The BC Producers Branch (CMPA-BC) is a provincial chapter of the CMPA, working on behalf of British Columbia production companies.
CMPA-BC represents over 150 independent production companies based in British Columbia.
The branch has four key operational priorities: government relations, industrial relations, export and industry development. CMPA-BC has its own branch council and operating by-laws, which adhere to the regulations and direction of the CMPA national organization.
Like the national organization, CMPA-BC promotes its members’ interests. Here’s how:
We negotiate labour agreements with BC guilds and unions to establish rates of pay, hours of work and other conditions of employment.
The CMPA-BC Industrial Relations (IR) team negotiates and administers collective agreements on behalf of our members.
These agreements govern the engagement of actors, directors, writers, technicians and other production personnel in British Columbia’s screen-based production industry. Our goal is to shape and maintain a favourable labour environment for BC’s film, television and digital media producers. This includes fielding inquiries from our members about labour-related concerns, and offering guidance and support where needed.
On behalf of our members, we advocate in critical policy areas such as business development, funding, tax policy and export with municipal, provincial and federal governments. Where a provincial issue needs to be raised, CMPA-BC also appears before parliamentary and legislative committees to give insight into the development of policy, regulation and legislation.
CMPA-BC often collaborates with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BC (MPPIA) in joint government relations efforts. At the agency level, the CMPA regularly consults with the Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada and Creative BC to ensure that those programs respond to the needs of independent producers.
Producers regularly apply for film and media production tax credits that may be available to them under provincial and federal law. To obtain such tax credits, Producers are required to submit documents to the CRA establishing the residency status of individuals who work on their productions, including Performers.
Under the BCCFU Master Agreement, employees must complete the Actsafe Motion Picture Safety Awareness course to be eligible for dispatch. A joint interpretation bulletin by AMPTP, CMPA-BC, and BCCFU clarifies the course version that satisfies this requirement, along with an updated deadline for completion.
A true highlight of 2023 was the BC government’s injection of $15.9M into Creative BC’s Domestic Motion Picture Fund. After a decade of advocacy, CMPA‑BC and partners celebrated this news, understanding the power of this investment to leverage additional financing for BC producers.
Under the BC Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, employers are required to develop and implement check-in procedures for the protection of employees that may be assigned to work alone or in isolation.
A bulletin regarding the equitable provision of hair and makeup services, specifically those provided to Black and Indigenous performers and performers of colour.
A bulletin regarding the need for producers to make reasonable accommodations for performers with disabilities while at work and during the casting/audition process.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch of British Columbia’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure launched an Hours of Service Pilot Project for the Motion Picture Industry in BC, introducing modified Hours of Service rules applicable to drivers of commercial vehicles in the Motion Picture Industry.
Notes to BC Members
Keep on top of what’s happening in the BC industry with our Notes to BC members.
The One Stop Business Workshop virtual series, brought to you by CBC, the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO), and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA). This series brings together organizations…
The 24th edition of the Whistler Film Festival and Content Summit (WFF24) will be back and thriving in Whistler, British Columbia for audiences, filmmakers, and industry guests.
Designed for leaders and supervisors, this collaborative, impactful two-day series equips participants with the knowledge and strategies needed to build productions and crews that are more inclusive.
Everyone has the right to work in a psychologically safe work environment free from discrimination, bullying and harassment, where people work collaboratively and cross-culturally. This full-day session will deepen film…
BC Branch Council
The BC Branch Council focuses on issues of concern to CMPA members in BC. And while CMPA-BC has its own by-laws and Branch Council, it abides by the rules, regulations and direction of the CMPA. The Branch Council meets on a monthly basis.
Top, left to right: Michelle Morris, Andrew Williamson, Kim Dent Wilder, Joy Haskell, Emily Alden, Tex Antonucci, Sabrina Roc; bottom, left to right: Trevor Hodgson, Cathy Schoch; absent: Shyam Valera, Lori Massini
Managing Vice-President, BC Producers Branch (On Leave)
Tracey Friesen
As CMPA-BC’s managing VP, Tracey represents and supports BC-based independent production companies, plus oversees branch operations.
In her role she leads efforts to engage with government agencies and industry stakeholders across the province. In addition to her BC-focused responsibilities, Tracey also provides strategic input to the national organization and its members on a number of key files, including sustainability and climate action.
Tracey has over 30 years’ experience in Canada’s cultural sector. She spent more than a decade at the National Film Board, where she earned producer or executive credits on dozens of film, animation and interactive projects. Other contracts have included Rainmaker Digital Pictures in the ‘90s, the start-up phase of Roundhouse Radio, major research papers for DOC and Inspirit Foundation, and more recently the David Suzuki Foundation, as director of communications. Tracey is also an author and founder of Story Money Impact, the charitable organization advancing education around media impact. In 2013 she was named ‘Woman of the Year’ by WIFTV.
Tracey’s education includes a radio and television degree from TMU, and both an MA and MBA from SFU. She appreciates opportunities to mentor, moderate, adjudicate or convene groups, and was a regular co-facilitator at Hollyhock Leadership Institute’s annual Media That Matters conference. She currently sits on the board of the Whistler Film Festival and SCALE’s Mission Circle.
