Warner Bros. Discovery Access to Action Canada is in Alberta!
We are proud to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and Access to Action Canada along with the DGC – Alberta District Council.
Together we have facilitated an incredible film + tv training initiative for Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, LGBTQ2AI+, People with Disabilities and women.
Creatives Empowered successfully conducted a strategic outreach and engagement campaign to recruit candidates from these underrepresented communities for WarnerMedia Access Canada and DGC Alberta.
Our selected candidates then went on to receive FREE ONLINE TRAINING that could potentially lead to a Production Assistant position with large studio productions in Alberta’s booming film + tv industry.
The candidates we sought were:
Excellent Communicators
Adaptable
Enthusiastic
Detail Oriented
Able To Work Well Under Pressure
Highly Organized
“Creatives Empowered has provided me with the opportunity to begin my training into the film/tv industry. And to be able to meet other individuals of the BIPOC community who have the same interests and aspirations that I do through the Production Assistant Training Opportunity with WarnerMedia Access to Action and DGC Alberta. I hope that Creatives Empowered continues to provide support and create more opportunities in the near future, for more equity seeking communities in the film/tv industry.”
“I had an excellent experience with the Production Assistant Training Opportunity with Creatives Empowered, WarnerMedia Access to Action and DGC Alberta. I appreciate Creatives Empowered for connecting me with this sensational and practical preparation. During training, I have received industry insight and detailed knowledge regarding roles and possibilities in the industry. I recognize how the certifications granted by the courses will facilitate these positions for me. The information shared during the session has already assisted me so much, and I am eagerly awaiting the following seminars. Thanks to Creatives Empowered’s support, I have built connections and received training that has opened up new opportunities. It’s been a pleasure working with Creatives Empowered to encourage and create opportunities for equity-seeking communities in Alberta’s film & television industry.”
“I’ve realized just how difficult it can be to outline a pathway towards starting a career in the arts. I was in a state of uncertainty until Creatives Empowered came along and radically turned that puzzlement into revelation! Through their training program –– led by industry experts, Creatives Empowered provided me with knowledge on how the film industry works in Canada, which filming unions would pertain best to my career objectives, and how best to get started to begin a journey within this field. I positively recommend any other BIPOC or LGBTQ+ creatives to take a closer look at what Creatives Empowered has to offer to jump-start their career in the film production industry!”
WHAT IS A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT?
A Production Assistant (PA) is an entry-level position, and an invaluable team player that assists in a variety of ways to ensure a production runs smoothly. Production Assistant training is provided by the Alberta District Council of The Directors Guild of Canada – also known as DGC Alberta – a major union in the entertainment industry.
Creatives Empowered then helped our selected candidates obtain the minimum required courses to become a registered DGC Alberta permittee. This is the first step in obtaining a Production Assistant position in one of two departments:
- The Locations Department is responsible for finding and securing locations to be used for the production and coordinating the logistics, permits and costs involved. Locations PAs assist with a variety of duties when a production shoots “on location” or in the studio. Part of the job is to maintain and protect the locations being used. You could be asked to stop, reroute, or otherwise control pedestrian traffic, which may include being outside, rain or shine, for long periods of time.
- The Production Office supervises the physical aspects of the production including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling. Office PAs are responsible for providing administrative and organizational support to senior production staff prior to, during, and after a production wraps. This role may include answering phones, photocopying, ordering meals and running errands.
FREE ONLINE TRAINING
The minimum required courses were:
1) MPPIA MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY ORIENTATION COURSE– this course provides you with the information you need to know before working on a film set.
- Course Delivery: Online
- Duration: 4 hours per day, for 2 consecutive days
2) THE ULTIMATE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT WORKSHOP– this courses teaches you how to be the ideal Production Assistant.
- Course Delivery: Online
- Duration: 1 day, approximately 8 hours
3) FLAG TRAINING CERTIFICATE (also known as Traffic Control Persons for Construction) – this course teaches the techniques, equipment and legal requirements for Traffic Control Persons in a road construction environment.
- Course Delivery: Online
- Duration: approximately 60 minutes
Total training time commitment: 17 to 18 hours