Lights, Camera, Exec: What Film Producers Teach Us About Project Leadership

Lights, Camera, Execution: What Film Producers Teach Us About Project Leadership

Ready to learn project leadership from the world of film? Join us in person for an exciting event where film producers spill the secrets of managing teams, deadlines, and creativity on set. It’s all about turning those movie magic skills into real-world project success!

Behind every successful production is a producer balancing creative ambition with real-world constraints. Join Calgary and Alberta film producers as they unpack how they deliver complex projects on time and on budget—while managing strong personalities, tight timelines, and constant change. Discover practical lessons in leadership, adaptability, and execution that apply far beyond the film industry.

Check out our line-up:

James Anthony Young – Facilitator

James Anthony Young is a Calgary-based film and media industry professional with over a decade of experience spanning producing, line producing, production management, post-production supervision, and visual effects. A graduate of York University’s BFA Honours in Film Production program, James built his career in the Ontario film industry before returning to his home province of Alberta in 2022. In 2019, he founded Pixel Piranhas Inc., a fully remote VFX and post-production studio serving feature film and movie-of-the-week productions across Canada.

His work has been distributed through platforms including Shudder, Corus, Lifetime USA, and the Hallmark Channel, and has earned official selection recognition at both TIFF and Fantasia. As comfortable on set as he is running a business, James brings a rare combination of creative fluency and operational discipline to every project he takes on.

Michael Peterson – Panelist

Michael Peterson is an award-winning filmmaker based in Calgary, Alberta and best known for his work in horror, comedy and action genres.

His directing work includes commercials, documentaries, web series, half-hour tv and the feature films, ‘sports’ comedy, LLOYD THE CONQUEROR, horror/thriller, KNUCKLEBALL, and exorcist horror, SHADOW OF GOD, a Shudder Original. His TV work includes many half-hours of unscripted and the scripted series, Department of Paranormal Affairs, Tiny Plastic Men – Season 4, Caution May Contain Nuts, and the pilot for APTN docu-series The Secret History of the Wild West, which he also co-created.

Michael is also an experienced producer, including over twenty feature films including the Fantastic Fest Closing Night Film, BLOODTHIRSTY (2020), and cult classic HARPOON (2019), the latter of which premiered at Rotterdam International Film Festival and is rated #21 of the Best Horror Films of All Time on Rotten Tomatoes and Certified Fresh. Recent features include, THIS TOO SHALL PASS (dir. Rob Grant), DARK MATCH (dir. Lowell Dean), BUFFET INFINITY (dir. Simon Glassman) and NIGHT OF THE REAPER (dir. Brandon Christiansen). In 2022 he was nominated for the CMPA Indiescreen Established Producer Award.

His undergrad degree is a double major (Communications and Humanities) from York University, and a M.Arts from UNC-Chapel Hill which focused on documentary production and theory, and participated in the 2013 CFC Directors Lab.

He has also lead producing workshops and participates in many industry panels at festivals and markets across the globe as an expert in producing genre films.

In his spare time he loves discovering new music, cooking, reading fantasy novels and spending time with his family and two dogs.

Jayson Therrien- Director/Producer Casting Director – Panelist

Jayson Therrien has been a part of the film industry in Canada for over 15 years, serving first as an actor then a producer and now casting director and film director. A few years after graduating and receiving an Advertising and Marketing diploma, he decide to go back to school for performing arts to start pursuing a career in film acting. Acting credits include: Jann (CTV), Black Summer (Netflix), Tribal (ATPN), Everfall (ShowTime Networks), A Miracle on Christmas Lake (SONY), Fargo (FX), Heartland (CBC).

Looking to get more involved in the process, he start teaming up with up-and-coming directors as a producer, hoping to create more projects stemming his own passions. Producing Credits include: One Night in Aberdeen (short), Word of Mouth (web series), A Miracle on Christmas Lake (feature), Everfall (feature).

Therrien has had huge success with the films he has produced: they’ve all been accepted into festivals around the world, winning “Best of Festival” in a few festivals, many AMPIA nominations, 4 AMPIA wins. His first produced (and acted) feature film, “A Miracle on Christmas Lake”, was picked up for world distribution by SONY Home Entertainment and was broadcast in 14 international regions and in North America on The Movie Network, HBO Canada, FreeForm, and AMC. His second feature, Everfall, was broadcasted on Showtime Networks. Next up Therrien is working on a slate of holiday films going to camera this fall.

Jason Plett – Director/Producer/Writer – Panelist

“With a long-standing career as a technical writer, Jason Plett has built a reputation for clear communication, strong organization, and the ability to translate complex ideas into engaging, audience-centred content.

In recent years, he has chosen to expand his creative side by pursuing screenwriting and, though not initially intending it, he fell into filmmaking as well, discovering a natural affinity to the organizational aspects of producing and the execution-of-vision aspects of directing.

He has written multiple short and feature-length scripts across the science-fiction, fantasy, thriller, and drama genres, and has written, produced, and directed two short films. His first film, The Captive, produced in 2024/25, won Best Low Budget Short Film (Under $25,000) at the Tokyo Film and Screenplay Awards, as well as garnering an Award of Distinction at the Canada Shorts Short Film Festival. His second short film, The Only Way, produced in 2025/26, has recently been made an official selection for the 2026 San Diego Sci-Fi Film Festival, being held in November, 2026.

Blending technical precision with cinematic storytelling, Jason is passionate about creating meaningful, emotionally resonant stories that explore hope, humanity, and the deeper questions of life.”

Please note that this event may be photographed or recorded for recap and promotional purposes by PMI Southern Alberta Chapter. By attending, you consent to your image being used in future marketing materials, including social media and other PMI-SAC publications.