Committees and Board of Directors

There are many ways for members to work more closely with the CMPA—from participating in strategic committees to sitting on the board of directors.

Committees

Are you an emerging producer eager to make your voice heard? Been a CMPA member your whole career and never joined a committee?

There are many opportunities available to suit your interests. To find out more about these committees or to participate, please contact the CMPA representative listed for each.

The CMPA’s committees are your opportunity to shape the direction of the association and, in turn, the industry.

Member expertise and feedback is key to our success, as it reflects the business realities faced by independent production companies on a daily basis. In this shifting media landscape, it’s more important than ever that members help us identify risks and opportunities, and provide input on the issues we present to government.

The CMPA is guided by a number of committees dedicated to the different branches of our strategy. Members of these committees participate in calls and discussions to set the agenda for the CMPA’s initiatives.

The CMPA strives to enable access for the full diversity of producers and creators across Canada, including different experience-levels, sizes and scales of companies, genres and formats of production, and especially equity-seeking and sovereignty-seeking communities (including but not limited to Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, persons from the broad spectrum of sexes, gender expressions and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities).

Standing Committees

Industrial Relations

Guides the CMPA’s direction on any matter related to industrial relations, including negotiation strategy, legislation that affects our sector, and our agreements with the various unions and guilds.

CMPA representative

Sean Porter, Vice-President, National Industrial Relations and Counsel

International

Creates opportunities to enhance international market opportunities and partnerships for Canadian film, television and digital media producers. Its mandate includes but is not limited to matters related to international trade agreements, the negotiation and administration of audiovisual co-production treaties, the CMPA’s international strategy and international trade missions.

CMPA representative

Sarolta Csete, Director, Mentorship and International Development

IP

Promotes, advises upon, and assists with maximizing the value of the fundamental interests of members’ copyright holdings through domestic and international advocacy and administrative activities.

Member Development & Services

This committee provides direction to the CMPA to create professional development and mentorship opportunities for members, with a focus on skills, training and networking. The committee ensures opportunities meet the broad needs of producers who are focused on feature film, TV and digital media projects, across all career stages. This committee also determines how the CMPA can best provide demonstrable value for membership through outreach, services and benefits that motivate member engagement.

CMPA representative

Andrew Addison, Vice-President, Communications, Marketing & Membership

Regulatory

Oversees CMPA’s work related to all CRTC proceedings and activities to ensure that the broadcasting regulatory environment, licensing decisions and policy framework effectively address the needs and reflect the interests of CMPA members.

Restructuring, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action

The REDIAC makes recommendations to increase and support membership from companies owned and controlled by persons identifying from equity-seeking and sovereignty-seeking communities. The REDIAC also identifies opportunities to work with other industry stakeholders, including funders and buyers, unions and guilds, supporting the CMPA’s work to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in the broader media production sector. Canadian independent producers must play an important role. The committee will work towards meaningful change and breaking down systemic barriers to increase equity, diversity and inclusion that will benefit Canada’s screen-based industries.

CMPA representative

Liz Shorten, Chief Operating Officer

Sectoral committees and working groups

Feature Film

The Committee provides strategic direction and support on key policy issues backing the content industry value chain as it relates to feature film development, production, distribution, exhibition, and export and works to ensure that Canada’s feature film ecosystem effectively responds to the needs of the CMPA’s Feature Film members.

CMPA representative

Liz Shorten, Chief Operating Officer

Television

The Television Committee advises and identifies opportunities and issues relating to the advancement and promotion of the independent television, short form, and digital media sector in Canada and internationally. The committee addresses the concerns of all genres and formats of programming related to broadcast and digital platforms and considers input from other CMPA committees and working groups, including but not limited to Documentary and Kids and Animation production.

The Television Committee has the following Working Groups:

The CMF Working Group makes recommendations to the Television Committee to ensure that CMF policies, programs and guidelines reflect the interests and address the opportunities and concerns for independent producers.

The Terms of Trade Working Group makes recommendations to the Television Committee, and Regulatory Committee with regard to the negotiation of Terms of Trade agreements with broadcasters, platforms and buyers and to identify issues and possible resolutions in the interest of independent producers.

The Short-form Working Group makes recommendations to the Television Committee regarding issues and opportunities for independent producers of short-form content including but not limited to scripted and unscripted digital series.

The following Working Groups also feed into the work of the Feature Film and Television Committees:

The Kids and Animation Working Group will advise makes recommendations to other CMPA committees (primarily Television and Feature Film) on opportunities and issues relating to the advancement and promotion of the independent kids and animation sector in Canada and internationally. The Kids and Animation Working Group will provide input for all types of content and platforms related to kids and animation, as kids is an audience and kids and animated content stretches across multiple platforms and genres.

The Documentary Working Group makes recommendations to the Television Committee and Feature Film Committees towards creating optimal conditions for the financing and production of documentary film and television in Canada.

Board of Directors

Contact

Liz Shorten
Chief Operating Officer
1-604-694-2711 /
1-866-390-7639 ext. 122
liz.shorten@cmpa.ca

The CMPA’s Board of Directors represents producers working in all genres, in every region of the country.

Directors serve a two-year term. We strive for a board of talented and dedicated directors with a mix of expertise, experience, skills and backgrounds. Further, we are an inclusive organization that is committed to achieving gender balance and greater diversity, including on our board of directors.

View the current CMPA Board of Directors.

Voting will open on August 11 at 10:00 am ET / 7:00 am PT, and close on August 31 at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT.

The CMPA is commencing the process of electing a new board of directors. All directors elected to the board will serve for a two-year term from September 2023 until September 2025. Details were emailed to CMPA members on June 12.