The National Screen Institute of Canada is a non-profit organization headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Created in 1986, the organization describes itself as "Canada's national film, television, and digital media training school for writers, directors, and producers." The NSI was created in 1986 as a renaming of the "Canadian Screen Institute", and originally functioned as part of the University of Alberta. The National Screen Institute is Canada's oldest nationally recognized film and television training school. In 2008, the institute launched the NSI Online Short Film Festival as a year-round online short film festival for films that are of "100% Canadian".
History
In 1984, Canadian filmmakers met in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at "Symposium 84 – Local Heroes", held during the first Local Heroes Film Festival which showcased independent Canadian short films and features from around the world. In 1985, discussions on strategies resulted in "DramaLab" as a hands-on development program for producers, directors and writers to have the opportunity to learn the film industry and develop their skills. One of the 1985 artistic directors was film directorAllan King who recognized that the program filled a void, as at that time there were no filmmaking courses being offered in Canadian universities or technical schools. In a decision to further meet a need for film and television training outside larger metropolitan centers, the "Canadian Screen Institute" was formed on April 7, 1986, adopting both DramaLab and Local Heroes as its two flagship programs. By the end of 1986, the organization's name had been changed to National Screen Institute. Originating as part of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, the institute began with an annual operating budget of $360,000 a year, one-third of which was provided by the Alberta government. In 1990, the NSI's Board of Directors introduced another program evolved from DramaLab called "NSI Drama Prize", in which filmmaker participants would work to build their skills in a format that combined production incentives, mentorship and professional development workshops. In 1997 "NSI Features First" began, a professional development program introduced for writers, directors and producers working on their first or second feature film, to provide training opportunities, an enhancement of knowledge base, networking opportunities and skill sets required to shepherd their films though to completion. In 1998, the NSI opened a second office in Winnipeg and in 1999 introduced a second Local Heroes Festival to Winnipeg that screened exclusively Canadian film and videos. In spring 2001 the NSI consolidated its operations in Winnipeg, transferring the Edmonton Local Heroes Film Festival to the Edmonton International Film Festival Society and refocused and renamed the Winnipeg Local Heroes Festival to NSI Film Exchange Canadian Film Festival. In completing early plans of the organization to develop stories for the big and small screens, "NSI Global Marketing" was introduced in 2001. Participants are required to have a show that has aired on national television and have a project in development to qualify for the program intended to equip participants with the tools to succeed in a distribution marketplace. "NSI Totally Television" was begun in 2002 as a program to help individuals working in the television industry sharpen their skills, tune their concepts, and work toward getting a broadcast development deal. In 2020, the NSI and Film Training Manitoba entered into a partnership to bring a combination of joint educational programming including distance learning, in-class training, career consulting and outreach to Indigenous creators and Manitoba’s northern communities. “Film Training Manitoba is honoured to partner with a world-class training organization like the National Screen Institute. This initiative is a significant boost to helping grow Manitoba’s workforce capacity in film,” said Adam Smoluk, FTM’s managing director – and NSI graduate in an announcement with the NSI's CEO Joy Loewen.
As part of its outreach programs for Aboriginal peoples in Canada, "NSI New Voices" was introduced in 2005 as a program for young Aboriginal adults interested in a career in film and television. Skills development begins with a "Spirit Day", including spiritual leaders and participants speaking about personal goals, and a traditional feast and pipe ceremony. In the Fall of 2010, NSI began "NSI Aboriginal Journalism" as a pilot program designed for Aborigine candidates interested in journalism, to train individuals in the skills necessary to pursue a career in journalism. In November 2010, through collaboration with the High Commission of Canada to Ghana and the Goethe Institut-Ghana, NSI premiered short films in Accra, Ghana as part of Ghana’s first-ever Canada Film Week, marking the first time NSI short films have been screened by the Canadian Government in an overseas location.
Online Short Film Festival
In 2008, the institute launched the NSI Online Short Film Festival as a year-round online short film festival for films that are of 100% Canadian content to encourage new talent and give them a venue to share their films. Four times a year, an exclusive jury selects winning entries and awards the A&E Short Filmmakers Award and a cash prize of $2,500.
