Telefilm Canada looks to scope out new talent in its Western region with the return of Pitch Week, a meet-and-greet event that offers emerging filmmakers some face time with executives at the organization.

The Vancouver event is not unlike other outreach programs held across Canada, and was rebranded Pitch Week last year to encourage new filmmakers to come forward with their ideas, explains John Dippong, Telefilm’s regional feature film executive for the Western region.

‘We wanted to demystify who Telefilm Canada was for new clients… we’re looking for people that haven’t actually come to us, and that we didn’t really know and vice versa,’ he tells Playback Daily.

Dippong says filmmakers aren’t required to come in with a pitch, adding that executives are willing to meet with those ‘interested in exploring what Telefilm might have to offer them.’ Similar meet-and-greets will also be held in other regions including Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

‘One of our regional priorities is talent development, and it’s important to cast the net as wide as you can,’ he adds.

Pitch Week takes place April 14-17. Filmmakers will meet with Dippong, and content analysts Bill Hurst and Viviane McConkey.

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This story has been corrected. John Dippong is Telefilm’s regional feature film executive and not director for the Western region, as originally reported.