Returning for the second year at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, the TIFF Series Accelerator programme, presented by Canada Media Fund, will offer tailored mentorship for eight emerging Canadian series-creator teams from under-represented communities to refine their pitches and develop a business plan for their projects.

The two-day mentorship intensive will have two priorities: refining the pitch and project materials with mentorship from a pitch coach and industry professionals; and developing ideas and strategies for finding international partners and moving projects forward.

BEFORE STARTING YOUR TIFF SERIES ACCELERATOR APPLICATION, REVIEW THE CHECKLIST BELOW:

1. You meet the eligibility requirements for TIFF Series Accelerator (listed here: https://www.tiff.net/industry-series-accelerator) and agree to provide all the required submission materials.

2. You have created a new project under the “My Projects” section of your profile for this specific programme application. The project is titled “SERIES TITLE – TIFF SERIES ACCELERATOR – 2023” and is a Film / Video project type.

NOTE: After saving your new project, return to the TIFF Series Accelerator FilmFreeway event page to fill out the application.

3. You have uploaded all of the materials listed below to the “My Projects” section. (NOTE: Go to https://filmfreeway.com/projects and click “View” on your project to upload your video files and written materials. Use the upload tool to add your online screener.)

a. A video pitch about the submitted project, no more than two minutes in duration. The video should tell us: i. a bit about your project; ii. your creative approach/voice; and iii. why you’d like to participate in TIFF Series Accelerator.

Upload this file in the “Add an Online Screener” section of your project. Use the upload tool to add your online screener.

NOTE: You will not be evaluated on the quality of the video but rather the content. This can be recorded on a cell phone.

b. A one-minute clip from a previous project on which the producer from your team is credited as producer, uploaded in the “Add a trailer” section of your project. Please follow these guidelines for your clip submission:

- The clip must be no longer than one minute.
- Ensure that the clip is in high resolution.
- After the project title on the video file, include in parentheses where the clip is from: a short, feature, or episode.
- Ensure that the clip includes English subtitles if the language spoken is not English.
- Demo reels, trailers, and music videos will not be accepted.
- Submissions of full films or episodes with time codes will not be considered by the jury.

c. The following supporting documents:
- A copy of the applicant team (producer and writer/writer-director)’s resumes in PDF format
- The applicant team’s filmographies (project title, year, role(s), festivals/platforms played, and a maximum of five awards or nominations received per project) in PDF format
- The applicant team’s high-resolution headshots in colour (format: .jpg; orientation: portrait; minimum resolution: 300 dpi)
- The following written materials from the submitted project, in PDF format:
i. Pilot Script
ii. Series Bible

Rules & Terms

Eligibility

Applications are open to emerging Canadian series-creator teams from under-represented communities, including Indigenous people, racialized people, women, 2SLGBTQ+ and non-binary people, people with disabilities, and people from official language minority communities.

Applicant teams must include a producer (with one feature-film or series credit as producer) and a writer or writer-director.

Only one submission per applicant team will be considered.

Submission Guidelines

Applicant teams must fill out the application in full, attaching the itemized supporting documents listed above. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications must be completed by applicant teams themselves and not by third parties (e.g. assistants, co-workers).

Participant teams selected for the programme will be required to acknowledge TIFF Series Accelerator in the credits of their completed project.
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  • Cheryl Meyer

    TIFF is such a well-organized and respected institution and they carry that wealth of industry knowledge and connections into their Talent Labs. The Series Accelerator was incredibly professionally valuable. An excellent line up of presenters. We learned quite a lot and were greatly inspired by the presenters' advice and points of view. The program organizers were very thoughtful and helpful to all us creators. Meeting and sharing craft with the other members was a huge highlight. The aim is to reveal opportunities to move forward our television project and we left with many ideas on new avenues to pursue. Additionally, there are lifelong perks to being a TIFF Talent Lab Alum. I would highly recommend applying for this program.

    September 2023
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  • Jessica Landry

    TIFF's Series Accelerator was such an amazing experience led by a wonderful group of people. Though this first iteration was only one day, it was jam-packed full of meetings and mentorships and everything emerging creators could want to learn about how to take their projects to the next step.

    May 2023
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