About Creative Pathways™
Bridging career-seekers with industry.
British Columbia’s motion picture industry is a vast and complex industry without a single easy entry point. That’s why Screen BC and Creative BC have collaborated with many industry stakeholders to support workforce development.
Find your path
Unlike traditional industries, this career path requires a lot of initiative to collect knowledge, skills, and networks that gradually connect you with the many freelance roles the industry offers:
Above-the-Line
Want to be a producer/director/writer?
Become an entrepreneur who works above-the-line. You will lead your own teams and projects, pitch, prompt, and generate demand for your ideas, and seek public and private investors to support bringing them into reality.
Below-the-Line
If you want to work on movie sets and studios
Plan on beginning with entry-level below-the-line positions to learn on the job from other artists, craftspeople, and technicians. You will work your way up, learning on the job in guild-style fashion from experts in the camera, stunt, set decoration departments, and more.
Animation, VFX, + Post Production
If you love the digital side of storytelling
and you’re keen to work in animation, visual effects (VFX) or post production, a formal education is usually required to gain basic art and digital skills. With this training, you will become a sought-after freelancer because this segment of the industry’s workforce is in very high demand.
How to use this website
- Spark your interest with information about screen stories
- Learn about British Columbia’s motion picture industry
- Acquire basic training and skills to build your capabilities
- Engage in networking and events to meet people
- Focus your career path
- Take advantage of opportunities
- Build and track your work experience
- Get into the industry
Help new entrants to learn, meet, and work
Behind these three words is a strategic collaboration framework, complete with industry services provided through Creative BC, so your production can support new entrants to get into #BCFilm. Become a partner today. Email creativepathways (at) creativebc.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Creative Pathways™ work?
Creative Pathways™ is a platform to champion a dynamic motion picture workforce in B.C. that is equitable, diverse and inclusive. On this website, we have provided comprehensive information about careers in B.C. motion picture industry for everyone. Creative Pathways™ also offers specific supports (such as Setwork or Meet 10) to increase workforce participation of people from systemically excluded groups, with a priority on below-the-line positions.
I'm not located in B.C. Can I still use the site?
You sure can, the information is for everyone and we hope will be useful as a general guide for jobseekers in the motion picture industry. However, some information is specific to the province of B.C., or only applicable to work in B.C. so please be aware and research your local ecosystem.
What are the most in demand roles in the motion picture industry?
In the motion picture industry, in demand roles vary by production type (ie. a period drama will often require larger costumes departments; an action film usually needs a large number of stunt performers) and volume (the number of concurrent productions in a geographic location).
Beyond those immediate needs are roles that are often in high demand, such as Accounting, Construction, Costume and Grips in below the line work. For animation and visual effects, skilled artists and technicians are in high demand.
All in demand roles on the Creative Pathways site have been validated by BC’s motion picture labour organizations, and will be updated regularly. Check them out in the Careers.
How does Creative Pathways™ define people from systemically excluded groups?
Creative Pathways™ offers specific supports designed for people with one or more of these voluntarily self-identified characteristics:
- Indigenous People
- Black People
- People of Colour
- People Living with a Disability
- People who are LGBTQ2SAI+
- Women
Do I have to disclose my personal information to use the site or any of its features?
No you don’t. It’s your choice and self-identification is voluntary. All forms offer a “prefer not to say” option.
How do you protect my privacy if I apply for a Setwork opportunity?
Use of the Creative Pathways website is governed by Creative BC’s privacy and terms of use policy. For applicants to Setwork, they will be asked to agree to privacy terms as outlined in the Workforce Diversity Program Policy. For those looking to hire candidates, Creative Pathways will require employers to register for an secure password-protected account in order to access personal information supplied by applicants.
I need crew ASAP - like tomorrow - will this site help me do that?
Not yet. We suggest you consult some of the people directories in Canada. They have many members in B.C. with all sorts of skill sets in film and television.
Why did you build Creative Pathways™?
We want to create clear information about working in the motion picture industry and we want to expand the workforce by welcoming a wide range of British Columbians. We know that the film and television industry is complex and we wanted to show how it works so that you can find a path forward and join the industry.
