Negotiation skills and dealmaking
Contact
Webinar
Negotiating the deal with broadcasters and streamers
CMPA members were invited to register for the final session in the STAR Producer Program’s negotiation and dealmaking module, which took place on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Previously in this module, participants explored the mindset, strategies, and practical considerations that underpin successful negotiations. This concluding webinar will focus on one of the most important relationships producers navigate throughout their careers: working with broadcasters and streamers.
Members joined industry experts Angelika Heim (Stohn Hay Cafazzo Heim Finlay LLP) and David Zitzerman (Goodmans LLP) for a discussion on building productive partnerships, understanding priorities at the negotiating table, and approaching negotiations with confidence and clarity. Whether developing a first project or managing a growing slate, participants gained valuable insights into navigating broadcaster and streamer relationships in today’s evolving marketplace and strengthening their overall negotiation approach.
Angelika Heim (she/her) represents clients in the business of entertainment, media and digital content. Angelika works closely with clients in the creative industries, advising on transactional matters, disputes and business strategies related to film, television, branded content, talent agreements, music recording and publishing, digital content, book publishing, and intellectual property protection.
Her film and TV clients rely on Angelika to shepherd a production from development to post-production, including securing intellectual property rights, negotiating distribution and broadcast agreements, engaging talent, reviewing for errors and omissions, and navigating the funding agencies, financing models and tax credit opportunities both in Canada and with international partners. Learn more
David Zitzerman serves as counsel in the Entertainment Law Group at Goodmans LLP. He has exclusively practised entertainment law for over 25 years.
David’s practice focuses on the film, television and online industries in Canada and the United States. His clients include independent producers, Canadian networks, Hollywood studios, US networks, cable services and OTT services, private equity investors, European broadcasters, film and TV distributors, publishers, game companies, talent guilds and agencies, writers and performers.
David is recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers Canada (Band 1 – Media & Entertainment Canada), The Legal 500 Canada, Lexology Index Canada, The Lexpert/American Lawyer Media Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. Learn more
Webinar
Negotiating with U.S. talent: Deals, dynamics and realities
CMPA members were invited for the next webinar in the STAR Producer Program’s negotiation and dealmaking module, focused on engaging and negotiating with U.S. talent, which took place on Monday, May 11, 2026.
Building on the foundational mindset introduced in the first webinar, this session dives into the practical realities producers face when attaching U.S. actors, directors, and writers to Canadian and international projects. Featuring Dina Appleton (EVP, Global Business & Legal Affairs, Cineflix Media and author of Hollywood Dealmaking) and Kate Sangster-Poole (SVP, Business & Legal Affairs, Blink49 Studios), the discussion will offer expert insight into navigating cross-border expectations and deal structures.
This session provided a high-level overview of the key considerations when working with U.S. talent, including strategic fit, union and guild frameworks, and how these relationships impact financing, production, and distribution. Designed for producers operating in a global marketplace, it offered practical context and guidance to help approach these negotiations with greater clarity and confidence.
Dina Appleton is Executive Vice President of Global Business and Legal Affairs at Cineflix Media, overseeing legal and business affairs across development, production, acquisition, and distribution.
Previously, she held senior BLA roles at Entertainment One and Boat Rocker Media, and was Special Counsel at Sheppard Mullin, advising studios and talent. She also served as General Counsel at Writers and Artists Agency (later acquired by Paradigm).
Dina is co-author of Hollywood Dealmaking: Negotiating Talent Agreements, and a member of the California and Ontario Bars and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Kate Sangster-Poole is the Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Blink49 Studios, working across a range of projects for both domestic and international audiences. Prior to Blink49 Studios, Kate was SVP at Cineflix Media and at (the former) eOne where she worked for over 13 years. Over the years, Kate has worked on a multitude of media projects, including scripted and unscripted television series, MOWs, documentaries, and digital/new media productions. Kate has been on the CMPA Board of Directors since 2021, is a member of the AI/Copyright, Governance, and Industrial Relations Committees, and has been a part of the CMPA’s collective bargaining for both ACTRA and the WGC negotiations.
A limited number of copies of Hollywood Dealmaking: Negotiating Talent Agreements for Film, TV and Digital Media, co-authored by session speaker Dina Appleton will be made available to webinar attendees (while supplies last). The book is an excellent resource to complement the insights shared during the session and support continued learning beyond the webinar.
Webinar
Reframing negotiation: A win-win approach
CMPA members were invited to register for a webinar on Thursday, April 2, 2026, led by Niem Huynh, an educator and life coach, the opening webinar will provide a strong foundation for the more industry-specific discussions to follow later in the module.
This foundational session explored how producers can rethink and reframe their approach to negotiations as a collaborative, win-win process. Through real-world examples and actionable insights, participants learned how to identify negotiation opportunities, build confidence in asking for what they need, and how to develop a mindset rooted in clarity and purpose.
Members who attended this webinar also had the opportunity to apply for one-on-one negotiation coaching with the facilitator.
Niem Huynh (黄可柔), PhD, PPCC, is an educator and geographer by training and applies these skills as she supports graduate students in their professional trajectories. Her diverse professional experience spans different positions within the university and non-profit sectors, in the USA and Canada. Her curiosity sees her learning to juggle, perfecting the butterfly stroke and improving her Français (while maintaining her Cantonese and English tongues). Learn more