Registration & Industry Networking
Friday, June 28 @ 9 AM – 12 PM
Place des Arts
Kick off the first full day of NOMFA activities at the Place des Arts Bistro, where the worlds of music and film unite for a morning of networking with industry delegates, including technical demonstrations from regional, provincial, and national industry vendors. Take the opportunity to pick up your NOMFA accreditation, learn about the weekend’s events, initiate conversations with industry peers, and catch a delicious snack courtesy of the Bistro.
All NOMFA Delegates and Conference Pass holders are welcome to attend this event.
The Art of Songwriting: Live Pitch Session
Friday, June 28 @ 1 PM
McEwen School of Architecture
Work with music industry heavy weights to develop the soundtrack of your next hit. This session focuses on decoding the creative process, offering constructive criticism, new ideas, and industry tips toward locking in the finer details on some big ideas. Participating artists will be joined by a selection of their peers and can bounce ideas off each other in a roundtable setting. In addition to nominees, musicians can apply to participate in the session through the application form below.
Panelists:
Cody Partridge (Pear Tree Music Supervision)
Cody Partridge is a multi award winning Music Supervisor and President of Pear Tree Music Supervision. With over a decade of experience in the industry, his 200+ credits help demonstrate his versatility in navigating Music clearances and placements over all forms of Media. Cody prides himself on being the ‘Indiana Jones of Music Supervision’, always discovering and utilizing independent recordings wherever possible. Some highlights of his recent credits include: Letterkenny, Shoresy, Ginny & Georgia, Schitt’s Creek, Queen of My Dreams, BlackBerry, and various advertising campaigns, including Telus, Wal Mart, Ikea, Canada Life, Winners and Home Depot. Cody is also on the Treasurer and on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Guild of Music Supervisors.
Ella Coyes (Sister Ray)
Sister Ray, the project of Edmonton-born songwriter Ella Coyes, was conceived out of necessity; a self-designed vehicle built to examine trauma with unflinching honesty. Armed with a voice that soars and scrapes in equal measure, Coyes converts first-person recollections of big, complicated love into universally potent allegories. Raised on the expansive prairies of Sturgeon County, Sister Ray’s music is steeped in a wide range of cultural influences. With gospel bluegrass and 90’s country playing in the background of their youth, it was the traditional Métis music played at home that not only brought them closer to their heritage, but taught them a form of storytelling rooted in collective value, resilience, and safety.
Marilyne Lacombe (Mothland)
Marilyne Lacombe is the president and co-founder of Mothland, a Montreal-based agency/label that specializes in all things post, but also psychedelic, art-pop and experimental projects. The team manages a handful of artists, handles Canadian booking for over twenty acts from Canada, the US and Europe, and releases a wide range of alternative music, cultivating a niche audience that keeps on growing. Lacombe is also the co-founder, producer and art director for festivals: Taverne Tour and DISTORSION Psych Fest; as well as the head of programming at FME.
The Art of Storytelling: Live Pitch Session
Friday, June 28 @ 2 PM
McEwen School of Architecture
You’re one step closer to bringing your script to life. Present your latest Northern Ontario-based film or television pitch to a panel of industry professionals, including executives, funders, and key decision makers, and receive real-time feedback you won’t find anywhere else. In addition to nominees, filmmakers can apply to participate in the session through the application form below.
Film pitches will be assessed by a jury of industry delegates.
Amplifying Northern Numbers: New Options for Music Makers
Friday, June 28 @ 3 PM
McEwen School of Architecture
This Q&A session introduces you to music industry experts who know the ins-and-outs of the Canadian music industry from a business perspective – especially when it comes to choosing the right tunes to pair with film and television projects. Panelists will address common questions about music licensing, syncing, and clearances, while deep diving into proven methods that can help Northern Ontario artists get their soundtracks into digital media projects like film, television, and commercials.
