A GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN ARTISTS IN THE VISUAL EFFECTS AND ANIMATION SECTOR

Apr 4, 2022

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A GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN ARTISTS IN THE VISUAL EFFECTS AND ANIMATION SECTOR

Montréal, November 26, 2020 – From September 15 to October 27, the Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC) and the NAD-UQAC School organized the first edition of the Leadership and Team Management Training program for women artists in the visual effects and animation sector.

Developed as part of the Release Your Creativity project, which aims to contribute to the retention and attraction of talent through initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion, this program is made possible thanks to the financial support of the City of Montréal, as part of its call for projects, “Accélérer les talents”, and our partner studios: Caribara, DNEG, Framestore, Method Studios, Reel FX and Technicolor (through its three brands, Mikros, MPC and Mr X).

“Over the last ten years, the city has established itself as one of the world’s leading centres for visual effects and animation. It is now time to accelerate the acceptance of women in high-level positions in the industry, allowing them to ensure better employment conditions and thus actively help studios to achieve their full potential,” said Luc Rabouin, Mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough and elected to the City of Montréal’s Executive Committee as the member responsible for economic and commercial development and design.

The program aims to respond to an issue raised by the studios themselves, namely the very small number of women holding artistic leadership positions in visual effects or animation. In fact, women represented only 13% of these positions in 2019 according to statistics collected by the QFTC (Source: study conducted in collaboration with KPMG).

Twenty-six women from 21 different studios were able to follow this 6-week training course spread over 12 sessions for a total of 22 hours of classes. Topics such as the essential qualities of a good leader, effective communication, emotional intelligence and unconscious bias were covered during the training. Each session was conducted by professionals specializing in human resources and coaching.

“The leadership training gave me concrete tools to share and apply with my colleagues to further improve the way we work on a daily basis.

It also allowed me to enrich and open my mind to new avenues of reflection and to engage in an effective introspective process.”

– Charlène Gueneau, Caribara Montreal (training participant)

“At the end of these 12 sessions, I came away with a regenerated ambition and the desire to advance even further in my career.”

– Eve Chauvet, DNEG (training participant)

The training participants were also able to interact with recognized professionals in the field of visual effects and animation such as Sébastien Moreau, President of Rodeo FX, Nicolas Delval, Director of the Mikros Animation studio, and Coline Six, Executive Producer at Framestore.

“Bridging the gap between today’s managers and tomorrow’s leaders is not a simple task, especially when it comes to a generation that has diversity and inclusion at its heart. The QFTC has planted a seed that I hope to see bear fruit in the industry of the future.”

– Laureline Silan, Framestore (training participant)

“The leadership training made me aware of the qualities I attribute to a good team leader and helped me develop the reflexes to apply these assets in my daily life. At its core, the program allows you to work on yourself in order to become a better player for your team and to allow everyone to explore their full potential. In short, the training has pushed me to refine my approach as a leader and to gain confidence in my abilities and my role within the company.”

–Véronique Dubé, Method Studios (training participant)

“The QFTC offered me training that addresses current issues analyzed by panellists who are committed to the success of my career in the short and long term. It’s a big step in favour of women 3D/VFX artists in the fight for feminism and parity.”

– Vanessa Isabelle, Reel FX (training participant)

“This training was an enriching experience both personally and professionally. Six beautiful weeks of learning in the company of a group of inspiring young women. An oasis of sharing during this uncertain period.”

– Amélie Boiron, FX Lead/MPC Film (training participant)

A new edition of the program will welcome an English-speaking cohort in the winter of 2021. A mentoring project for young graduates will also be set up as part of the Release Your Creativity project in December.

About the Release Your Creativity Project

Developed in collaboration with Access: VFX Montreal, CyberCap and the École des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design – NAD-UQAC, the Release Your Creativity project aims to develop innovative and inclusive solutions to the shortage of skilled labour. It is supported by Caribara, DNEG, Framestore, Method Studios, Reel FX and Technicolor (including its three brands, Mikros, MPC and Mr X). The two-year program is divided into three components: a leadership and team management training program for women, a mentoring program for young graduates, and the organization of activities aimed at inclusion, diversity and well-being in the workplace.

About the QFTC

The QFTC is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 that contributes to the development and competitiveness of Quebec as a world-class multi-screen production centre. As an economic development agency, its mission is to generate investment in Quebec through competitive tax incentive programs, the expertise of industry members, architectural diversity, the quality of its infrastructure and the industry’s ability to export its products to foreign markets.

The QFTC is supported by its partners: Air Canada, National Bank of Canada, BFL Canada, Corporate Stays, Demers Beaulne, difuze, EP Canada, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Hôtel Gault/Monville, Hybride, Miller Thomson, Grande Studios, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Rodeo FX, William Gray Hotel and Mount Stephen Hotel, as well as federal, provincial and municipal governments.

For more details, visit www.qftc.ca.

About the NAD-UQAC School

Founded in 1992 and located in Montréal, the École des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi is a training and research and development institution for 3D animation, visual effects, design and digital arts. The association between the NAD School and UQAC, which dates back to 2008, allows more than 460 students annually to have access to a range of university programs of study unique to Quebec. In addition, a wide selection of continuing and professional education programs designed to meet the requirements of the industry, developed in collaboration with it and taught by its masters, is also available at the NAD-UQAC School.