BIPOC TV & Film Unscripted Producers Lab Participants

Jermaine Bagnall

Jermaine Bagnall has worked as a camera operator, field director, host, and producer in the documentary and unscripted space for over 14 years. He believes that amazing stories exist everywhere and that within those stories is a transformative power. His work has taken him as far north as Tadoule Lake, Manitoba and south as Lima, Peru. His love of non-fiction has enabled him to series-produce a documentary magazine-style show called behold. In 2018, Jermaine was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award (Best Direction, Reality/Competition) for his work on ICE ROAD TRUCKERS. He holds an honours bachelor’s degree in English Rhetoric & Media Studies from Laurentian University and a master of fine arts degree in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Jason Bailey

Jason Bailey is a creatively driven and story-centric producer who has enjoyed producing for shows such as BACHELOR IN PARADISE CANADA and DRAGONS’ DEN. Unravelling personalities to showcase what we obscure behind our myriad of ‘masks’ and facilitating unique experiences on screen bolsters his dream of sharing powerful stories. His work can be explored at jasonbailey.work.

Kerriann Cardinal

Kerriann Cardinal is a Métis producer from nistawâyâw, commonly known as Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta. She was raised by her kokum, who inspired Kerriann’s love of storytelling and listening to people share their stories. Some of the exciting projects she’s currently producing include a documentary TV series, WATER WORLDS, a Cree language series that is in development with APTN and a documentary feature film, Deb Mearns: Still Here, that is in development with her production company, Sweetgrass Stories Inc. As an associate producer, Kerriann worked on the feature film and 5-part series BONES OF CROWS. She also worked as the production manager and co-writer for three episodes of MOOSEMEAT & MARMALADE (Season 2) and as the 1st AD and production manager on TIGA TALK (Season 2-4). In addition to working on film & TV productions, Kerriann continues to support events that amplify sustainability and unite the community; she is in her 3rd year of working on the Sustainable Production Forum and soon to be in her 4th year of working for Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. Recently, she is grateful to have received funding from the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) mentorship program, which provides an opportunity to work with award-winning filmmaker Marie Clements and Screen Siren Pictures Inc. on a scripted feature film and a 3-part documentary series.

Temo Primrose Gare

Temo Primrose Gare is the creator and executive producer of the ground-breaking television docuseries OUR STORIES. Currently in its second season on Bell’s Fibe TV1, the series amplifies the voices of people from racialized and marginalized communities, continuing to captivate audiences with its authentic portrayal of diverse experiences. OUR STORIES is a testament to Temo’s commitment to visual storytelling, diversity, and inclusion. Through her production company, Okavango Media, Temo showcases the vibrant narratives of people and communities within the diaspora. With a rich background in media, Temo has lent her expertise to reputable companies like Rogers Communications and Bell Media, honing her craft and shaping the storytelling landscape. Temo’s visionary approach to television production and her contributions to marginalized communities have earned her accolades, including the prestigious York University’s One to Watch award, solidifying her impact on the industry.

Jonah Lee-McNamee

Jonah Lee-McNamee is a director and producer based on unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations (“Vancouver, Canada”). He graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in English Literature and has since directed and produced multiple documentaries with CBC. His latest work is a 4-part short documentary series featuring stories and food from the Richmond Night Market vendors. Jonah is passionate about character-driven stories exploring cultural, food, family, and identity themes. His latest work can be found at jonahlm.com.

Ryan Lindsay

Ryan is the creator, showrunner and writer of THE TRADES, a Crave Original scripted comedy series. He has a true passion for all things in creative development, focusing on technology and narrative design. As a technologist, Ryan holds positions on various advisory boards in both the entertainment and education sectors. Fascinated by the convergence of film, television, and interactive media, Ryan is at the forefront of developing tools for upcoming filmmakers. He’s shared insights on panels discussing storytelling and audience retention. Additionally, he is the co-founder and director of the Indigenous not-for-profit Culture Capture Project. He was honoured with a Social Innovation Award in 2021 for his work with Indigenous youth.

Tamiko Potts

Tamiko is an Emmy-nominated Japanese-Canadian television producer and independent filmmaker committed to diverse storytelling and creating opportunities for underrepresented and marginalized groups. With twenty years of experience in television production, Tamiko has worked in all aspects of the industry in live action and animation for such award-winning companies as Brown Bag Films, Associated Producers, Yap Films and Bell Media Studios. After graduating with a BFA from York University’s Film and Video program, Tamiko worked her way up in factual television from a production and post–coordinator to a production manager and associate producer. Over eleven years, Tamiko delivered programs to top international broadcasters such as Discovery Channel, National Geographic and BBC. In 2014, Tamiko was offered the opportunity to produce the popular animated series ARTHUR and was later nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program. Over the next decade, Tamiko produced animated series for PBS, Amazon Prime and BYUtv, and Nickelodeon’s BLUE’S CLUES AND YOU! that scored an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Preschool Children’s Series. As an independent filmmaker, Tamiko has directed and produced short films and documentaries, notably the short film Tapped, which won Best Film at the Toronto 50-Hour Film Festival and PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM!, a short documentary on the rise and fall of Sam Sniderman. In 2023, Tamiko co-founded their production company, Unicorn Power Media Ltd., to train and mentor the next generation of BIPOC creatives and storytellers. They are presently working as a line producer in unscripted factual television.

Matt Rubio

Matt Rubio is a Salvadoran-Canadian television professional based in Toronto, Ontario. Initially inspired by his love of competition reality shows, Matt has worked hard to combine his passion as a viewer with his career in unscripted television production. He has almost a decade of production experience, with credits on award-nominated programs such as BIG BROTHER CANADA (Global), ALL-ROUND CHAMPION (TVO), TOP CHEF CANADA (Food Network) and many more. He is the Production Manager of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA (CTV). Matt aims to use his logistics and coordination strengths and his desire to share and produce under-represented stories in Canada to create compelling competition and lifestyle television.

David Trang

David Trang is a bilingual Cambodian-Canadian digital producer based in Montreal who embarked on his journey in television over a decade ago, precisely in 2013. He entered the industry managing the online presence of television shows during the burgeoning era of social media. Since then, he has focused on crafting strategies for series, brands, and artists to enhance social media content’s quality, production value and relevance. This dedication reflects his acknowledgment of online platforms’ vital role in today’s interconnected world. Over the years, David has honed his skills by producing digital and social media content for various unscripted television shows, including significant projects such as four seasons of BIG BROTHER CÉLÉBRITÉS, THE TRAITORS CANADA, along with its Quebec counterpart, LES TRAÎTRES, and two seasons of SURVIVOR QUÉBEC. Central to his methodology is uncovering people’s motivations or “why,” a key element in achieving his goal of maintaining a high-quality, personalized, and distinctive online presence. David believes in constantly bettering digital content to uphold the standards set by television, underscoring the invaluable contribution digital platforms make to traditional media.