As TIFF wraps, it’s easy to get swept up in the highlight reels the red carpets, the snapshots, the curated moments but the truth is quieter. The festival, like any industry gathering, is a mirror. It reflects who we are, what we’re chasing, and whether we’re pursuing it for the right reasons.
I’ve experienced TIFF from very different vantage points first as a banker at RBC, and now as an award-winning film producer. Each season reminds me: the work that lasts is rarely the work in the spotlight.
The Highlight Reel vs. the Real Work
Festivals buzz with premieres and photo ops. But progress often happens off camera through realignment, refocus, and remembering why you started. When you return to your “why,” the noise fades and the path forward gets simple.
Networking Without the Noise
Events can open doors, but clarity opens more. If you know exactly what you want, you don’t need a cocktail party to move. Pick up the phone. Send the email. Make your vision so clear and so magnetic that people choose to be part of it. When your story is strong, you don’t chase the room, the room comes to you.
Festivals, Focus & the Quiet Grind
TIFF can feel overwhelming. The trick is to treat every moment as a checkpoint: refine, recalibrate, and take the next right step. Every conversation, every screening, every setback is data. Use it to move closer to your most authentic work unapologetically.
Gatekeeping vs. Bridge-Building
Every industry has gates, resources, recognition and rooms but gratitude and generosity build what gates can’t…bridges. Every person who shows up, supports, or shares freely expands the circle. The goal isn’t to break gates; it’s to build bridges others can cross, too.
A Note from Dwayne Johnson at TIFF
As Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shared at an insightful TIFF talk: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice”. In an industry that prizes access, kindness remains the most disruptive advantage.
From Banker to Filmmaker
My path from finance to filmmaking taught me this: success isn’t defined by who lets you in. It’s built by the clarity of your vision, the consistency of your follow through, and the kindness you offer especially when no one’s watching.
Closing Thoughts
Stay kind. Stay focused. The highlight reel will fade but the real work never does.
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