Production Executive, TELUS originals

Description

You’re a seasoned documentary professional who understands the realities of production and financing, and thrives in collaborative, purpose-driven teams. You care about stories that matter and are passionate about supporting creators from pitch to premiere.

Join our creative and high-performance team as we fund and support filmmakers to tell thought-provoking stories from B.C. and Alberta communities.

The TELUS originals team funds and supports the production of compelling, locally reflective, social purpose documentaries and docu-series that connect stories from established B.C. and Alberta-based producers to diverse audiences, while prioritizing representation in front of and behind the camera.

We are a team of highly skilled, diverse, inclusive and passionate people who encompass a variety of identities and lived experiences, as well as decades of combined professional experience in film/TV production, business affairs, film festival programming, marketing and community engagement.
Our small team of Production Executives works collaboratively with producers, providing end-to-end support through concept development, pre-production, production and post-production — including a creative notes process.

The films we fund are made available to subscribers on TELUS Optik TV, and to global communities on digital platforms, with the aim of providing access to the highest quality local programming.
Hyperlocal and reflective content is our passion, but that’s not the only reason we’ve been doing this work for nearly 10 years. TELUS contributes funds to local production in accordance with our Conditions of License (COL) as governed by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)’s regulations regarding locally reflective and relevant programming.

TELUS originals is a sibling program of TELUS STORYHIVE, and together they form the Local Content portfolio at TELUS. From time to time, TELUS originals team members also pitch in to support other Local Content programming.

What you’ll do:

As a Production Executive, your contributions will advance equitable on- and off-screen representation by supporting original documentary production in B.C. and Alberta — driven by authentic voices speaking into, about, and beyond their own communities.
Your compassionate critical thinking and well-honed story skills will enable us to fund compelling, high-quality documentaries and docu-series that Canadians want to watch in the following areas of impact:

• Community
• Connectivity
• Health
• Food sustainability
• Planetary well-being

Our stories have global resonance, but they start close to home. One hundred percent of the stories we tell have an authentic story nexus in British Columbia or Alberta.

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Producer Outreach, Pitch Submission Support & Evaluation

• Develop and execute an outreach strategy to secure program-qualified pitches
• Build and foster relationships with B.C. and Alberta-based producers, particularly among equity- and narrative sovereignty-seeking filmmakers
• Represent TELUS originals at industry events, including film festivals, conferences, and market forums, to strengthen relationships with producers, creators, and partners
• Provide constructive input during pitch development and pre-production, and assess market viability, community value, and potential reach of projects
• Evaluate submissions using rubrics to ensure a strong and balanced slate, and present recommendations to senior leaders for greenlight
• Demonstrate experience navigating institutional or corporate environments, with the ability to balance creative vision and business imperatives in support of TELUS’ strategic goals

Business Affairs & Project Management

• Manage business affairs with producers, including reviewing budgets and schedules, drafting contracts, and processing accounts payable
• Guide productions from greenlight to delivery with regular check-ins, milestone reviews, and collaborative problem-solving
• Oversee the delivery of final projects and coordinate hand-off to marketing for release
• Manage footage requests, the TELUS originals inbox, and the online pitch submission process

Post-Production & Creative Notes

• Provide constructive, detailed creative notes to producers at key milestones (rough cut, fine cut, picture lock)
• Adapt feedback processes to the needs of individual projects while balancing TELUS requirements

Program Evolution

• Collaborate with the team to evolve our program offerings and processes
• Share emerging best practices in documentary film production and audience engagement to drive program innovation

Qualifications

What you bring: 

• You bring 7–10 years of experience in film/TV production, including at least 5 years of hands-on producing films, documentaries, or series for television or digital platforms
• You have strong, practical knowledge of Canadian film and television financing, including demonstrated experience with federal and provincial tax credit processes and how they integrate into production budgets
• You believe more can be accomplished working together than apart, and bring a positive, collaborative, can-do attitude
• You respect the working needs and styles of your colleagues and actively contribute to a thriving, inclusive team environment
• You possess a strong understanding of production budgets, schedules, technical film language, and the contemporary documentary landscape
• You are skilled at providing nuanced, constructive feedback throughout the life of a project — from pitch submission to picture lock
• You are noted as a reliable self-starter and strong communicator with excellent time management, troubleshooting, and mediation skills
• You are familiar with and committed to equity best practices as set forth by the Indigenous Screen Office, Black Screen Office, Racial Equity Screen Office, Disability Screen Office, and imagineNATIVE’s On-Screen Protocols + Pathways
• You are comfortable working with corporate and community leaders, cross-functional teams, and digital collaboration tools (Google Suite, Slack, Monday.com, etc.)
• You live in B.C. or Alberta, have reliable high-speed internet, and are able to travel occasionally for in-person meetings and events

Great to have

• Cultural safety, decolonization, or anti-racism training
• Experience liaising with production executives, commissioning editors, or funders through production and post-production