The Business of Film

The Business of Film panel brings together four dynamic professionals from across the film and creative industries, each bringing a unique perspective on how to successfully develop, fund, and launch creative projects. From independent filmmaking to digital content creation and cross-platform storytelling, these experts will share practical insights, real-world strategies, and innovative approaches to financing and producing work in today’s evolving media landscape.

Whether you're a filmmaker, producer, writer, or creative entrepreneur, this panel will offer valuable guidance on navigating the business side of storytelling, turning ideas into reality through resourceful planning, collaboration, and strategic funding models.

Join us in person at Staples Oakville Studio or virtually, for an engaging conversation that will empower you to bring your projects to life, on screen and beyond.

Where: In person at Staples Studio, Oakville or Virtual via Zoom

Light refreshments will be served at Staples Studio Oakville starting at 5 pm.

About the Panelists:

Wendy Donnan, Executive Director, Oakville Festivals of Film & Art (OFFA), Producer/Moderator

Charmaine Hammond, Professional Speaker, Author, Sponsorship Expert

Sean Buckley, award-winning producer and entrepreneur with over thirty years of experience and is the driving force behind Buck Productions

Garret Harrison. Economic Development and Research Officer, Film Liaison Town of Oakville

Wendy Donnan

Wendy Donnan is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Oakville Festivals of Film and Art (OFFA), now in its 13th year as Oakville’s only film festival. She brings over 25 years of experience in film, television, and broadcasting, having worked as an independent producer and as a senior television executive at TVOntario and OUTtv, where she was VP of Programming and Marketing and the network’s founding programmer.

As a producer, Wendy’s work spans award-winning documentaries such as 24x36: A Film About Film Posters (2016) and The Names of the Flowers (2019). She is currently in post-production with Barbara Evans on Bee Queens: Collaborating with the Hive, a feature-length documentary exploring humanity’s fascination with bees, and is developing Welcome to My World, about Canadian singer-songwriter Jeff Poolton.

Wendy also teaches in Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Film and Television program and at York University in Cinema and Media Studies. She is completing her PhD in Communications and Culture at York, focusing on Canadian cultural studies.

Sean Buckley

Sean Buckley is an award-winning producer and entrepreneur with over thirty years of experience. He is the driving force behind Buck Productions, one of the most diverse production houses in North America with an expansive portfolio that spans feature film, television, branded content, documentaries and commercials.

Charmaine Hammond

Charmaine Hammond, CSP, MA, BA, has been in the business of changing lives and raising dreams for more than 25 years. This former Correctional Officer (yup! She worked in jails) and Corporate Dispute Resolution Expert now travels the world teaching the principles of collaboration, partnership, and sponsorship.

Working in business over the past 27+ years, she has owned several businesses in Canada and the US. She has presented to more than 500,000 people, has been featured more than 250 times in media, and has 5 best-selling / award-winning books (and is featured in 11 others).

As co-founder of Raise a Dream, Charmaine shares her unmatched experience from sitting on all four sides of the sponsorship table (as a Director of nonprofits seeking sponsorship, a specialist in government responsibility for funding/sponsorship portfolio, as an entrepreneur seeking sponsorship, and as a sponsor for other people's events, projects, and dreams).

As a best-selling author and Certified Speaking Professional (currently one of the 12% of speakers worldwide who hold this designation), she has had tremendous success in finding corporate sponsors to fund her printing, graphic design, venues, travel, media, technology, hotels, even her pet food and more. She has developed sponsorship relationships with hundreds of companies. She is also executive producer of an award-winning film, Back Home Again.

Her speaking and book tour, Million Acts of Kindness, involved a 14,000 km tour in a 32-foot sponsored motorhome, hotels sponsored for the team, and more than 40 businesses and retail chains raising funds in their stores/businesses to support the Million Acts of Kindness movement.

Garrett Harrison

“Garrett is the film liaison for the Town of Oakville. Garrett is responsible for film permitting operations and attracting film projects to film here in Oakville. Prior to joining the Town he worked for City of Toronto’s Film & Entertainment Industries office, the Toronto International Film Festival, and The Second City.”

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