A Canadian big-screen highlight that still stands out in Tracey’s memory is the 2017 DOXA premiere of Marie Clements’ The Road Forward. What a powerful night!
Raila is the Director of Member Development at the CMPA-BC where she supports BC independent producers. Working closely with members, Raila oversees professional development opportunities and international development. She also manages the event sponsorship portfolio and works with community partners on various committees to support industry-wide initiatives
Raila was the inaugural Program Director for the Pacific Screenwriting Program (PSP), a non-profit organization co-founded by CMPA-BC, Netflix and Creative BC in 2018. The PSP provides support and career-advancement opportunities to BC-based film and television writers. Under Raila’s leadership, the PSP made meaningful strides in building and nurturing BC’s screenwriter community. Before the PSP, Raila served as Marketing Director at Corus Entertainment.
Jason oversees industrial relations for the BC Producers Branch of the CMPA, representing independent producers in collective labour matters and serving as a member resource for collective agreement interpretation and production practices.
As the lead negotiator in collective bargaining on behalf of the BC Branch Council, Jason is responsible for the negotiation and management of the CMPA’s labour agreements with BC’s guilds and unions, which represent writers, directors, performers and technicians. He assists members in the preparation of grievances and arbitrations, and represents the independent production sector in matters of employment standards, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
Prior to joining the CMPA, Jason was vice-president of business and legal affairs with SEVEN24 Films, managing business and financial matters for the Canadian series Heartland, Young Drunk Punk and Wynonna Earp. During this time, he was co-chair of the CMPA’s national IR committee and was a producer representative in collective bargaining with ACTRA, the DGC and the WGC. Previously, Jason worked as an independent corporate, commercial and feature-film producer.
Jason received an honours BA and MA in social anthropology from the University of Calgary, and attended the National Screen Institute’s Drama Prize Program Producers Lab.
Jason’s favourite Canadian TV series is The Kids in the Hall because it was irreverent and subversive, and remains funny 25 years later.
Ryan oversees the general office management of the BC Producers Branch and is the corporate secretary to the Branch Council.
Ryan acts as a point of contact for BC members and assists with the coordination of BC sponsorship commitments and networking events. In addition, Ryan is responsible for the administration of the BC accounts.
Prior to the CMPA, Ryan worked at BC Hydro as a business analyst with the SAP PPM Application Support team, analyzing education materials for consolidation and redevelopment. Before BC Hydro, he worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a client account associate, acting as a liaison between clients and senior management and assisting with the facilitation of the audit process.
Ryan’s favourite Canadian movies include One Week, Room and C.R.A.Z.Y. Each film has the ability to evoke an emotional response with its story.
Tereza provides support and guidance to BC producers regarding the application and interpretation of the CMPA’s labour agreements, and is the primary contact for BC Industrial Relations inquiries.
As a member of the BC Industrial Relations team, Tereza supports in the preparation and management of collective labour negotiations and is responsible for the administration of the labour agreements that govern producers’ working relationships with the industry’s unions and guilds and their members in British Columbia.
Prior to joining the CMPA, Tereza had an extensive 20-year career with ACTRA Toronto, representing the organization in multiple capacities. Tereza’s work included the administration of collective agreements on behalf of performers across all aspects of the screen-based production industry, as well as representing organization in outreach initiatives to promote and maximize the union’s impact within the entertainment industry.
When it comes to Canadian production, Tereza will happily binge watch any iteration of Degrassi and appreciates that they are not afraid to tackle the current challenges young people face in a relatable and inclusive manner.
Liz Shorten has been working to build capacity in the film, television and digital media sectors for the past 25 years. In her role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the CMPA, Liz leads staff and oversees organizational operations across the association’s offices in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, and works to implement the CMPA’s corporate strategic plan. Liz previously held senior positions at the Ontario Film Development Corporation (Ontario Creates), British Columbia Film (Creative BC), and CBC Television.
Active in many organizations, Liz is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of REEL CANADA and Secretary/Treasurer of the Pacific Screenwriting Program. Liz was a founding Board member of the Crazy8’s Film Society, Co-founder of Women in View and Founding Chair of Story Money Impact. She was recently named one of BC’s top 500 Business Leaders by Business in Vancouver, “Woman of the Year” by Women in Film and Television Vancouver and “Industry Champion” by the Whistler Film Festival in recognition of her leadership role in the film and television industry.
As a member of the BC Industrial Relations team, Jeremy assists with a range of priorities, from member inquiries to collective bargaining. He coordinates and schedules meetings with staff, members, and external organizations; manages external communication for the BC Branch, including Notes to Members; and supports the IR team in preparing for labour negotiations and in creating CMPA-BC collective agreements.
Jeremy has a background in the independent sector, producing and managing the production of award-winning web and short-form content. Jeremy is a graduate of Capilano University, with a bachelor’s degree in Motion Picture Arts.
Jeremy’s current favourite CanCon series is Letterkenny, but he also regularly enjoys exploring much older works through the NFB, when the full potential of film was first being explored.