Panelists:
Cody Partridge (Pear Tree Music Supervision)
Cody Partridge is a multi award winning Music Supervisor and President of Pear Tree Music Supervision. With over a decade of experience in the industry, his 200+ credits help demonstrate his versatility in navigating Music clearances and placements over all forms of Media. Cody prides himself on being the ‘Indiana Jones of Music Supervision’, always discovering and utilizing independent recordings wherever possible. Some highlights of his recent credits include: Letterkenny, Shoresy, Ginny & Georgia, Schitt’s Creek, Queen of My Dreams, BlackBerry, and various advertising campaigns, including Telus, Wal Mart, Ikea, Canada Life, Winners and Home Depot. Cody is also on the Treasurer and on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Guild of Music Supervisors.
Margaret McGuffin (Music Publishers Canada)
Margaret McGuffin is the CEO of Music Publishers Canada. Margaret’s career has focused on research and policy development related to the creative industries as well as strategic change management. She has worked with a large number of music industry trade organizations and collective management organizations and currently sits on the board of Work In Culture (as Past Chair) and on the Advisory Committee at MusiCounts. Margaret is also always happy to talk to you about copyright or how music publishers are leading the way in making sure Canadian songs are heard around the world. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Western University and an MBA in Arts, Media and Entertainment Management from the Schulich School of Business.
Peter Chapman (Film, TV, & Video Game Composer)
It’s no surprise Peter Chapman (AKA Coins, AKA Peter Project) has one of the most impressive portfolios of any Canadian composer his age – his award-winning career started at 19, when he licensed several short pieces to hit consumer TV show Street Cents. More recently, his work has appeared on Sesame Street segments around the world. Chapman recently completed the final season of the sci-fi cult hit Wynonna Earp alongside Robert Carli earning him a Canadian Screen Award as well as season six of CBC’s hit show Workin’ Moms and season one of Amazon’s The Lake and Paramount +’s Skymed. He has scored two seasons and the finale film for the period drama Bomb Girls, two Seasons of Durham County, seven seasons of the HGTV hit show Leave it to Bryan earning him a SOCAN award.
Moderator: Adrien Harpelle (Shebafilms)
Adrien Harpelle a bilingual (English, French) filmmaker, audio engineer, and composer. He specializes in documentary filmmaking, sound design, and composition. He was the mentor, director, and composer for the 24min documentary Journey to our Homeland, which follows Nibinamik First Nation Elders as they travel a historic canoe route with youth to their old village site. The film won a Golden Sheaf Award for Research at the Yorkton Film Festival and was nominated for Best Emerging Filmmaker and the Kathleen Shannon Award, in 2023. The film was acquired by APTN Lumi in 2024. As a solo musician and with his band Wrong Odds, he writes songs that advocate harm reduction and mental health awareness.
Emotion in Motion: Communicating Through Cinematography
Friday, June 28 @ 4 PM
McEwen School of Architecture
Masterfully curating immersive tableaus of distinct colours, lighting, scale, and depth, cinematographers present new ways of experiencing the world around us. On location or in studio, these imaginative individuals leverage what is before them – and what could be – to set the tone. This panel discussion between Directors of Photography explores the magic of letting your imagination run free in Northern Ontario, and the choices they make that invite audiences on unforgettable journeys.
Panelists:
Andrew Appelle (IMDB)
Andrew Appelle is a multifaceted filmmaker from Thunder Bay. He is a two-time CSA nominee for Best Writing in a Comedy Series and has acted as cinematographer on many internationally renowned television series’ and films. Andrew was the cinematographer on Matt Johnson’s 2016 Sundance Festival “darling” Operation Avalanche which overlapped with his work as a writer, DOP and editor on the critically acclaimed Canadian comedy series Nirvanna the Band the Show (NTB). Following the success of NTB, he collaborated with Steven Kostanski as Cinematographer and Editor on the highly accoladed smash hit Psycho Goreman.
Mathieu Séguin (Website)
Mathieu Seguin is a Canadian cinematographer and a graduate of the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles, where he earned his Master’s in Cinematography. Whether filming commercials, documentary or narrative films, Mathieu uses light as his paintbrush to create vivid and evocative imagery. He has four feature films, including Stellar, directed by Darlene Naponse, which premiered at TIFF 2021. Mathieu is dedicated to nurturing local filmmaking talent and aims to transform Northern Ontario into Canada’s content creation capital.
