Hello Barbican Team,

I am an award-winning film producer with Melbar Entertainment Group in Toronto, one of Canada’s largest producers of feature-length documentary films. I also produce studio-based TV specials and events in front of live audiences — both deadline-driven environments known for their high-stakes.

I am honoured to submit this application to become the Barbican’s next Head of Cinema, a position that would perfectly combine my work as a filmmaker, curator, programmer, and talent liaison.

PRODUCER

My latest film, Born Hungry, is co-produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and enjoyed three sold-out screenings at Toronto’s Hot Docs festival this summer. Other recent titles include Oscar Peterson: Black + White (world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and the winner of two Canadian Screen Awards: Best Arts Documentary and Best Visual Research; streaming on Sky Arts, Hulu, and Crave), Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella (CBC, PBS), and Howie Mandel: But Enough About Me (Peacock).

As a TV comedy-variety producer, I book, negotiate, and coordinate a large roster of talent and special guests from the worlds of entertainment, sports, news, and politics; spearhead all online and social media components; and promote the show to traditional and digital media outlets.

I am particularly proud to have the opportunity in these roles to mentor young cinema and television professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, providing an opportunity to break into a difficult field.

PROGRAMMER

As a festival programmer, I curate a series of independent films for the Floating Film Festival, a biennial two-week Caribbean cruise that showcases the best festival fare of the past year, presents intriguing panels with industry insiders, and honours a film legend with our Icon Award, all for a limited, exclusive audience of cinephiles at sea.

Through my work at Just For Laughs, the world’s largest comedy festival, I became the inaugural film programmer of the Just For Laughs Film Festival in Vancouver, selecting the best comedic shorts, features, and documentaries from around the world to present with programmer introductions, the first festival of its kind.

At various times, I have joined the Toronto Jewish Film Festival as a programmer, juror, and panel moderator. I created and curated a free screening series at Toronto’s Spoke Club (affiliated with London’s Groucho Club),

I am also the current comedy programmer for Canada’s prestigious Stratford Festival, inviting a select group of the best Canadian and international comedians to perform on stage each summer.

My work with three editions of the Toronto International Film Festival allowed me unparalleled access to some of the biggest talent in Canada and from around the world, as well as their representatives, publicists, and agents. I have also worked with the Toronto-based Hot Docs, the Canadian International Television Festival, and Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival, where I spoke about creating and managing a crowdfunding campaign, having used a popular platform to raise 107% of our target goal on a feature-length documentary film by mobilizing the subject’s vast international fan community.

In addition to programming notes and synopses, I have written about film and the arts for screen (CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight) and print (The Toronto Star). I am also actively involved in the theatre world as a musical director, director, composer, producer, and occasional published critic.

SUMMARY

In short, I thrive on creating and curating fun and compelling audience-first programming that celebrates talent, engages audiences, and, above all, entertains.

Here are four reasons why I feel particularly well-suited for this role:

• Through my work as a programmer, I have strong relationships with the international film industry, from studios to publicists to talent management and representatives.

• As an ardent supporter of the arts and culture sector with the kind of fervour normally associated with major sports teams, I am fortunate that I have been able to nurture and promote new talent through my work.

• My extensive work in all the varied positions listed above has provided the ideal skill set: managing large teams, creating compelling programming, ensuring that diversity and inclusion expectations are routinely surpassed, and successfully leading many projects simultaneously, experience that will prove useful in managing a year-round schedule of Barbican events for cinephiles and casual film fans of all ages.

• Throughout my career, I have built a strong and significant international contact base, learned how to respond to audience reaction, and communicated with high-level talent and executives with impeccable discretion and diplomacy. Je suis aussi confortable en français, mais l’anglais est ma langue maternelle.

An Honours B.A. graduate with Distinction from the University of Toronto’s Cinema Studies Institute, I am a resourceful and unflappable team player, and I would be thrilled to discuss this opportunity to nurture and expand the Barbican’s cinema offerings under the leadership of the phenomenal Devyani Saltzman.

All the best,

Mark Selby
647.999.1554  |  m.selby@me.com
www.markselby.ca/barbican

P.S. For more career details, please visit the rest of my site!