One of the best things about living in Ontario is having access to the great (and free) channel that is TVO. While growing up, it was practically the only channel I was allowed to watch because it was (and still is) commercial free. As a child who wanted and asked for pretty much everything she saw, my parents wanted to keep me as far away from commercials as possible. Who could blame them?  Now as an adult, I still want everything I see, but continue to appreciate TVO for always playing my favourite cartoon, Arthur (ps. omg I just realised you can watch episodes online via TVO Kids!), and exposing me to shows and movies that make me feel smarter and more cultured. Sometimes even I need a break from CSI and The Jersey Shore, dontcha know!

In case you aren’t very familiar with TVO’s programming, the channel happens to be a HUGE supporter of Canadian documentaries and they take up over 50% of the primetime schedule. In fact, they love Canadian docs so much that they’ve just announced the launch of the inaugural TVO Doc Studio Contest and they are calling on aspiring and accomplished filmmakers to enter!

Are YOU an aspiring filmmaker? (wish I was…) Or do you know someone who dreams of becoming Canada’s next documentarian? (think I might know one or two…) Check out the details below and SUBMIT or at least SPREAD THE WORD! Support, support, support!

ps. I am sorry non of the directors in my collage are Canadian, they are just ones I like. Don’t hate me!

TVO Doc Studio Contest 2012 (The Fine Print):

With the launch of the inaugural Doc Studio Contest, TVO is encouraging aspiring and accomplished filmmakers from Ontario to think about all that can happen in five minutes and capture it visually in an original interview-based documentary. Inspired by the interview-based format from filmmaker-in-residence, Alan Zweig (Vinyl, I Curmudgeon, Lovable, A Hard Name), this year’s contest challenges participants to reveal ‘Life in 5’ – a memorable moment, a shift in perception, a secret no one else could uncover, and articulate it using their cinematic skills in five minutes or less.  The winning film will be aired on TVO in the spring and the aspiring filmmaker will receive a mentoring session with Alan Zweig and a coveted industry pass to the 2012 Hot Docs Festival.
Both amateur and established documentary filmmakers from across Ontario, including post-secondary or continuing education film students, are invited to participate.  Entries can be submitted via YouTube or by mail with a completed entry form, a brief description of the video (up to 100 words), short biography (up to 100 words), full name, age and contact information.  Videos will be accepted online or by mail until 9:00 a.m. Monday, February 27, 2012.  Please visit the Doc Studio Contest page for complete entry details.

A panel of judges, including Zweig, will evaluate eligible entries and select the top five videos.  The five finalists will be showcased on docstudio.tvo.org from March 5, 2012 to March 11, 2012 where the public will vote for the winner.  The Grand Prize winner will be announced on March 12, 2012.

Share with your network!  Follow @tvodocstudio and get INSPIRED!