TFM x Netflix | Trans Film Mentorship

TFM x Netflix
in partnership with the CMF and Sphere Media

The mission of the Trans Film Mentorship (TFM) is to increase the presence of trans and non-binary professionals, filmmakers, creatives and crew in the film and television industry by creating work and training opportunities for emerging and entry-level professionals. We work in partnership with production companies to create work-integrated training opportunities on productions from trans and non-binary creatives. Our programs are tailored to each production and can include mindfulness-based soft skills development, production training and wellness coaching. All our programs conclude with career planning support that aims to help participants with industry way-finding and planning their next steps.

The Opportunity

The Trans Film Mentorship (TFM) is partnering with Sphere Media, Netflix, IATSE 873 and IASTE 667 to offer a paid work-integrated training opportunity for emerging trans and non-binary professionals within select departments on a Netflix series.

Dates: August 19, 2024 to November 8, 2024

Paid Training Rate: $20/hr for training days and coaching sessions. Days on set will be paid work placement with wages in line with the collective agreements of IATSE 873 and IATSE 667.

Locations: Training and production will take place within Toronto. Must be willing to travel (transportation provided) to locations outside Toronto. Transit subsidies available.

***must be an Ontario resident to apply***

Program Details

The TFM Training Program is a work-integrated training program where participants will be placed to train and work in selected departments on set.

Phase 1: IATSE Training & Production Preparedness - 3 weeks
Participants will participate in production preparedness training and soft skills development workshops led by the TFM team and guest instructors. They will also participate in 8 full days of mandatory IATSE training, including:

Permit orientation course
STEP UP: Respect in the Workplace
WHMIS
Awareness for the worker
Set dec 101
Props 101
Grip 101
Working at heights
Elevated work platform
Costume 101

All trainees will participate in the same training, regardless of which department they have been placed in. Training will also include on-set observation.

Phase 2: Train & Work on Set - 5 weeks (4-day work week + 3hr check in on Friday)
Participants will train and work within their respective departments for five weeks, gradually increasing responsibilities, working towards full integration into crew. Standard on set days are twelve hours.

Phase 3: Career Pathways Support - 3 x workshops
Participants are further supported with career planning sessions aimed at helping them define their career goals, plan their next steps, and learn how to leverage this unique experience to open doors to more opportunities.

Departments for Placement

In the application, applicants will be able to identify which department(s) they are interested in.

Camera
Construction
Costumes
Greens
Grip
Hair & Makeup (license required)
Lighting
Props
Scenic
Set Dec
SPFX

This is a competitive program. We highly recommend that you research the departments you are interested in to familiarize yourself with the function of the department, the key roles and assess whether it’s a good fit for you.

Who Is This Program For?

This program is intended for folks who identify as trans and non-binary and who are:

Passionate about pursuing a career in film and television production
Self-motivated, eager to learn and able to take direction
Available to work part-time from August 19 - September 13, and full-time from September 16 - November 8
Can work 12-hour days on your feet and in the office as needed
Can engage in repeated physical labour (eg lifting up to 25lbs) without compromising their health
Possess a driver’s license (not required but a strong asset)
Triple vaccinated against COVID-19
Over 18 years old

The TFM & Sphere Media are prioritizing candidates who are racialized or identify as Black, Indigenous and/or a Person of Colour.

Who this program is not for:

People hoping to shadow directors, writers, ADs, or post-production roles
People who already have established experience on IATSE productions. Candidates with experience on NABET and non-union productions are welcome to apply

Application Process

Interested applicants must fill out an application form, submit a resume/CV, and link to an example of any related work (portfolio, project, sample, reel, short film, theatre, etc). Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

If the application form presents a barrier for any reason, please contact A.C. Birch at programlead@transfilmmentorship.com prior to the application deadline.

You can preview the entire application form here:

PREVIEW

Applications now closed.

