MENTOR CLASS—Tuesday, February 14 (8:30-10:00)

SOLD OUT! Negotiating 101

So, you've got your first deal. Now what? This session will provide an overview of what to look for in negotiating a production deal in the current kids TV landscape. Join industry and legal experts Douglas Barrett (BellMedia Professor of Media Management​, Schulich School of Business) and Hatty Reisman (founder and senior lawyer, Reisman Law Offices) as they consider various forms of programming (TV/digital/short form) and look at many types of deals that can be made and how to best protect your intellectual property.

MASTER CLASS—Tuesday, February 14 (8:30-10:00)

SOLD OUT! Fine-tuning character

Whether you're creating an animated or live-action series for broadcast or digital, if you can't communicate what your show is about in less than a sentence or two, chances are your concept needs work. More focused than a bible workshop or pitching clinic, this Master Class will help you move beyond the broad strokes of your high concept and into the nitty gritty of creating characters to drive your story. Experienced show creator Dave Skwarczek will help you dig deeper into the tools and techniques used to define strong characters and craft engaging springboards that bring them to life.

MENTOR CLASS—Wednesday, February 15 (8:30-10:00)

SOLD OUT! Structural engineering for storytellers

All good stories are as carefully constructed as a skyscraper, and this session will teach budding storytellers the basics of creating two- and three-act structures. Self-proclaimed "story structure engineers" Holly Huckins (Sheriff Callie's Wild West, Rugrats, Recess) and Carin Greenberg (Tumble Leaf, Lalaloopsy, Ghostwriter) will be your guides. They'll deconstruct an episode of a popular series to understand how it was built and why it succeeds, discuss the difference between story and character arcs, and examine the importance of conflict.

MASTER CLASS—Wednesday, February 15 (8:30-10:00)

SOLD OUT! The state of digital distribution

VOD, AVOD, TVOD, not to mention Netflix, Amazon and YouTube: There are now more ways than ever to slice licensing rights for digital platforms. How do you decide who gets what? When does it make sense to refuse a global VOD deal to pursue local ones? What platforms are ponying up the most cash? Distribution experts Richard Goldsmith (Cyber Group Studios US) and Josh Scherba (DHX Media) will cover those burning questions and much more.