European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) and the Canada Media Fund (CMF) have issued a new framework on equitable international production models.

The EAVE Impact Think Tank Report on Inclusive Co-Production is written by EAVE CEO Kristina Trapp and Gobez Media’s Tamara Dawit. It outlines how productions of all kinds can be more transparent and equitably collaborative, from development to distribution.

Among the recommendations are engaging with local communities as early into the development process as possible; appointing a Cultural Authenticity Steward from the community; revenue-sharing models that account for financial and non-financial contributions to a production; profit-sharing for originating producers; and allocating travel costs for key contributors at the promotion stage.

The report was highlighted in a panel discussion at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept. 6. Moderated by Dawit, the panel included Toronto-based Film Forge co-president Karen Harnisch; Jennifer Podemski, CEO of Redcloud Studios and founder of the Shine Network; and Ama Ampadu, senior production and development Executive at the BFI (British Film Institute) Filmmaking Fund.

Both Ampadu and Podemski emphasized how critical it is to set the right tone at the development stage, whether it’s working with producers from different territories or relations between Indigenous and settler producers.

“It’s really about creating interventions ahead of time so that the things we know that can be difficult, like working within Indigenous communities safely and incorporating Indigenous crew equitably and fairly, are things that have to be discussed with partners,” said Podemski.

Among the panel recommendations were getting agreements down in writing to ensure transparency throughout the process, and accounting for community engagement in the development budget.

Harnisch said another opportunity is to rethink the traditional majority/minority coproduction mindset baked into the established treaties. “What I’m starting to try to do on every single project is  think about more than just the money that’s being brought to the table,” she said.

She said early development contributions often delivered on spec are part of the “high risk, low reward” period for a film that can be “more meaty and substantial than what happens once the project is fully funded.” Having a conversation about how to compensate for those contributions “helps us arrive at what we all mutually feel is fair.”

One example she gave was a coproduction between Canada and two European countries, wherethe project was developed in Canada, but Canadian producers ended up becoming the lowest financial contributor because the project was shot in Europe. “We really had to crack open the majority-minority notion and say, ‘let’s be real about what happened to get this made,'” she said. “It can be a difficult conversation, but the earlier it happens, in my experience, the easier it is.”

Podemski also pointed out the critical role of a cultural steward. She said she paid $1,500 out of pocket for a cultural sensitivity consultant on the Crave and APTN series Little Bird (Rezolution Pictures, Original Pictures), adding that it was not enough compensation for the work required of the role.

“She was there throughout the entire thing, every cut and every edit, making sure that every single thing on the screen wasn’t a lie [and] was fully authentic, and then if she didn’t know, she would go take it back to the community and discuss it,” said Podemski.

Harnisch added that a cultural steward is an important position to keep stories authentic and shouldn’t just be about checking a box at the end of post-production.

“You have to remember to let them weigh in early and often,” she said. “The role isn’t to sign off assuming you’ve done everything well. Their role is to raise issues, [and] if there are issues, you don’t want to be in a situation where you’re having to open up and edit substantially.”

The full think tank report is available here.

Pictured (L-R): Karen Harnisch, Jennifer Podemski, Ama Ampadu and Tamara Dawit