Big Soul Productions

Big Soul Productions is a Canadian film and television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. Established in August 1999 by Laura J. Milliken and Jennifer Podemski, the company is notable for being Aboriginal owned and operated. Its work has combined screen production with initiatives intended to develop Aboriginal youth participation in filmmaking and television. The company’s early television work included The Seventh Generation, a youth-oriented series produced across three seasons from 2001 to 2003. Big Soul subsequently produced Moccasin Flats, a dramatic television series beginning in 2003. Moccasin Flats developed from a short film created through the company’s youth filmmaking and empowerment activities and was later recognized through several Gemini Award nominations. In 2000, Big Soul launched repREZentin’, a series of empowerment workshops designed to train Aboriginal youth in multiple areas of filmmaking. The workshops supported the creation of half-hour films, several of which were broadcast on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). This training and production model formed an important part of Big Soul’s identity: the company was not solely a conventional producer of television programs, but also a platform for encouraging Aboriginal creative participation and helping emerging filmmakers move from instruction to completed screen work. Big Soul’s documented activities center on Canadian television, youth programming, dramatic storytelling, short-form film, and community-oriented media training. Its productions contributed to Aboriginal representation in Canadian broadcasting, particularly through projects connected with APTN and through stories developed with Aboriginal participants. Publicly available reference material identifies the company’s founding, principal programs, and workshop initiative, but provides limited information about its current ownership, executive structure, financial position, broader international activity, and present production slate.

Big Soul Productions was founded in Toronto in August 1999 by Laura J. Milliken and Jennifer Podemski. The company was established as an Aboriginal-owned and operated production organization, placing Aboriginal participation and representation at the center of its identity. Its activities have covered television production, dramatic storytelling, youth programming, short films, and filmmaking education. In 2000, Big Soul introduced repREZentin’, a series of empowerment workshops for Aboriginal youth. The initiative aimed to provide training across the filmmaking process rather than limiting participants to a single production role. Workshop projects included half-hour films, with several ultimately broadcast on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. This created a direct connection between skills development and public exhibition, giving participants opportunities to see locally developed work reach a television audience. Big Soul’s television work expanded during the early 2000s. From 2001 to 2003, the company produced three seasons of The Seventh Generation, a youth television series. The program formed part of the company’s focus on youth-oriented and Aboriginal-centered screen content. Beginning in 2003, Big Soul produced Moccasin Flats, a dramatic series. The program had roots in the company’s workshop and short-film activities: a short film titled Moccasin Flats was among the projects associated with the youth filmmaking work and was later adapted into the television series. The series received several Gemini Award nominations, providing industry recognition for Big Soul’s dramatic production work. The available record presents Big Soul Productions as both a screen-production company and a vehicle for cultural and professional development. Its connection to APTN and its emphasis on Aboriginal youth filmmaking distinguish it from a production business described only by its completed programs. At the same time, publicly available reference material does not establish the company’s current operating status, ownership, leadership beyond its founders, financial performance, or more recent projects. Those aspects therefore remain unconfirmed.

• 2003

  Moccasin Flats television series begins

  [1]Big Soul Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  The company began production of Moccasin Flats, a dramatic television series developed from an associated short-film project.

• 2001

  The Seventh Generation production period begins

  [1]Big Soul Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Big Soul began producing the youth television series The Seventh Generation, which continued for three seasons through 2003.

• 2000

  repREZentin’ workshops begin

  [1]Big Soul Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Big Soul began its repREZentin’ empowerment workshops to train Aboriginal youth in filmmaking and support the creation of short films.

• 1999

  Company founded

  [1]Big Soul Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Laura J. Milliken and Jennifer Podemski established Big Soul Productions in Toronto in August 1999.

An Aboriginal-owned and operated Canadian screen-production company combining television and film production with Aboriginal youth filmmaking development.

• Youth television series · 2001

  The Seventh Generation

  A youth television series produced by Big Soul Productions across three seasons from 2001 to 2003. It belongs to the company’s early body of Aboriginal-oriented and youth-focused television work.

• Dramatic television series · 2003

  Moccasin Flats

  A dramatic television series produced by Big Soul beginning in 2003. The series developed from a short film connected with the company’s youth filmmaking activities and received several Gemini Award nominations.

• Filmmaking empowerment workshops · 2000

  repREZentin’

  A workshop initiative launched in 2000 to train Aboriginal youth in filmmaking. Projects created through the workshops included completed half-hour films, several of which were broadcast on APTN.

• 2000repREZentin’

  Canada

  Big Soul’s repREZentin’ initiative used empowerment workshops to provide Aboriginal youth with training across filmmaking disciplines. The program also supported the creation of broadcast-ready short films.

  Outcome. Several workshop-produced half-hour films were broadcast on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, and a short film titled Moccasin Flats was later adapted into a television series.

  Source

• 2000

  Combine production with Aboriginal youth filmmaking developmentStrategy

  Background

  Big Soul’s early activities extended beyond conventional television production into filmmaking education and empowerment for Aboriginal youth.

  Action taken

  The company established repREZentin’ workshops and supported participants in making short films intended for broadcast.

  Aftermath

  The initiative produced films shown on APTN and created a development path that included the short film later adapted into Moccasin Flats.

  Source

1. 1Big Soul Productionsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Big Soul Productions official websitebigsoul.net