and EPK materials for marketing your film
film marketing in general (domestic, international) - Impact campaign strategy for people’s films ( and budgeting around this)
- Campaign strategy for post-film-festival release
Media and content creation enthusiast. I’ve work in the industry for over fifteen years. I started my career in Paris before landing in Montreal in 2011.
That’s where I collaborated on many projects acclaimed locally and internationally. Like-Moi, LOOV (sexual education for young people), Téodore pas de H, a series selected at CANNESERIES, and more recently, while I was at Zone3, the youth project L’effet secondaire. I also must mention my work as project director at Urbania on the webdocumentary Fort McMoney and at Ideacom International on the acclaimed series Apocalypse, la 1ère Guerre mondiale.
Being passionate about digital platforms and new formats, I also enjoy working on linear content. From the initial concept to marketing, through financing, creation of multidisciplinary teams and implementation of customized production strategies, I’m comfortable with every aspect of a project.
I’m a freelance now, collaborating with various production companies, in French or English, either in production or consulting on development of creative concepts, digital art projects or multiplatform strategies.
I provide active support to young talents and since this year I’m a volunteer mentor in media production in schools with Fusion Jeunesse organization. Member of the Committee equity and inclusion of XN Québec, I took part on several occasions in activities to support BIPOC women with FCTNM.
At DOC business Concierge, I would like to offer my assistance in:
- Developing concepts
- Financing demands
- Multiplatform projects production
- Marketing strategies and discoverability plan
how to book
Enter your project here, and DOC will schedule a meeting with your consultant once you have received confirmation of your eligibility.
*Business Concierge is currently not accepting applications.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This program is open to any DOC member who identifies as:
a) Indigenous peoples of Canada:
- First Nations
- Inuit
- Métis
b) Racialized Communities:
- Black people: people who trace their roots to Sub-Saharan Africa including those with origins in the United
States, Caribbean and Latin America - People of colour: people who are not Caucasian or of European descent who are descendant from one or
more of the following communities:- Latin Americans (Latino, Latina, Latinx)
- Middle-Easterns and North Africans
- South Asians
- Southeast Asians
- East Asians
- Indigenous people from outside of Canada (from Oceania, United States, Northern Europe and
Pacific Islands) - Multiracial (a combination of any of the above categories or any of the above categories with
Caucasian or European ancestry)
c) People living in remote areas of Canada
- People whose primary residence is 150 km from cities of over 500 000 people
d) People living with a disability
e) People who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+
You can easily join DOC by selecting the membership category that best suits your needs. If you are an Indigenous, Black or racialized creator, you can join DOC for free!
DOC Staff will review your submission for eligibility. You will then be sent a link to book your Consultation at a time that is convenient to you, via Calendly.
DOC Business Concierge offers one two-hour session with your consultant.
Once you are approved for the program, you will receive a link via email to book your session via Calendly. Don’t worry, you don’t need a Calendly account to make a booking! Simply follow the link and select a date and time that works best for you.
Once you select, you will receive an appointment in your preferred personal calendar. This will include a Zoom link, which is how you will access your consultation on the date you have selected.
On the day of your consultation, click the Zoom link provided in your calendar booking. You do NOT need to have a Zoom account to launch this window. You will have the option to speak with your Consultant via video conference, or just using voice.
SPECIAL THANKS TO