Jonathan Yapp (Website)
Jonathan been a lover of cinema since he can remember, always finding himself lost in the worlds and characters in front of him. He pursued his love for photography and film which eventually led him to his career as a Cinematographer, and has worked with such clients as MADD, Hallmark, Toyota, National Geographic, Columbia Sportswear and many more. He believes that passion, hard work and creativity are key to his craft and adheres by these principles everyday he is on set.
Moderator: Josh Rogers (Sault Ste. Marie Film Office)
A lone wanderer from the cold north, Josh spent the better part of a decade in the furnace of Toronto’s film industry forging his “the day is done when it’s done” attitude, that he carries with him to this day. Having spent his Toronto hay day working on shows such as The Man From Toronto and Umbrella Academy, Josh is currently working for the City of Sault Ste. Marie - tirelessly committed to the ascension of his hometown to northern Ontario’s film capital. When he’s not on the grind Josh can be found enjoying film photography, playing soccer, or going for long walks off of short docks.
Some Assembly Required: Deconstructing Music Funding
Friday, June 28 @ 5 PM
McEwen School of Architecture
The know-how to trigger funding in the music industry is a sought-after skill – second only, perhaps, to creating music that resonates with audiences around the world. Join this panel discussion helmed by a group of industry experts who will make clear the muddy waters of grant systems and provide you with the knowledge to tap into new resources that can help create, distribute, and promote new works.
Panelists:
Alana Forslund (Ontario Arts Council)
Alana Forslund brings 10+ years of experience in the non-profit arts and culture sector to her work at the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) as their Northern Arts Representative, rooted in Thunder Bay. In her role at the OAC, Alana supports and connects with artists and communities across northern Ontario. She has a background in visual arts, community-engaged arts, and arts education. In her work at OAC and beyond, Alana is passionate about using the arts to share stories and nurture more inclusive communities.
Jen McKerral (Canada Council for the Arts)
Jen McKerral is a program officer in the Explore and Create program at the Canada Council for the Arts. Jen McKerral est agente de programme dans le programme Explorer et créer au Conseil des Arts du Canada.
Michelle Holtzkener (Ontario Creates)
Michelle is a program lead at the Ontario Music Office at Ontario Creates where she uses her wide breadth of music industry experience to help deliver the Ontario Music Investment Fund (OMIF) to a range of companies and organizations across Ontario’s music ecosystem. Prior to joining Ontario Creates she enjoyed a successful 15 year career at EMI Music Canada in a number of roles including Video Commissioner and Manager, Creative & International. An active participant in the music community, Michelle is a previous member of various music-based working groups and former co-chair of the music video selection committee for The JUNOS. Outside of her professional pursuits, Michelle is an avid jigsaw puzzler and an enthusiastic, albeit reluctant, runner.
Moderator: Tessa Balaz (Musician)
Tessa Balaz is multi-disciplinary artist from Sudbury, ON. She has now spent almost a decade writing and producing original music for herself and on production teams for major artists including Daniel Caesar, Drake, the Weeknd, Migos, Mariah Carey and more. She has been nominated for 3 Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards and the Sudbury Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. She has had her original music licensed to film and television, most recently to “Kim’s Convenience” season 4. She is currently trying to close the gap and raise the percentage of female identifying producers on the billboard charts.
Music & Film Business Circle and Brunch
Saturday, June 29 @ 10 AM
McEwen School of Architecture
Book a 1-to-1 meeting with music or film industry professionals to answer questions and gain feedback on taking your upcoming projects to the next level.
The session will start at 10 AM with a open group networking session and break off into individual meetings from there. Participants will be able to select meetings from a list of mentor delegates, pending availability.
Participation in the Music or Film Business Circle is granted through the application forms below.
Music Delegates:
Alana Forslund (Ontario Arts Council)
Alana Forslund brings 10+ years of experience in the non-profit arts and culture sector to her work at the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) as their Northern Arts Representative, rooted in Thunder Bay. In her role at the OAC, Alana supports and connects with artists and communities across northern Ontario. She has a background in visual arts, community-engaged arts, and arts education. In her work at OAC and beyond, Alana is passionate about using the arts to share stories and nurture more inclusive communities.
