Jennifer Pogue

Actor | Producer

I don’t believe that there are any concrete ‘right or wrong’ ways to pursue your goals in the film business, but Mentorships are invaluable in this industry because so much of it is based on relationships. Meeting someone who can point you in the right directions, educate you on the avenues they’ve taken and what they’ve learned on their journey, to bounce ideas off of, open doors that may have been unfamiliar to you in the past, etc.…etc. Learning someone’s method to their craft may not necessary end up being the way you practice yours, and it doesn’t have to - you can pluck what you want from the opportunity and leave the rest. Stay grateful for someone’s donated time with you, there will always be invaluable tokens that comes with any size of mentorship.

The Academy of Cinema & Television just launched an open call for their 2nd Academy Apprenticeship for Women Directors. Currently WIFT just put out calls for Meridian Artists Agency Mentorship program as well as a post-production Mentorship at Deluxe Media, they highlight opportunities outside of their organization to members on the regular via their ongoing newsletters. I received a mentorship via ACTRA Toronto Woman’s Committee to join a team in making a short film and be mentored along the way, and I continue to create with my mentors from Filmcoop. Most production companies in Toronto offer mentorship opportunities or will welcome volunteers at various commitment levels. Other places that come to mind for various fields - Women in View, The Canadian Film Centre various programs for emerging professionals, Women on Screen Web Series Incubator & more…the right fit is out there waiting for you!

Even if you are emerging - prepare yourself with a resume and profile on professional platforms such as LinkedIn, We Are Here, and Mandy.com. Check these sites regularly for opportunities and respond to the ones that excite something in you. Take time to discover the companies or individual creatives that inspire you. Reach out to these industry veterans and offer to buy them a coffee in exchange for a ½ hour of their time – you’ve got nothing to lose in doing this! If they agree, be clear on communicating your goals with them and have select questions at the ready. 

Confidence comes with experience, so take the time to explore your skill sets and build up your experiences. Take on Production Assistant work so you can spend time on sets and observe their operations. In my experience, great leaders are the ones who properly understand how each department works and have insight into their capabilities & limitations. Shadowing an experienced director is a common occurrence on sets and could be available to you once you meet the right director mentor! Oh yes – and always continue to create your own work with various crew. There’s no better film school than simply making your own project, and spending time at festivals. Just start at the beginning with a solid script and a camera, and from there take it one step at a time.

Seeing women in film leadership positions, especially in roles which have primarily been dominated by men really makes a big difference. Highlighting these role models will help to inspire a younger generation with their examples. It is important to be allies and fight for more than just gender diversity on set but representation as a whole - understanding that our barriers are not always the same as someone else’s so when we talk about representation, it’s important to be inclusive in those discussions as well.