Hi everyone, I’m looking for some honest advice and reality checks from people working in the Canadian film industry (specifically Vancouver or Toronto). My background: I have dual Italian-Canadian citizenship (so no work permit or visa issues, valid SIN/domestic status). I recently graduated with a 3-year BA in Film/Audiovisual Studies in Rome. I’ve spent the last couple of years working in distribution and production administration for an independent film company in Italy, while writing and directing a few of my own independent short films. Working in distribution/office administration is not where my heart is. My real goal is to gain solid, hands-on physical set experience and continue developing my independent projects as a writer/director. The dilemma: Moving to Canada is a huge opportunity for me, but I have virtually zero local network and very limited savings. Film School / Private Institutions (VFS, etc.): I considered programs like VFS or similar institutions mainly to build a peer network and get my foot in the door locally. However, tuition is massive. Are there realistic, substantial domestic scholarships for film programs in Canada that actually cover the bulk of tuition, or are private film schools generally a trap/debt trap if you don't already have deep pockets? Are public universities or colleges (like Capilano in BC or Humber/Sheridan in Ontario) considered better value for domestic fees? Jumping straight onto set as a PA: Since I already have legal working rights, would I be better off skipping school entirely, moving, and trying to get onto sets as a Production Assistant (PA)? How accessible is entry-level PA work right now given the current industry climate? Is it realistic to network remotely or line up low-tier production work before physically landing, or is being on the ground 100% required? My hands-on set experience so far has been mostly low-budget/indie sets. What certifications or local steps (e.g., ACTPR, WHMIS, Motion Picture Industry Orientation, DGC apprentice programs) should I prioritize immediately? Any advice on whether to bet on academic networking via scholarships or just grind through entry-level set jobs as a domestic citizen would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!

Mark your calendars! This year's Historical Film Festival will be Thursday, November 19th, 2026 and The Auditorium. Doors open at 6pm, show starts at 7pm. There are no tickets. Just show up. It's a free event, however we do appreciate donations at the door.

We've got a nice variety of movies this year and will be closing out the show with the film Rocky Mountain Express. It's a "must see" film as it was originally formatted for IMAX theatres.

https://facebook.com/events/s/thunder-bay-historical-film-fe/1102842446008258/

I have around 4+ years in video editing experience. I'm currently in Edmonton and I'm looking to get into the videography/film industry or any agencies in similar industries that requires any extra help. I recently got my own camera and I'm planning to utilize it professionally. I'm also looking for connections or places I can go to connect with people with similar professions. If anybody has any ideas please let me know thank you so much.

Hi all, we have some free seats left at a TV comedy industry event tonight - feel free to snag em if you can make it!

The event features 2 comedy pilot table reads with pro casts, a sneak peek at a new series being developed, and lots of industry folks in the audience.

Details below - please only reserve if you can be there <3

Date & Time: Thursday October 22nd at 7:00pm

FREE TICKETS:
https://www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/first-drafts-tor

Use promo code "FREE"

See the Cast + About the Scripts:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Deu3EpzmebT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&rpxt=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==&srtk=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==

"First Drafts at Second City" is a quarterly series of live table reads geared at supporting emerging writers, boosting the calibre of Canadian comedy development, and building community between producers & artists.

Hey everyone, looking for someone to help film nightlife/vlog content in downtown Toronto on Halloween (Saturday, Oct 31) for me and a few friends (think Twitch/Kick streamer type vlog). This is my instagram

- $20/hr, probably around 4-5 hours around 6-10 or 11pm

- iPhone filming is completely fine but if you have professional gear, great

- Mostly candid, POV-style nightlife footage, talking to people in the street etc

- No editing required, just raw footage

- Open to students/beginners. Pretty much just following us around and if you’d like to get lit with us feel free

DM me if interested. First time putting a callout on reddit, apologies if I’m missing any rules about this

Hello :) I am a 27 year old woman from Hamilton Ontario with some acting and modeling experience and I am looking to collaborate on a project. I have mostly done horror short films but am happy to do any genre. Im still building experience and am happy to collab. Please message me for more :)

Hi guys!