Beth Cavanagh (What's the Story?)
Beth Cavanagh launched What’s The Story? publicity services in 2017 to discover new talent, reconnect established artists with the evolving media landscape, and above all, for the love of music. Since its inception, she has worked with artists like Aysanabee, Caveboy, Celeigh Cardinal, Cowboy Junkies, Good Lovelies, Leela Gilday, Mimi O’Bonsawin, Prozzäk, Sarah Slean, Skydiggers, and events such as the Muskoka Music Festival. Her clients have been featured on CBC’s Q, The Toronto Star, Exclaim, and national TV shows. Beth is at the forefront of emerging talent in the Canadian music industry.
Juliana Carlevaris (Mothland)
Juliana Carlevaris (she/her) is a Toronto-based musician with a special place in her heart for live music and festivals. She is the director of booking at Mothland where she represents the Montreal agency’s roster of over 20 artists across North America. She is also the founder of artist collective DIG, who launched Project Nowhere - Toronto’s newest multi-venue festival - in 2023. Previously, Juliana co-founded Night Owl Festival and has worked with the teams behind Taverne Tour, River & Sky, Hollowfest, Do West Fest, and Eisbaer. She can also be found on tour with a bass and indulging in earthly pleasures in true Taurus fashion.
Margaret McGuffin (Music Publishers Canada)
Margaret McGuffin is the CEO of Music Publishers Canada. Margaret’s career has focused on research and policy development related to the creative industries as well as strategic change management. She has worked with a large number of music industry trade organizations and collective management organizations and currently sits on the board of Work In Culture (as Past Chair) and on the Advisory Committee at MusiCounts. Margaret is also always happy to talk to you about copyright or how music publishers are leading the way in making sure Canadian songs are heard around the world. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Western University and an MBA in Arts, Media and Entertainment Management from the Schulich School of Business.
Marilyne Lacombe (Mothland)
Marilyne Lacombe is the president and co-founder of Mothland, a Montreal-based agency/label that specializes in all things post, but also psychedelic, art-pop and experimental projects. The team manages a handful of artists, handles Canadian booking for over twenty acts from Canada, the US and Europe, and releases a wide range of alternative music, cultivating a niche audience that keeps on growing. Lacombe is also the co-founder, producer and art director for festivals: Taverne Tour and DISTORSION Psych Fest; as well as the head of programming at FME.
Film Delegates:
Suzanne Lacey (Bell Fund)
Suzanne is the Deputy Director for Bell Fund, a CRTC certified independent production fund which provides approximately $10 million annually to Canadian independent production companies to support the development and production of high-quality Canadian content. Previously, Suzanne was Director of Multi-Platform Content and Broadcast Scheduling for TVO. She was the executive in charge of production for TVO’s first drama series Hard Rock Medical (Distinct Features) filmed in Sudbury and North Bay, and factual series The Water Brothers (SK Films), winner of the prestigious BBC Earth Panda Award. Before that, she production managed various programs including the multi-Gemini Award winning documentary, Before Their Time (Discovery U.S. & TVO). Suzanne is a graduate of Queen's University film studies and has written and directed short films.
Ryan Keller (Other Animal Entertainment)
Ryan Keller is an entertainment lawyer and producer with extensive experience in production finance and business affairs. He has structured deals and advised producers on productions ranging from independent feature films to multi-million-dollar series and international co-productions with major networks and streamers. His latest feature film Nobel & The Kid was shot in North Bay and is scheduled to release in late 2024.
Kara Haflidson (New Metric Media)
Kara Haflidson has produced over 60 episodes of Letterkenny, the 2017 Canadian Screen Award winner for Best Comedy Series, and two seasons of the Letterkenny spin off Shoresy. Both series have been successes in Canada on Crave and in the United States on Hulu. Haflidson has over 18 years of industry experience, and in 2013 was recognized as one of The Hollywood Reporters' Next Generation of Canadians on the rise. Prior to New Metric Media, Haflidson was Manager, DHX Television Ltd. and a Production Executive at Bell Media where she oversaw the development and production of original comedic and factual series across their conventional and specialty channels; her slate included CraveTV’s Letterkenny, HBO Canada’s Sports on Fire, and CTV’s Corner Gas: The Movie. Kara is proudly based in Sudbury, Ontario.
