We recently connected with Anne-Marie and have shared our conversation below.

Anne-Marie, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned to produce films through trial, error, and a lot of resilience. There’s no formal manual for producers; the job requires you to master legal, financial, artistic, and human aspects all at once.
In hindsight, what could have accelerated my learning? Finding women mentors earlier. Learning from the mistakes of others would have helped me avoid a few painful (and sometimes expensive) lessons.
The most essential skill I developed is problem-solving under pressure — being able to pivot quickly, make hard decisions, while keeping the film’s creative vision intact.
Of course, being someone who always finds a solution comes with its own kind of challenge. When you consistently deliver, it’s easy to be seen as someone who can do it all — no matter the constraints. And in these current years of market correction, that perception can lead to unrealistic expectations. Investors may be tempted to offer less, assuming we’ll find a way to make it work. And we often do — but the trade-offs are rarely visible from the outside. Everyone else gets paid first, and often, the producer is the last in line. It’s not unusual — just part of the landscape — but worth naming.
Early in my career, after completing my third feature — each made with budgets under $400,000 CAD — I felt ready for bigger challenges and told my father I wanted to start making real money. I asked him to help me think through the mission of my company. He looked at me and said, “You’re in the wrong business if money is your main goal. Keep refining your editorial line to guide your project choices. If the money comes, great. If not, you’ll still be able to stand behind what you’ve made.”
That moment has stayed with me. It reminded me that learning the craft isn’t just about refining technical skills — it’s about staying aligned with why I’m in this work. I’m passionate about sharing these experiences, and just as committed to learning how to work better, not just harder.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a film producer based in Montreal, and I’ve been producing films for nearly 30 years. All of my projects — whether fiction or documentary, drama or genre — are, in one way or another, socially engaged narratives. I’m drawn to stories that challenge audiences, spark reflection, and offer fresh perspectives. What I’m most proud of is the impact these stories have had. Each film I’ve produced has pushed the boundaries of storytelling in some way, while subtly addressing meaningful issues.
My role is often misunderstood. People tend to think of producers as the ones who control the budget and sign checks. But the reality is far more complex: I navigate legal structures, market trends, and financing models. One of the most fulfilling — and fun — parts of my job is building the cast and crew in close collaboration with the directors. I love assembling the right team, and it’s something I’m especially good at. All while collaborating creatively with writers, department heads, and technical teams to make the film happen. At the end of the day, I’m accountable to every investor, and responsible for delivering the finished film to distributors and sales agents.
While most independent film producers juggle many of these same roles, what sets me apart is my ability to blend creative instincts with strategic thinking. Whether it’s designing giant puppet jeans or ensuring the stunts in a post-apocalyptic world are unforgettable, I thrive at the intersection of creativity and problem-solving under pressure.
It’s a quiet dream of mine that the producer’s work be understood not as purely transactional, but as deeply embedded in the art, the risk, and the resilience it takes to bring stories to life. Even after all these years, I still get goosebumps when all the puzzle pieces come together, and a film takes shape.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most challenging pivots in my career happened during the production of Turbo Kid. Just four weeks before our scheduled shoot, a key U.S. distributor pulled out, taking a major piece of our financing with them. At that point, I had two options: either cut locations, shooting days, and crew, or go out and find a new partner fast. Waiting for the original deal to come back wasn’t an option — I had to pivot.
Within five days, I secured a new U.S. distributor and international sales agent in Epic Pictures, who believed in the film and moved quickly to fill the gap. It was a risky call. Some warned me the film would either be a total failure or a huge success — nothing in between. But it went on to premiere at Sundance and became a cult favorite.
That experience taught me that producing often means keeping my eyes locked on the ball — because the moment you look away, you risk losing the game. In this case, the ball was the film itself. My job was to protect it, not shrink it. Pivoting didn’t mean changing direction — it meant moving fast and staying fiercely focused on the objective: getting the film made the way it deserved to be made.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Slaxx is probably the film that best illustrates my resilience as a producer. Despite having secured grants and tax credits, we still faced a critical shortfall of over $200,000 USD just a few months before shooting — this was mid-November. We had decided to shoot in February, since most crews don’t work in the cold winter months in Montreal — but Slaxx was shot entirely indoors. By December, the industry slows to a crawl, and finding that money seemed almost impossible. Delaying the shoot meant facing increased competition for crews and resources, which also meant needing even more money.
At the last minute, a friend generously offered to loan us the amount — under the condition that I secure interim financing and give him time to find an international sales agent. I spent three intense weeks revising cash flows, negotiating with the bank, and working with my team during the day while handling financing issues at night. I even gave a lecture to film students during that stretch, telling them how I often fall asleep not from peace of mind but from sheer exhaustion, hoping I’ve done enough to keep things from falling apart.
I remember sending in the final deal points to the bank just before heading to that class. I called my banker and calmly laid out the situation: this was the best path forward, and if we didn’t move on it now, we risked losing not just time and money, but the team and the creative momentum. It wasn’t a threat — it was a strategic reality.
That’s what producing is: working through setbacks, adjusting without weakening the core, and managing tension while staying focused on the bigger picture. Slaxx went on to be named one of the New York Times’ Top 5 genre films of the year — a reminder that resilience often means holding the line until the very last minute, and trusting the work you’ve done to carry it through.

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