The Ask
The Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) runs the Invest Canada conference, a major annual event in the private capital world. For their 2024 edition, they asked us to produce the centerpiece film for their ‘Women in Private Equity Award’. The job was two-fold: create a compelling short film to introduce and celebrate the winner during the ceremony, and shoot a series of professional portraits for press and promotion. The goal was to properly honour a leader in the field and set a high-water mark for the awards presentation.
Our Approach
This is a people-focused story, so that's where we started. We coordinated with the award recipient to schedule a one-day shoot at her firm's offices. Our small crew focused on capturing a primary interview with her, plus supporting interviews with a few close colleagues who could speak to her impact. The challenge, as always, is a tight window. Turns out, filming people who manage billions of dollars for a living means you work around their schedule, not the other way around. We used the rest of our time on site to gather b-roll of her environment—the trading floor, collaborative meetings, and the quiet moments in her office. For the photography, we set up a simple, clean backdrop and lighting kit in a spare boardroom, getting the portraits done efficiently in the same visit.
The Result
The final 3-minute film premiered at the Invest Canada '24 gala in front of the industry’s most influential players. It gave the audience a genuine look at the winner's career and character, making the moment she walked on stage feel significant. The film did its job: it wasn't just filler, it was the emotional core of the presentation. The CVCA was pleased with a smooth process and a final product that made their award feel prestigious. The portrait series was delivered the next day, giving their communications team and the recipient’s firm immediate, high-quality assets for press releases. It’s a simple formula: tell a good story, make the client look good, and get out of the way.