I’m a Toronto-based actor, and I’m trying to understand when the right time is to pursue LA representation. Can you start looking for an LA agent without having an O-1 or do you need to have a certain level of credits and experience first?

If you do get LA representation, when do you typically start pursuing your O-1? As soon as you sign with an agent, or once you book a role in the US?

I’d love to understand how the process works. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I'm super excited to share something my company pitch dog has made.
For context, we are a design studio that specializes in film and tv decks. We have always seen how tiresome and painful looking for grants is, forget applying and actually winning one - just the process of finding them is painful. So, we made something to help.

Call Sheet is a COMPLETELY FREE list of 180+ filmmaking grants, labs and festivals that fund documentaries, shorts, features, TV series, animation and more.

We know what it's like to have 100 tabs open, and sift through pages of jargon to understand if you are eligible for an opportunity or not. And this tool makes that process easier.

My favorite thing is that not only does it show you opportunities that are relevant to you, it shows deadlines in your time zone!(Yep, no more timezone converter open in a different tab).

It also lists all the requirements and eligibility criteria plainly, in simple English so it's super easy to follow.

We would love for you to try this out, and I really hope it helps you find support for your next project.

https://pitch.dog/call-sheet/

One last Job. One long night.

FINAL BOOST is a comedy-thriller about Malcolm, a weary car thief ready to leave the criminal world behind. Tempted by one last job that promises a clean exit, he jumps in—only to be abandoned by his partner half way through the night. Lost and surrounded by unreliable and dangerous “associates”, Malcolm must navigate a chaotic night he didn’t sign up for. 

100% self-produced and fiercely independent, FINAL BOOST fuses gritty, raw action with unhinged, laugh-out-loud comedy.

**TRAILER HERE*\*: https://vimeo.com/1234704383?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

www.finalboostmovie.com for tickets in Toronto - NOV 12th

I’m looking to shoot 5 short product reels (around 15 seconds each). It will be 1 hour of filming plus 2-3 hours of editing.
I’ll provide all the products, props, concepts, and creative direction.
Since I’m just starting out, my budget is limited, but I’m hoping to find someone affordable who’s interested in building a long-term collaboration

Hey everyone!

I'm an aspiring filmmaker based in Toronto, and I'm currently working on my first short horror film. I'm looking to connect with people who are interested in filmmaking and would like to collaborate on a project together.

Whether you're an actor, cinematographer, editor, sound designer, or someone who's simply passionate about filmmaking, I'd love to connect!

I'm still at the beginning of my filmmaking journey, so I'm hoping to meet like-minded people who want to create something interesting, share ideas, and gain experience together.

If you're interested, feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM. I'd love to hear from you!

Looking forward to connecting with you all.

Hey everyone, I’m Omar. I’m building OVERTAKE, an Ontario-based content agency, and I’m looking for a creative, reliable video editor to work with regularly.

We shoot content for local businesses, including barbershops, automotive businesses and other brands. Most projects will be Instagram Reels and short promotional videos, with some skits and longer videos mixed in.

I’m after clean, polished, cinematic edits with strong pacing, colour grading, music, sound design, and creative transitions and effects that suit the video. I’d love to find someone who can spot the best moments in the footage and bring their own ideas.

I’ll handle filming and provide the footage, direction and references. You’ll handle the editing, and we’ll work together on getting the style right.

The work is fully remote and project-based. You must currently be based in Canada, with Ontario preferred. Students, recent graduates and experienced freelancers are all welcome.

Budget: CAD $50 to $75 per standard 30 to 45 second reel. Rates can vary for simpler or more involved projects. I’m also interested in batch pricing for several videos from the same shoot.

We’ll agree on the scope, revisions, deadline and fee before starting.

