A first-of-its-kind Northern Canada Producer Accelerator (NCPA) program was announced March 10 for content producers in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, with applications available until the end of the month.
“This is absolutely the first of its kind, which is what makes it so exciting and original,” said Anita Reiss, Administrator for NWTPMA. “We’ve never had a program like this for (northern) producers.”
The program, which itself is produced by Access Canada, will see the the combined efforts of Screen Production Yukon Association (SPYA), Northwest Territories Professional Media Association (NWTPMA), Yukon Media Development (YMD), and the Northwest Territories Film Commission (NWTFC).
As far as offered services, the NCPA will provide training, mentorship, networking, and market access for up to ten content producers in the aforementioned territories.
“It’s for someone who has already sort of taken the first steps into the production world,” Anita Reiss, administrator for NWTPMA said.
Reiss says Access Canada approached NWTPMA in the fall about seeking Canadian-content producers.
“We said ‘absolutely’ — we want to be on board and involved with this.”
“What really sets this program apart is it is only for northern professionals,” she said. “So only producers and creators can apply and its really relevant to Northern productions.”
On top of the joint support the program is receiving, it will also be supported by six national Canadian broadcasters and funders; APTN, Bell Media, Blue Ant Media, CBC, Corus Entertainment, and Rogers Group of Funds.
Overall, Reiss feels like the programs emergence in the north is due to Access Canada’s view of the quality content being done that has few options to break out in the territories.
“I think they realized that there’s a lack of that up here,” said Reiss. “There’s less networking opportunities, there might be less access people and training.”
“I think there’s really an interest in northern content,” she continued. “So authentic northern and authentic northern stories by local talent, there’s really an the interest in that.”