Questions can be directed to programlead@transfilmmentorship.com

Meet the Team

A.C. Birch (he/they)
Program Lead

A.C. Birch is a comedian, writer, filmmaker, and overly-earnest dork who can't stop falling in love with everyone he meets. His feature documentary, A Queer's Guide to Spiritual Living, premiered at Inside Out in 2023, and he is member of the The Second City Conservatory program where he also recently produce and starred in a staged reading of his original gay/trans romcom Gay Bridgerton. His creative writing has been published by Entre Magazine and CBC Arts, and he is in development with several scripted projects through Ink Cap Media Inc. and GAY AGENDA. A.C. is one of nine mentees in Spindle Film Foundation's inaugural mentorship program for trans and gender diverse writers and directors, and was the inaugural Digital Cinema Resident at LIFT in spring 2024. He's been awarded "Best Writing - Category: Romance" by IndieX Film Fest, and "Most Improved - Category: Hotness" by friends who knew him in high school.

Domini Anderson (she/her)
Program Coordinator

Domini Anderson is a Production Designer and Art Director for film and television, originally from Perth, Western Australia. Domini is known for Art Directing major television series such as Star Trek: Discovery, (2020), Designated Survivor (2019), and In The Dark (2019). In 2023, Domini was nominated for a Director’s Guild of Canada Award for her Production Design of the first season of Jane (AppleTV+). Domini’s development has included professional training in Post Production, (2020, Film Fest Lab). Leadership (2018, Director’s Guild of Canada) and Media Management (2018, WIFT, Corus & G. Raymond Chang School). Domini has always followed new opportunities to grow and learn, and in 2023 she launched the film mentorship podcast The Shore, as a way of sharing information, fostering community and building a brighter and more inclusive future for the industry she loves.

Ronnie Ali (she/her)
Sil Hernando (she/her)
Wellness and Diversity Consultants

Ronnie and Sil are a team of queer and trans, neurodivergent, immigrant professionals who are sensitive to the issues that often come up in entertainment production and are resourceful in addressing them. We are sought after under a variety of titles, including on-set listeners, cultural sensitivity coordinators, on-set welfare coordinators, and wellness consultants, among other roles. In addition to our professional expertise, our lived experiences provide unique perspectives and fuel our synergy. We have a combined experience of 45+ years in IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) and have worked together since 2017.

Ronnie is a Registered Psychotherapist with 15+ years of experience in diversity and inclusion consulting, involving design and delivery of training, social programming, executive/leadership coaching, and critical incident debriefing. She also has 10+ years of clinical experience as a psychotherapist working with communities marginalized by oppression and discrimination, and 5+ years of experience in clinical supervision, education, and training the next generation of therapists.

Sil is a Registered Psychotherapist with 30+ years of experience in consultation, design, and delivery of equity, diversity, and inclusion training from a trauma-informed, intersectional lens. She has trained 10,000+ professionals on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Sil has 18+ years of clinical experience as a psychotherapist and 10+ years of providing clinical supervision to mental health providers. Sil speaks Spanish (first language) and English.

Sphere Media

Sphere Media is one of Canada’s most successful content companies, whose award-winning television series, feature films and documentaries continue to win critical acclaim and audiences around the world.

Recent English scripted TV productions to have been honored on the international awards circuit include crime drama CARDINAL (Bell/BBC2), gender-fluid dramedy SORT OF (CBC/Max), coming-of-age comedy HOW TO FAIL AS A POPSTAR (CBC/CBC Gem), medical soap TRANSPLANT (Bell/NCBU), Black history drama THE PORTER (CBC/BET+), Indigenous supernatural YA series TRICKSTER (CBC/Sky/Sundance-AMC), star-studded TV mini series DIAMONDS (CBC/ABC) and police procedural 19-2 (Bell Media).

Sphere Media’s English feature-film highlights includes HOW SHE MOVE starring Rutina Wesley, UNLESS staring Catherine Keener, gay-themed romantic comedy TOUCH OF PINK starring Kyle MacLachlan and SWEETNESS IN THE BELLY starring Dakota Fanning.

Sphere Media is currently in production on WAYWARD, an 8-episode thriller from Mae Martin with Netflix, and in post-production on Amazon Original series THE STICKY with Blumhouse Television.

TFM x Netflix in partnership with the CMF and Sphere Media