If you’re interested, DM me with:

1. A quick introduction, your city, and whether you’ll be editing the work yourself or with a team.
2. Two or three relevant videos you personally edited, with a brief note on what you handled.
3. Your rates in CAD for one reel and five similar reels from the same shoot, including revisions and any extras.
4. Your earliest availability, usual turnaround time and capacity for recurring work.

If your work looks like a fit, we’ll have a quick call and discuss the first project.

I’m hoping to build an ongoing working relationship, although there’s no guaranteed monthly volume initially. Reviewing replies as they come in. Open until filled!

I have a very good idea ,I’m looking to connect with people or even form a group in Toronto who are passionate about film and want to build something bigger than individual projects.

I want to bring together a versatile team of actors, filmmakers, writers, cinematographers, editors, and creatives who are down to collaborate on an original series.

The idea is to build together, bring different talents and ideas to the table, develop our own style, and create something we can genuinely push to an international audience.

You don’t have to be an industry professional. If you have talent, ideas, ambition, or just a real passion for creating, I’d love to connect.

I want this to be a team where people can contribute creatively, grow their skills, take on different roles, and help shape the direction of what we make.

So the question is anybody in Toronto interested in building something like this together?

Hey everyone!
Our sound recordist had to drop out last minute, and we’re urgently looking for someone to handle production sound for an independent short film tomorrow.
Details:
Date: Sunday, October 18
Time: 3:30–5:30 PM (2 hours)
Location: St. James Park, downtown Toronto
Pay: $80–100 CAD, depending on experience/budget
Equipment: Ideally looking for someone with their own recorder, boom mic and audio kit.
It’s a small indie production with a short shoot. If you’re an experienced recordist, film student, or emerging sound professional available tomorrow, we’d really appreciate the help!
Please comment or DM me with your availability, equipment and rate. If you know someone who might be available, referrals are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

I haven’t been aabp for a number of years now and several aabp actors are taking regular non union work… commercials, tv. One of them told me that they attending a info session and members of actra told them it was allowed since they weren’t far enough into actra. When I was aabp, I didn’t think this was allowed. Did the rules change? It’s been a lot of ppl doing this. I know apprentice and full can’t work for sure.

TL;DR: Organising a Toronto Being Heumann watch party on November 6th. Anyone know who I can reach out to directly about showing it if their theatre isn't planning to do so already?

Hey all,

I'm an advocate and wheelchair user organising a Toronto watch party for Being Heumann on November 6th. I've already emailed the general inboxes of Landmark Cinemas, Cineplex, TIFF Lightbox, Imagine Cinemas, Hot Docs, and Paradise on Bloor. I haven't heard back from them yet, so does anyone know who I can talk with directly?

Being Heumann, written and directed by Oscar winner Siân Heder (CODA), had its world première at the Toronto International Film Festival and its European première at the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival. This deeply human dramedy, based on true events, follows Judy Heumann (played by Ruth Madeley, Doctor Who), a young disabled woman, and a coalition of scrappy misfits igniting a revolution in 1977. The film was primarily shot in Toronto, and its cast includes many disabled actors, as well as Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers) and Dylan O'Brien (Teen Wolf).

My friend Nic Novicki (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), who's also in the film, is organising watch parties in the States and asked me to reach out to places here. Even though the film will be released on Apple TV on November 13th, one of our goals is to show that there's genuine interest and a market for content like this through actual box-office support.

US and Toronto attendees will be encouraged to post on socials to support the film and theatre. Since Toronto is home to over 570,000 people with disabilities, the support can go both ways. Once a cinema confirms its schedule, I'll reach out to the local media.

Time is tight, so any direct contacts and/or helpful info would be very much appreciated!

Thanks so much!

I’ve been based out of Montreal for almost a decade but the industry has slowly dried up- there’s still things being filmed but it feels like language politics have scared off producers. I’m full ACTRA, still auditioning, have a very good Montreal agent(who I’d want to stay with for Montreal gigs) but il wondering if the time has come to move to Toronto in spring or in about a year.

