Story First — But Not Story Alone

When I first started in this industry, I believed what so many creatives are taught to believe: that you had to choose between art and business, message and market. That meaningful stories were often destined for the margins, and that anything commercially viable had to be watered down. But the longer I’ve worked as a producer, the more I’ve realized that this thinking isn’t just outdated, it’s holding us back.

The truth is, purpose and profit aren’t opposites. In fact, they can be the best of allies. Producing stories that matter, ones that reflect who we are, challenge what we think we know, and offer something deeper than distraction, is also good business. The key is believability. Not just in what happens on screen, but in what the project stands for.

If the audience doesn’t believe in it, neither will your partners. Neither will your funders. And neither will I.

Why Cultural Relevance Pays Off

I don’t greenlight projects simply because they check a box. I greenlight them because they say something essential , and they know how to say it with craft and clarity. There’s a kind of magic when cultural urgency meets sharp execution. And it turns out, audiences respond to that mix.

Take a look at recent Canadian successes. The ones that broke through weren’t just technically solid, they were rooted in something real. They spoke to local truths but carried global resonance. They were believable.

It’s not just about “issue films.” A rom-com can be revolutionary if it centers people who haven’t been centered before. A thriller can challenge our assumptions about power. What matters is that the project has something authentic to say, and knows how to say it in a way that people will show up for.

That’s where producing comes in.

Producing is Pattern Recognition

My job isn’t just to facilitate. It’s to filter. To spot what’s resonant before it trends. To ask: “What is this story actually about?” and “Why now?” and “Who is this for?” I’ve passed on projects that were perfectly fine, but said nothing. I’ve fought hard for others that felt risky, but necessary.

Some of my proudest producing moments have been when those bets paid off. Not just in critical acclaim, but in real returns: sold-out screenings, international sales, licensing deals, multi-season expansions. Success doesn’t mean compromising on values. It means having a strategy that supports them.

One example? A series I backed early on that centered the inner lives of young Black men in Canada. It was fresh, personal, and unafraid. Some called it “niche.” But we knew better, we knew it filled a gap. And when it hit, it hit hard. Audience engagement was off the charts. It wasn’t a fluke. It was what happens when you make space for stories that haven’t had one.

Betting on the Right Voices

I spend a lot of time with emerging talent. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the smart thing to do. The next wave of voices, across cultures, languages, identities, are where the industry is heading. Betting on them early, and setting them up for sustainability, is not charity. It’s smart portfolio development.

When I find a new filmmaker with something raw and real to say, I don’t just think about their first feature. I think about their third. I think about their ecosystem, who’s around them, what kind of mentorship or structure will help them thrive. Because cultivating that is how we stop treating diverse creators as one-offs and start building real, lasting equity.

Producers aren’t just investors of money. We’re investors of time, belief, and infrastructure. I try to build environments where voices can flourish and that includes helping those voices reach an audience big enough to sustain them.

The Audience is Evolving. Are We?

There’s an outdated narrative that audiences only want light entertainment. But I think people are hungry for meaning, they’re just also busy, skeptical, and overwhelmed. If something feels lazy or hollow, they’ll scroll past. But if it feels urgent, thoughtful, specific, they’ll lean in.

Today’s audiences are incredibly savvy. They can spot authenticity. They can feel when something is made with care. And they’re global ,even when they’re local. What we produce in Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver — it can travel. But only if it starts from something rooted.

That’s why I focus on producing content that holds up not just under review, but under reflection. That’s also why I’m committed to backing storytellers who aren’t afraid to wrestle with complexity, but still know how to entertain.

Building a Future Worth Watching

There’s no formula for a perfect project. But there is a mindset that helps: make it matter. Make it work. And make sure the numbers support the mission.

I want to keep building a slate that reflects where we’re going, not just where we’ve been. That includes historical dramas and Afrofuturist thrillers. It includes immigrant comedies and Indigenous-led sci-fi. But they all have one thing in common: they believe in something, and they invite us to believe, too.

This work takes rigor. It takes heart. And it takes a willingness to see both purpose and profit not as separate goals, but as two sides of the same story.

If we get that balance right, we don’t just make better content.

We make an industry that lasts.