INCORPORATING: FINDING THE RIGHT TIME AND HOW TO DO IT
Opening your own production company is an emotional and financial investment for any person who wants to become a producer and have ownership and an active voice in the execution of their own projects. Additionally, in the Canadian industry, most funds and programs demand that the applicant company must be incorporated for at least one year.
Getting incorporated is a decision that can’t be taken lightly by content creators. Is it the right time to do it? What are the requirements I have to attend? Most importantly, how much is it going to cost me? With so much different information available online and not enough knowledge of the intricacies and subtleties of incorporating, it is easy to take a misstep. This panel will help people focus on what is important and the necessary steps to get there.
MODERATOR:
Zainab Muse, CEO & Founder, Creatorland Inc
Zainab Muse is a Nigerian-Canadian producer, director and writer, as well as an award- winning entrepreneur and author. She owns CREATORLAND, a Canadian independent production company with a mission to produce stories that advance and amplify the narratives of unheard voices and underserved people. Some of her producing credits include Creatorland (Bell & CBC 2018), Four Women (Bell, 2022), and Road To Artist (CBC, 2022), along with credits on some art films, documentaries, feature films, shorts and music videos. In addition, she supports many Canadian productions as a consulting producer, as well as a producer on international co-productions in Canada.
Zainab’s ever-expanding list of producing and directing credits includes scripted and non- scripted content in feature-length and series formats, along with a co-hosting credit on a film and philosophy podcast. In 2022, she was selected as a fellow of the Netflix - BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, and a fellow of the Black Screen Office (BSO) and Directors Guild of Canada (DGC)'s Black Women Directors Accelerator.
SPEAKERS:
Christina Chi, Senior Manager, Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte LLP
Christina is a Senior Manager in DMCL’s Entertainment Group based out of the Victoria office. She joined the Entertainment team in 2016 and specializes in providing accounting, taxation and business management services to a variety of clients in the entertainment industry. Christina is proud to work with a diverse portfolio of clients, including bands (PUP, Devin Townsend, and Corb Lund) and actors (Finn Wolfhard and Annie Murphy), and she currently volunteers with the Tegan and Sara Foundation.
When she’s not at the office, Christina loves playing sports, attending concerts or exploring in her camper van.
John Nyce, CEO & Producer, Nyce Image Productions
John is a film producer living in Ottawa, Ontario. He specializes in cinematography and has earned a reputation for his expertise in filmmaking. His recent projects include working with local filmmakers on documentaries, Series, and Feature films.
Ladane Ali, Coordinator, Mentorship, International Development & Policy, CMPA
Hello, Ottawa based poet, comedian/writer. Funny story, I decided I wanted to write when I realized how much “acting” I had to do in the corporate world. I found my freedom and voice in writing. But Sadly, the comedy scene in Ottawa was very much male dominated, so I decided instead of quitting, I will find a new avenue to create my art. I strongly believe that a city without a vibrant art scene is devoid of a soul. We do not have to move mega cities to create, we just need to establish more communities and institutions that can nurture creativity.
Miro Oballa, Partner, Taylor Oballa Murray Leyland LLP
Miro Oballa is a partner at Taylor Oballa Murray Leyland LLP. He has been practicing entertainment law since 2002 in the areas of music, film, television, gaming, new media, sports, and event production. He currently sits on the boards of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Advance – Canada’s Black Music Collective, the Polaris Music Prize and the Canadian Live Music Association.