Lieann Koivukoski (Production Manager)
Lieann Koivukoski has been involved in new media, film and television production for the last 2 decades starting with Production Coordinating and Management. Her first roles have developed and changed over the years with positions as Line Producer, Associate Producer, Co-producer and Producer on many projects. Some of the most recent productions include Christmas by the Book, She Never Died, Hard Rock Medical, The River of my Dreams, and Five Bucks at the Door: The Story of Crocks N Rolls. In 2015 she co-created a company based in North Bay with Dan Peel to help service the growing need for post-production in Northern Ontario. Post Production North Inc. has serviced over 100 film and television productions that have shot in the Northern Ontario. She now works with productions in the role Associate producer/Fixer and helps each new project find their crew and locations.
The Next Wave of Film & TV Tech: Volume Global and White Owl Film Studios
Saturday, June 29 @ 1:30 PM
McEwen School of Architecture
A commitment to cultural recognition in a modern technological space underlines Volume Global’s latest venture into the North, where a partnership with Creator’s Choice helped kickstart White Owl Film Studios on the traditional land of the Wahnapitae First Nation. Join this discussion with Volume Global’s executive team to learn about the innovative tech they’ve introduced in Northern Ontario – like the cutting-edge LED Volume wall that leverages the vast potential of real-time filmmaking and TV production.
Volume Global is a studio of filmmakers and technologists united by a shared passion for innovation and excellence in storytelling. Both owning and operating an international network of the world’s largest permanent virtual production stages and air supported soundstages, Volume Global is a fiercely independent content studio, and an innovative technology company, operating on the frontline of the virtual production revolution.
Panelists:
Michael Hamilton-Wright (Co-CEO, Volume Global LLC)
Michael has been involved in the media industry for over twenty-five years in various positions in agency packaging, development, distribution, financing, and production. Over his career, Michael has enjoyed stints at 20th Century Fox, Ninth House, Warner Brothers, Samuel Goldwyn & SilverScreen Pictures. Mr. Wright has produced numerous feature films and TV pilots as well as writing and directing a few of them. He is a member of the PGA, WGA and WGC.
Dante Yore (CTO, Volume Global LLC)
Dante is a pioneer in the world of virtual production. He has helped revolutionize the industry by developing from the ground up the LED wall and ecosystem technology currently used on several streaming films and series. In Virtual Production Dante has worked as a technologist and consultant for all the major players like Epic Games, the creator of Unreal Engine, Disney, Industrial Light and Magic, Mosys, Novastar, DiColor, Blizzard, NVidia, AMD, and ON Semiconductor. Dante Yore is a lifelong filmmaker, Director of Photography, Director and technologist. Graduating with a BFA from NYU prestigious Tisch School of Arts. Currently Dante is Executive Producing and Virtual Producing the first independent TV series Virtual Production in the world.
Aimee Stolte, (Actress)
Aimee is a Canadian/American actress. Born in Buffalo, New York, she later moved to Canada where she and her siblings spent their formative years. Stolte spent most of her years growing up in Saskatoon, SK, where she also obtained her Bachelors of Commerce. Stolte moved to Vancouver and began her acting career appearing on national television episodes of various popular shows before ultimately making the move to Los Angeles to pursue film.
Moderator: Devin Mahesh (Director, Industry Development and Production Services, CION)
As the Director of Industry Development and Production Services at Cultural Industries Ontario North, Devin Mahesh brings nearly two decades of film and television production experience to his role, where he’s committed to driving growth and innovation in the industry. After graduating from York University and honing his skills at the New York Film Academy, Devin’s career was notably recognized with a National Mentorship Award from the Canadian Media Producers Association in 2009. With a diverse portfolio that includes award-winning feature films, television series, documentaries, music videos, and video games, Devin offers a profound understanding of both the creative and logistical challenges faced by filmmakers and content creators in today’s dynamic media landscape.