Board of Directors

Film Training Manitoba’s Board of Directors consists of ten members who set policy, monitor the financial health and performance of the organization, and provide guidance to the Executive Director.

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Chair: Andrew Yankiwski – Producer, Precursor Productions
Andrew is a professional producer who has overseen countless projects during his decade at the helm of Precursor. His philosophy as a producer is simple: understand each artist’s creative vision for their music and make it a reality in the studio. As an engineer he is known for extremely high production values and the unique ability to create a signature sound for each artist.

Vice-Chair: Terence Fuller 
Terence has been working in the Manitoba Film Industry for over 15 years, most of that time was spent in the Grip Department working his way up to the Key Grip position. In 2017, he became the Steward of IATSE 856, where a large part of his time is spent communicating with Film Technicians to help them in a variety of situations such as Employer concerns, Collective Agreement clarification as well as Member to Member issues. He has been a long serving Instructor for Film Training Manitoba of both the Grip/Lighting Workshop (along-side Joao Howloka) and Set Orientation/Set Safety (along with Reed Makayev from the DGC).

Directors:

Kyle Irving – Producer, Eagle Vision (On Screen Manitoba ex-officio)

Kyle Irving O.M. has produced more than 230 hours of film and television content over 20 years. He delivered a fourth season of Eagle Vision, ICF and eOne’s drama series Burden of Truth for CBC, The CW, Hulu and Universal UK as executive producer. He is an executive producer on Orphan: First Kill, the feature film prequel to the hit film Orphan with eOne and Dark Castle, which is scheduled for a 2021 release. He is also currently executive producing a new doc series that he co-created called 7th Gen for APTN which will premiere in 2021.

Irving is an executive producer along with Taika Waititi on Night Raiders written and directed by Danis Goulet which just premiered at the 2021 Berlinale. He produced Diaspora written and directed by two-time TIFF winner Deco Dawson which is scheduled for release in 2021. Kyle just finished production as a producer of the new Madison Thomas feature film Finality of Dusk. Irving has produced numerous other award-winning feature film productions, notably: Oscar winner and nominee for Best Picture Capote with Sony, Walk All Over Me with the Weinstein Co, Blue State with MGM, the multi award-winning We Were Children, Reasonable Doubt with Lionsgate and Lovesick with eOne.

Irving also executive produced Ice Road Truckers, one of the most successful and longest running docudrama series in television history for History Channel, AETN, and 80+ countries around the world. Collectively, Irving’s productions have been nominated for sixteen CSA’s with three wins, five Oscar’s with one win, five BAFTA’s with one win, five Independent Spirit Awards with three wins, one Golden Globe win, five Shorty Awards with two wins and one Cinequest audience choice award.

Having worked in the Indigenous community with his business partner Lisa Meeches for more than twenty years Irving has a strong focus on championing under-represented talent development and has mentored and supported numerous emerging writers, directors, producers and crew. He is also a strong supporter financially and in-kind to independent films. Irving also enjoys directing, he has directed on The Sharing Circle, Taken, the second unit of many of Eagle Vision projects and recently the virtual opening of the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s new Inuit Art Centre, Qaumajuq.

 

Ellen Rutter – Production Manager, Line Producer and Producer (DGC-MDC ex-officio)

Ellen Rutter is senior-level instructor, mentor and member of DGC-MDC. Ellen has instructed various FTM programs and regularly serves as an FTM mentor to upgrade the skills of Manitoba’s film industry professionals. In addition, Ellen was recently elected to FTM’s board of director.

 

Tanya Mazur – Script Supervisor/Continuity (IATSE 856 ex-offico)

Tanya is a Script Supervisor who has worked on the following selected productions: Bed Rest, The Porter and ‘Tis the Season to be Merry.

John B. Lowe –  Filmmaker and Actor (ACTRA Manitoba ex-officio)

 

Community Members at Large:

Aaron Graham – Production Coordinator
Aaron is a full member of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) and serves on the executive of the DGC Manitoba’s district council. He has served as a Production Coordinator and Assistant Production Coordinator on such Winnipeg-based productions as “Midnight Sun”, “Breakthrough”, “The Parts You Lose”, and “Burden of Truth” Seasons 1 and 2.

Aaron also has an extensive background in freelance film writing including the publications Screem Magazine and Art Decades. A partial list of his interview subjects include Terry Gilliam, John Landis, James Gray, Richard Franklin, Charles B. Griffith, Stuart Gordon and Richard Linklater. Graham was also selected to the Berlinale Talent Campus at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival.

Jill Latschislaw

Jill Latschislaw has worked for over 15 years in post-secondary, having held roles including Senior Manager of Workforce Development and Community Initiatives and Work Integrated and Academic Coordinator with MITT, as well as Co-operative Education Coordinator with the Asper School of Business.

In her current role as Business Development Manager with Red River College Polytechnic’s Corporate Solutions team, Jill is responsible for helping organizations develop training – including micro-credential training – to fill skills gaps. Her specialities include business development, program planning, contract training, consulting services, partnership initiation and management and she is engaged in industry-driven program development and initiatives, as well as business, industry and community engagement.

One of Jill’s passions is assisting First Nation communities, Indigenous Peoples, and newcomers in accessing training. She is a Co-Chair of the Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint Steering Committee, a Board Member with Film Training Manitoba, a Conference Committee Member with the Education Research Forum (Shawane Dagosiwin) and a Conference Board Member with the Manitoba Quality Network (QNET).

Carrie Wilkins
Carrie is a partner in UNIT204 Productions services and is a current member of the Directors Guild of Canada. Carrie was profiled in FTM’s 20 for the 20th-anniversary profile series on Manitoba film professionals. Recently, Carrie has partnered as a producer in the production company, Hydraulic Content. 

The last 30 years of entrepreneurship in various industries have provided Carrie with a deep understanding of effectively improving operations to positively impact growth and profit, while creating a positive and empowering workplace culture. She looks forward to working with the FTM staff, board members, and community members to continue providing opportunities for learning and development in the Manitoba film industry.

Luther Alexander – Producer and Cinematographer

Luther Alexander is a Saulteaux producer and cinematographer working in documentary and film narratives for 10 years. His work has been broadcast on television for CBC and APTN and films screened at festivals locally and internationally, the latest being Eagle Girl in Los Angeles. As an NSI alumnus of New Voices and Indigidocs, he is also alumni of U of W in Management and Filmmaking at NYFA. He is currently working on a slate of five film projects with his partners at Code Breaker Films into 2020.