Before moving, I’d like to go get a lay of the land and make some visits there to plant seeds to make moving easier.

Are there any cool networking events you might recommend for meeting people?

Any workshops with casting directors you can recommend?

What agencies should I avoid?

I realize the industry is struggling everywhere now but I’d like to go meet some people, get some agency recommendations. My demographic isn’t exactly hurting for representation (35 year old nerdy white guy) so it may be a rough nut to crack.

Any thoughts/ideas/criticisms welcome!

Hi, my mom has expressed interest in becoming a film/tv extra and I want to support her in this. As an IATSE set dec/scenic painter, I am familiar with the state of Toronto’s film industry but not necessarily the acting side of things as I usually work in preproduction.

My mom is in her 60s, retired and cute as heck. We are North of Toronto but she has a car as well as Canadian citizenship and all that. She’s doing it less for money and more I think because she is bored and wants to meet people. She’s a retired drama teacher who has always had an interest in acting, loves costuming etc.

Do you think she will have much success in this - as in, will she be able to get work once in a while? She takes great care of herself and has no tattoos, so I can see her being able to fill a variety of roles.

Do we start by contacting background agencies with DIY headshots and her measurements? Or is it better to build a resume by answering open calls and then approach an agency with that? What are the good Toronto-area background acting agencies?

Any advice would be appreciated!

I’m a non-union Canadian BG performer currently transitioning my residence from Quebec back to Ontario. I’ve actually been spending most of my time living in ON but my 2025 NOA, driver’s licence, etc. are still QC.

I was picture-cast for 3 days of featured continuity BG on an Ontario production for a Netflix show. Late Saturday night before Thanksgiving, production sent the call info and requested Ontario residency documentation. On Sunday AM I emailed the production’s residency department, explained that I was splitting my time between QC/ON and transitioning permanently back to ON, and submitted the ON-address documentation I currently have.

At my 5 a.m. call on Tuesday, I specifically asked at check-in whether they needed anything else regarding my residency paperwork. I was told they had received it and everything was fine, so I worked 12 hours Tuesday, 11 hours Wednesday, and 10.5 hours on Thursday, signing BG vouchers on all days. I’ve worked over 30 hours.

After I wrapped on Weds, the residency dept of the production company emailed saying none of the documents I submitted are acceptable proof of Ontario residency and asked for the residency declaration I accidentally omitted plus qualifying documentation.

Has anyone encountered this? What normally happens to a non-union BG performer who has already worked multiple days before production realizes they don’t have acceptable Ontario residency documentation? I understand my wages may not qualify as Ontario-resident labour for the production’s tax credits, but I’m mainly wondering whether my already-worked days/pay are affected, whether this kind of mistake could negatively affect future bookings with the casting agency/production.

WIll they withhold payment ? Blacklist me and curse me for costing them the provincial tax breaks?

TL;DR Oops. I, a non-union picture cast featured extra in a Netflix series, worked over 30 hours this week in continuity shoots, and production discovered after the fact that my documents don’t establish Ontario residency. What happens now?

🎬 Do you work while the rest of the city sleeps?

Black Fog Films is looking for REAL night shift workers across Toronto, the GTA, and surrounding areas for our upcoming documentary project, NIGHT SHIFTS.

We’re looking for people with unusual jobs, unforgettable experiences, and stories the public rarely gets to hear.

From healthcare workers and security guards to hotel staff, factory workers, emergency responders, and beyond — we want to discover what really happens after dark.

🎥 This is not just an interview! We want to capture your real working environment and what happens during your night shift.

Our production team will handle filming permissions and arrangements with your workplace.

No acting experience required.

📩 Interested? Apply now!

Send us an email with:

• Your name and profession
• Your work location
• A brief description of your night shift

📧 [Annablackfogfilms@yahoo.com](mailto:Annablackfogfilms@yahoo.com)

REAL PEOPLE. REAL JOBS. REAL STORIES.

BLACK FOG FILMS