Workshop Registration

Producing Dramatic Films

Hone your producing skills in this two-evening crash course in producing low-budget independent films. In this workshop, participants will learn the process of taking a dramatic film project from development to delivery from a producer’s perspective. Explore how to go through the basics of development, production and post-production activities to maximize and capitalize on the film project’s cash-flow. This workshop tracks the trajectory of making a dramatic feature film in the Canadian financing landscape, highlighting topics relevant to anyone interested in producing a short or feature narrative film. Topics include pitching, development, production, financing, casting, crewing, budgeting, scheduling, negotiations, legal issues, marketing, distribution and professional development. Participants will acquire the foundational knowledge to help guide this multifaceted job and navigate a complex juggling act of a narrative-based production.

Note: Participants are asked to bring their laptops for in class exercises.

The Introduction to Independent Filmmaking workshop is strongly recommended as a prerequisite. This workshop is recommended as a companion to the Short Film Writing, Advanced Script Studio, Directing Dramatic Film, Introduction to Production Accounting and The Business of Film Distribution workshops.​

part 1: Tue 6 October 2026, 6 - 10 pm   
part 2: Thu 8 October 2026, 6 - 10 pm   
(Registration deadline is Tue 6 October 5:00 pm)

Instructor: Shehrezade Mian

Shehrezade Mian is a Pakistan-born creative producer based between Toronto and Pakistan. Her films have screened at festivals worldwide, including TIFF and Berlinale, and have earned coverage from The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, The Globe and Mail, Criterion Daily, MUBI Notebook, and Cinema Scope. She has worked with some of Canada’s leading independent production companies across an extensive slate of film and television projects, including acclaimed features Brother (2022) and Paying for It (2024). She continues to work as a consulting producer with companies in Canada and internationally. Mian is an alumna of the TIFF–Netflix Talent Accelerator, EAVE Access, and the Rotterdam Producers Lab. She is the founder of Markhor Pictures, an independent production company dedicated to auteur-driven cinema. https://www.markhorpictures.com



Location: 1137 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario M6H 2A3
Category: Producing
Maximum Capacity: 12
8 hours of instruction in 2 parts$125 /member$150 /nonmember