We also want to provide users with practical tools, so that we can all evolve to support new entrants and provide a safe and welcoming environment.
We built Creative Pathways™ with jobseekers in mind and designed inclusive features such as the Userway plug-in tool which can customize the web experience for a range of users.
What's the reason for the Creative Pathways™ project and who is behind it?
Creative BC, Screen BC (Motion Picture Production Industry Association), and B.C.’s motion picture industry developed a six-part strategy to deliberately increase workforce capacity through more fair and balanced representation. The strategy acts on recommendations from a recent labour market study, funded by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada through their Sector Labour Market Partnerships program (SLMP).
The design, development and implementation of this website and its two targeted equity streams, Setwork and Meet 10, is a secondary SLMP project also funded by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada, secured by industry “seed” funding from Warner Bros. Access Canada. Read the media release.
I still have questions or comments, who do I contact?
Please write to creativepathways@creativebc.com
The Origins of Creative Pathways™
Creative Pathways™ is a six-part strategy to grow B.C.’s motion picture industry workforce through more fair and balanced representation – Above-the-Line, Below-the-Line, and in animation, VFX and post production. Creative Pathways™ is an initiative of the BC Film Commission at Creative BC.
Project
Parts 1, 2 and 3 are internal work for the industry and parts 4, 5, and 6 are outward facing engagements. These outward facing activities are the focus of the Creative Pathways™ Project, a Sector Labour Market Project funded jointly by government and industry, to deliver this website, Setwork, Meet 10 and the corporate services to deliver them.
Strategy
The Creative Pathways™ initiative is a collaboration between Screen BC (fka MPPIA) and Creative BC. Its objective is to grow B.C.’s workforce through more fair and balanced representation. The initiative began in response to the industry’s below-the-line labour market study that realized:
- the industry’s workforce in B.C. must grow by up to 10% each year to meet labour demand (replacing a retiring workforce and increasing number of workers in high-demand job roles);
- both women and racialized people had 14% lower participation in this workforce than in B.C.’s overall workforce;
- word-of-mouth, or networked recruitment, is the primary means of hiring: “who you know” is critical to workforce entry, but many feel it’s hard to access the network;
- multiple and unclear access points for union and guild entry further create a feeling that the industry is exclusive rather than welcoming.
Fully 97% of people working across the province in motion picture are British Columbians, so it’s up to the industry to address both of these points to improve and maintain the reputation of a leading, full-service production hub. Through stewardship, deliberate changes will support the evolution of B.C.’s local talent pipeline, as this workforce is core to B.C.’s success as Canada’s largest and North America’s third-largest production centre.
Project Governance
Creative Pathways™ Sector Labour Market Partnership project was overseen by a Governance Committee representing local and national experts across the motion picture industry:
Project Governance Committee
Chair: Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC
Tracey Friesen, Managing VP, Canadian Media Producers Association BC Producers Branch*
Joan Jenkinson, Executive Director, Black Screen Office
Tara Kemes, General Manager, Cinesite (formerly)
Crystal Braunwarth, Business Representative, IATSE Local 891*
Erika Kumar, Director, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada
Barbara Lee, Founder, Vancouver Asian Film Festival
Kerry Swanson, Co-Executive Director, Indigenous Screen Office
Natasha Tony, Founder, Elevate Inclusion Strategies
Kendrie Upton, Executive Director, Directors Guild of Canada BC District Council*
Sheryl Wilson, Hairstylist, IATSE 891 Member
Ryan McCormick, Ex-Officio, Senior Program Manager, Sector Labour Market Partnership Office, Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
Adrienne Beck, Director, Film & Digital Media Policy, Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
*Screen BC member
Project Team
Sponsor: Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC
Creative Pathways™ Lead: Katannya “Kat” Yee, Creative BC
Project Lead: Lisa Purdy, Principal, Notio Media
Advisor: Marnie Gee, BC Film Commissioner at Creative BC
Manager: Karin Watson, Director of Business Operations, Creative BC
Founders + Supporters
Funders
Associates
Founding Advisory Committee + Supporters
