Content Worth Creating

Expanding Toronto’s Film and Production Industry with Marguerite Pigott

Marguerite Pigott, Toronto’s Director of Entertainment Industries and Film Commissioner explores the collaborative relationship between the film industry and Toronto’s emerging film community. She speaks about attending this year’s Toronto to Los Angeles mission where she met with 40+ different companies in the global industry and the expansive business that Toronto has with its continuous growth. Marguerite further reveals her predictions for Toronto’s advancements in the industry with more productions and festivals to come.

Crafting Meaningful Branded Documentaries with Cris Graves, Wendy Polowin & Jesus Silva from Mary Kay’s Forest of Hope

In Monterrey, Mexico, Angélica Torres, a 71 year-young woman, dedicates her life to nurturing and rebuilding the forest near her town of Laguna de Sánchez. And in doing so, Angélica inspires and uplifts her local community of women through their conservancy work. Angélica is at the center of the short documentary, Forest of Hope, executive produced by Mary Kay. The doc has two Official Selections awards (with laurels) from the North Dakota Environmental Rights Film Festival and Hot Springs International Women's Film Festival and has become a semi-finalist for Films for the Forest Festival. Director Cris Graves, producer Wendy Polowin, and editor Jesus Silva explore the making of this film in this episode of the podcast. They discuss finding this story, shooting in a remote area with a remote team during the pandemic, and how brands can create documentaries like this to forge a deeper connection with their audiences. Learn more about the film here: https://monterreyforestofhope.com [https://monterreyforestofhope.com/]

Monetizing Digital Marketing to Drive Content with Jonathan Maxim and Kale Panoho from K&J Growth

Everyone creates content today. From seniors on TikTok to brands on Instagram. With so much content at the tips of our fingers, how can marketers create content that engages with their target audience and leads to successful conversions? Jonathan Maxim and Kale Panoho, the co-founders of K&J Growth, explore how they’ve helped brands with their hook-problem-solution framework to reach the right leads and secure new customers. Jonathan breaks down how sales and marketing teams can develop synergy. Kale reveals how they use data to fuel their creative outputs. They explain how Kale went viral on LinkedIn and their strategies to create leverage content. As they look forward, they predict the future of content with the domination of short-form content. For more on K&J Growth visit: https://kjgrowth.com [https://kjgrowth.com/]

Building Success with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Award Winners with Naomi Chen and Vanessa Wright

Media One Group co-founders Derek Rider and Corey Peck graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), formerly Ryerson University, in 2010. After building Media One Group, one of Canada’s fastest-growing digital agencies, Derek and Corey returned to TMU to give back to the community with two newly made awards in 2021 for students in The Creative School: The Derek Rider Award of Storytelling Excellence and The Corey Peck Award of Production Excellence. In this podcast episode, Naomi Chen and Vanessa Wright, the winners of these awards, break down their innovative submissions and student success. Naomi speaks on her app that subverts the traditional use of contact tracing, and Vanessa unpacks her report on black women in sports and sports journalism.

Furthering Students' Careers in the Pandemic with Alana Clarke and Charles Falzon from Toronto Metropolitan University

The pandemic forced post-secondary education to change overnight. How are post-secondary institutions supporting students in this new normal? Alana Clarke and Charles Falzon from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), formerly Ryerson University, explore how the collaborative relationship between the creative industries and educational institutions puts students first. Alana Clarke, director of development, describes establishing an award with Media One Creative, how organizations in the creative industries can collaborate with educational institutions, and how TMU has supported students looking to further their careers during the ongoing pandemic. Additionally, Charles Falzon, the Dean of the Creative School, reveals how alumni return to the university to guide the next generation of creative talent, why industry partners benefit from working with universities, and finally, what the future of post-secondary education looks like for the creative industries.