Vancouver: The beleaguered, debt-ridden B.C. Motion Picture Association has hired the heavy-hitting founding director of the Banff Television Festival to bring it into line.

Carrie Hunter, who started the Banff festival in 1979 and cultivated its present-day importance, started quietly with the association in November.

Her first challenge will be the regrouping of the local industry and the formation of a new vision. While she’s been meeting one-on-one with industry representatives for more than a month, her first official industry consultation was Dec. 2. Various stakeholders, including indigenous and service producers and labor leaders, are being queried for their expectations of the association.

‘It’s very possible for this association to represent a broad segment of the industry,’ says Hunter from her new office on Homer Street.

She expects to announce the new vision for the association in the spring.

Meanwhile, bcmpa tasks are being severely rolled back this year to address the debt. There will be no natpe or mipcom excursions, high-tech cd-rom projects or industry trade fairs. Hunter will focus on fundraising, implementing stricter financial controls, membership and day-to-day operations.