sara schmidt

* Assembly of production files, financial records, chain of title & other deliverables * Manage applications for private grants & government funding, as well as certifications

Working at Shadow Shows - Bruce McDonald's production company - was a most rewarding experience. Initially I worked as a temporary personal assistant to Bruce, dealing with the day-to-day email and phone management, making notes on scripts, ramping up for feature films, grant applications and graphic design for projects that were in development, as well as coordinating travel to festivals etc. Since 2008, I've occasionally worked on contract as a graphic designer for in-development projects, and helped out during the shooting of films, like This Movie is Broken, which my partner, Howard Ng produced. I was also Associate Producer of Ma Jeanne d'Arc, which is a feature documentary, a Shadow Shows production, directed & produced by Dany Chiasson. Most recently I provided business affairs consulting services for archival projects, Summer 2016.

VSC is one of the last independently operated distribution companies operating in Canada and the US. With major clients including HBC, HMV, Costco, and WalMart, the selection of DVDs produced while I was in the Exec Assistant role included Corner Gas, Kenny vs. Spenny, Canada's Juniors, Super Dave's Super Stunt Spectacular, and many other DVD collections. My role started as an admin assistant, and quickly grew to include contract auditing & management, and managed our 3 e-commerce websites. I also sourced prints of rare Canadian films, and liaised with our roster of producers, directors, and the many post-production companies and archives we employed.

* Support CEO of specialty cable channels WFN: World Fishing Network & GameTV * Work closely with management team on cross-platform projects * Project manager for marketing initiatives including contesting & social media * Strategist responsible for analyzing web metrics, project-specific research

My passion project, Flemish Beauty, is yet another Toronto collective. An ever-expanding lot of filmmakers, writers, technicians, actors, animators, sculptors, painters, photographers, musicians, and circus performers with divergent interests but common goals. A ragtag crew who defy conventional filmmaking wisdom and embrace the chaos of decentralized decision-making. The Peril Tree, which was my thesis film at Ryerson University and won the prestigious Natalie McDonald Prize, started the collaborative process since most of us had never animated before. Happy Endings Sanatarium was our 2nd collaboration. The Inquisitive Snail, which screened at over 20 film festivals internationally and won several awards was our 3rd work, and the first film that was not a film school project - not bad, for a 1 minute film! We've also been commissioned to create broadcast station ID bumpers for WFN: World Fishing Network. Flemish Beauty is also a pear.

* Trained and managed box office volunteers, oversaw financial reconciliations, ticket administration, & patron safety * Dealt with patron escalations and liaised with festival administration & venue volunteers

* Manage volunteers & venue staff, ensure that screenings operate successfully * Coordination of A-list talent, publicists, press, audience & industry

* Manage volunteers & venue staff, ensure that screenings operate successfully * Coordination of A-list talent, publicists, press, audience & industry

* Managed the Egyptian Theater on Main Street * Assistant Managed at Eccles, The Holiday, and The Prospector * Manage volunteers & venue staff, ensure that screenings operate successfully * Coordination of A-list talent, publicists, press, audience & industry

* Theatre Representative at Varsity, Uptown, Cumberland, Elgin * Manage volunteers & venue staff, ensure that screenings operate successfully * Coordination of A-list talent, publicists, press, audience & industry

* Ticketing & Venue Representative * Manage volunteers & venue staff, ensure that screenings operate successfully * Coordination of A-list talent, publicists, press, audience & industry

* Facilitate client acquisition of content by working with programming, legal & tech departments * Manage library of deliverables including music cue sheets, transcripts, credits, artwork, chain of title & insurance * Execute participation at 8-10 international TV and film markets annually , including promotion * Rights management, data entry, reporting * Notable clients: Discovery Communications, A+E Networks, AMC, HBO, Viacom, Netflix, Scripps

Learn the key concepts of entertainment law business and practice from a faculty of more than 25 of Canada’s top experts and dealmakers. This practical, industry-focused program is designed for lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Now in its fifth year, led by Program Director Susan Abramovitch, and taught by a highly distinguished faculty of experts drawn from the music, film, television, gaming, live stage events and publishing industries, this Certificate covers the key principles you need to know, together with practical insights, strategies and tactics for tackling the most pressing issues in entertainment law. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to acquire a comprehensive overview, and to “drill down” into the key issues and challenges that you will likely encounter. You will also receive materials prepared by OsgoodePD’s expert faculty which will serve as a valuable ongoing resource.