Enrique Miguel Baniqued, a 2021 graduate of our Script to Screen – Advanced Television and Film program and Producer at Smallaxx Motion Pictures, took part in this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for a film he produced, Village Keeper. This was Enrique’s first project as a producer, and while the film is set to hit festivals in 2024, it has already received outstanding attention.
“The program we took part in was the Every Story Accelerator presented by RBC Foundation’s Screen Creators’ Initiative, and we were also selected for the Micki Moore Fellowship,” Enrique shares. “This program was unexpected to me; I had no idea this was in the 'cards' when I decided to work on VK, as we were invited as selected participants. The program has helped me gain knowledge in the area that I knew the least of, which was sales and distribution, but it has also started opening new doors for me.”
With the RBC Foundation program and the recognition the film received at TIFF combined, Enrique shares that it has brought outstanding opportunities. “The experience in the program and the meetings I've had have actually helped me refine my next steps and what films I want to make next,” he adds.
Although Enrique began working on this film in March of this year, he first became connected with Karen Chapman, the Director of the film and Founder of Smallaxx, back in 2021. As one of the Production Assistants on Karen’s project, Quite Minds Silents Streets, Enrique experienced his first time on set, and things began to fall into place that have led him to where he is today. “On our second filming day, I was assigned to pick Karen up from her home; we found out we were neighbours, and from those car rides, I found out what the Canadian Film Center (CFC) was, as Karen was an alumna of the Director’s Lab and she talked about her experiences there,” he explains.
Both Enrique and Karen kept in touch, and only a couple of months later, Enrique applied for a job at the CFC with Karen as a reference. Upon getting the job and gaining more experience in the industry, Enrique heard from Karen this year asking if he would like to help her produce Village Keeper.
The film received a grant back in 2019 as part of Telefilm's Talent to Watch program, but due to the pandemic, production kept getting pushed. However, Enrique had the chance to assist Karen in organizing a simulated writer’s room for the script in 2022. Fast-forward to this year, when he began working on the film, Enrique shares the timing felt perfect, as he finished two years at the CFC, and explains that he wanted to work on a project that made him feel like he was “levelling up.”
He says, “A lot of people called me brave and crazy to take it on with my very few years in the industry, knowing that it's a Talent to Watch project, but I didn't let that stop me; I had a feeling I needed to do something that felt impossible and the fact that people told me that as well, made me want to do it even more as I wanted to prove it to myself and take that leap.”
Enrique assisted in several aspects of the film, including hiring the crew, helping Karen choose the casting director and cast, finding locations, keeping track of the budget, finding additional funding, marketing and PR for the film, overseeing post, helping sell the film, speaking to programmers at other festivals, and much more. “Overall, I'm glad I took the leap and don't regret the time I'm continuing to spend on it,” he shares. “So far, I've gained the new knowledge and experience I sought when I first decided to work on the project and continue to as it's far from finished.”
HIRING FELLOW SCRIPT TO SCREEN GRADS
“I wanted to keep my relationship with Centennial as I was looking for students who had the same drive as I did, which I knew was going to be there as I came from the program myself,” he shares. From a 2nd Assistant Director to several Production Assistants, Enrique brought on many Script to Screen program graduates to work on the film, strengthening the connection from the program he graduated from to his career now.
- Line Producer: Yap Sabangan
- 2nd Assistant Director: Ore Ibitayo
- Art Assistants (Daily): Shashank Baniwalikar, Manoj Gopu, David Ramos, Andrea Malabanan, and Mariana Godinez
“I think the program teaches you to be resourceful, and I think the ongoing relationship building I'm trying to establish with the batches that came after me, Jared's & Yap's, will hopefully start a trend where we hire our fellow alum so we can all be in the industry and find a sustainable career, and be proud that we came from the same school and that the school breeds out great students,” Enrique adds.
SKILLS FROM THE SCRIPT TO SCREEN PROGRAM
As Enrique reflects on his time in the program, there have been many interconnected themes between the program and Enrique's career today. He explains, “I think the biggest thing I was pushed to do, being in the program, was you need to be a go-getter; at the end of the day, I had to hustle to eventually get these experiences. To be in this industry, I see that in Karen as well, even in her 20+ years in the industry, she's still working hard to get to the next step by talking to people and approaching them. This was also stressed by my directing professor, Jeremy Lalonde, and a speaker he brought in for one of our classes, DP Rob Scarborough. It didn’t matter what stage you were at, you'll always have to have the initiative to create the work you want for yourself.
Enrique encourages anyone who has questions or would like to talk about the film to reach out to him on Instagram @enriquemiguel_
Be sure to follow along with the film via Instagram and by subscribing to the film’s newsletter for updates.
Congratulations, Enrique, on this incredible achievement! We are thrilled to follow along in your journey and can’t wait to see the projects you have in store in the future.
Article by: Alexandra Few
Check out and subscribe to our Storyteller newsletter and Storyteller In-Depth Podcast for more great stories from the School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design.