In French Only

Information and registration:
https://festwaveinstitute.com/courses/web-tv-series

Montreal, August 12, 2024 – By popular demand and noting the almost total absence of Afro-descendant screenwriters in the audiovisual sector, the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Festwave Institute is launching a new free training workshop on screenwriting for short fiction series (Web and TV). The training, which stems from the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Being Black in Canada incubator, presented by Netflix in collaboration with the National Bank, aims to accelerate the mass inclusion of Black artists behind the camera in Canada.

This initiative will give eight young Afro-descendant screenwriters a chance to develop and refine a short series project and provide them with all the information and training necessary to present their work to a production house (Pitch) and, eventually, a broadcaster. The implementation of this project is entrusted, by outsourcing, to la Société des auteur.e.trice.s de radio, télévision et cinéma (SARTEC) and its instructor, Dominique Drouin.

An English-language writing program will be announced shortly.

“If we want to avoid clichés and have authentic stories that reflect the true reality of black communities on screen, we must necessarily have the eyes and point of view of black screenwriters and authors. Because authors, having great power behind the camera, influence the perspective from which the story is told and the choice of actors to represent and tell that story.  We’re delighted that SARTEC has agreed to work with us on this brand-new Festwave Institute French-language training program that will change our industry,” says Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s Festwave Institute.

The application period will open on August 12 and close on August 28, 2024, with successful candidates notified by September 6. The training period (42 hours of lessons and 2 hours of individual support) will take place over seven weeks, from September 14 to November 3, 2024. You can find the selection criteria and application form at:  https://festwaveinstitute.com/courses/web-tv-series.

The Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF) works tirelessly to assist young Black filmmakers, actors, and producers in entering the audio-visual world, learning professionalization, and propelling their careers. Thanks to the Fabienne Colas Foundation’s incubator program Being Black in Canada, presented by Netflix in collaboration with the National Bank of Canada, around thirty young Black filmmakers across the country are able to create and produce their first short film. To date, over 100 films have been produced in conjunction with Being Black in Canada. This year, the FCF expanded the project by offering a series of à la carte workshops to meet specific needs identified by the industry. This spring, the FCF held its first course in dubbing, with plans for a second course in early 2025.  Plans to add additional courses, such as screenwriting, are already underway.

This training program is made possible thanks to funding from the Ecosystem Fund for Black entrepreneurs and business owners across Canada through the Government of Canada and the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED).

About the instructor Dominique Drouin:

An experienced screenwriter, Dominique Drouin has collaborated on several television projects aimed at various audiences including: L’école, Motel Monstre, Ramdam, Théo, Watatatow, Ent’Cadieux, Les Grands Procès, Parents malgré tout, Le Grand Remous, and Terre Humaine. From 2022 to 2023, she published her trilogy of novels, Le club des dames d’argent. Working with Anne Boyer, she co-wrote many Yamaska, combining her skills in both television and literary writing. Drouin also lectures in the University of Quebec in Montreal in their television department, where she has taught TV scriptwriting since 2009. She has been offering occasional training at SARTEC for three years.

About the Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF):

The Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF) is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to building bridges and advancing education through the arts, as well as supporting the creation, production, promotion, and dissemination of cinema, arts, and culture in Canada and beyond. To fulfill its mission, the Foundation has established 12 festivals and programs aimed at breaking barriers, celebrating diversity, and fostering community, understanding, and inclusion. Since its creation in 2005, FCF’s initiatives/festivals have showcased and supported over 5,000 artists, attracting millions of festival-goers in Canada, the United States, Haiti, and Brazil. The Foundation primarily promotes Black culture in Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, New York City, and Salvador de Bahia (Brazil); and Quebec culture in Port-au-Prince. The FCF is also the creator of the program Being Black in Canada, the largest Canadian incubator dedicated to Black filmmakers.

About the Festwave Institute:

The Festwave Institute, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, aims to eliminate the obstacles faced by professionals in the film and television industry and help them build successful and sustainable careers. The Institute provides Black entrepreneurs and other underrepresented creators in the film industry with the tools, skills, and resources needed to succeed and be independent in an industry predominantly led by White individuals. With customized workshops, roundtable discussions, lectures, hands-on learning, mentoring, networking opportunities, presentation opportunities, access to equipment, business skills, and mentorship programs, Festwave Instituted provides everything Black professionals need to learn, grow, connect, and advance their careers in film and television, both online and in the field.

About SARTEC:

SARTEC’s mission is to defend the economic, artistic and professional rights and interests of French-language authors in Quebec and Canada, and to promote their profession and its fundamental role in the cultural industry and society.

Since October 1989, it has been recognized as the association representing French-language authors in the film industry by the Commission de reconnaissance des associations d’artistes et des associations de producteurs (CRAAAP).

SARTEC was certified in January 1996 by the Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal as the exclusive bargaining agent for French-language authors working in radio, television, film and audiovisual. For more information, visit https://sartec.qc.ca/.

About the Ecosystem Fund for Black Entrepreneurs and Business Owners in Canada:

The goal of the Ecosystem Fund is to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs and business owners across Canada. It allows not-for-profit Black-led organizations to develop new services or expand those they already offer such as mentorship, networking, financial planning, and business training for Black entrepreneurs. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3rA0dOz.

About DEC – Economic Development Canada for Quebec Regions:

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)’s mission is to promote the long-term economic development of the regions of Quebec by giving special attention to those where slow economic growth is prevalent or opportunities for productive employment are inadequate. For more information, visit DEC | About DEC (canada.ca).

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For more information, contact the Festwave Institute:

Réal Barnabé: r.barnabe@fondationfabiennecolas.org

Press relations, interview requests and additional information:
Groupe À l’infini – Martine Girard – +819.378.1195 – info@alinfini.ca