Skip to main content

Creators Forum

The Hot Docs Podcast Festival's two-day Creators Forum is a place for podcast insiders, audio pros and emerging producers to network, develop their skills and explore new trends.

Buy a pass in order to join us for this packed industry conference. Creators Forum sessions are not sold individually.

All-Access and Creators Forum passes are now on sale!

BUY A PASS

Explore our lineup of live Podcasts on Stage.

Members save on Hot Docs Podcast Festival tickets and passes. Join today>>

DAY ONE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

Collage of four participants of the How to Build a Career session

How to Build a Career—and Get Your Projects Made—in the Canadian Podcast Industry

We’re proud to kick off our 2023 Creators Forum with this lively primer on the Canadian podcast landscape, its latest creative and commercial trends, and the career paths available to creators.
With:
Tanya Springer, Senior Manager, CBC Podcasts
Karyn Pugliese, Editor in Chief, Canadaland
Hannah Sung, Co-Founder, Media Girlfriends
• Hosted and guest curated by Kattie Laur, author of the Pod the North newsletter
Buy a Pass
Collage of 10 Lessons from 100 Launches participants

10 Lessons from 100 Launches

Three senior members of the CBC Podcasts leadership team share their top 10 learnings from launching over 100 series and seasons.
With:
Cesil Fernandes, Executive Producer and Sound Design Lead, CBC Podcasts
Emilie Quesnel, Digital Producer, CBC Podcasts
• Ashley Mak, Senior Producer, CBC Podcasts
Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic featuring Chris Berube and Adrian Cheng

What Makes a Great Episode? A Narrative Masterclass

Join two of North America's leading producers for an in-depth masterclass on building rich and satisfying podcast episodes. Veteran producers Chris Berube (99% Invisible) and Adrian Cheung (The Decibel) will go deep on narrative structure and design, arming you with practical tips to keep your listeners rapt.
With:
• Chris Berube, Senior Producer, 99% Invisible
Adrian Cheung, Senior Podcast Producer, The Globe and Mail
Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic featuring Kristi Lee and Yael Strasberg

How to Build a Homegrown Indie Hit: A Case Study with Canadian True Crime’s Kristi Lee

Join Kristi Lee for a behind-the-scenes look at how she has built her indie podcast Canadian True Crime into one of the country’s most successful titles with more than 50 million downloads, adapting her approach to production, scheduling, marketing and sponsorship to meet her growing needs.
With:
• Kristi Lee, host and founder of the Canadian True Crime podcast
Moderated by Yael Strasberg, Development Manager for Acast Canada’s Creator Network
Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic featuring Kaniehtiio Horn, Jessica Ramirez and Falen Johnson

Celebrating Indigenous Voices

Guest curated by the Indigenous Screen Office, join us for an in-depth conversation between three gifted podcasters who will discuss the unique synergy between podcasting and Indigenous storytelling traditions, and the new opportunities for funding and support behind this creative renaissance.
With:
• Kaniehtiio Horn, a Canadian podcast host and actor from Kahnawake, the Mohawk reserve outside of Montreal. Host of the acclaimed podcasts Telling Our Twisted Histories and Coffee with My Ma.
• Jessica Ramirez, Creative Producer at Nia Tero, a US-based foundation working in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples who sustain thriving territories and cultures. Host of the Seedcast podcast. Jessica resides on the homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples (presently known as Seattle, Washington).
• Falen Johnson, the host of the recent CBC Podcast BUFFY, about prolific singer-songwriter Buffy Saint-Marie, and co-host of CBC Podcasts’ The Secret Life of Canada. A prolific writer and playwright, Falen is Mohawk and Tuscarora (Bear Clan) from Six Nations Grand River Territory in Ontario.
• Moderated by Kim Wheeler, a multi-award-winning host and producer of several audio shows including The Kim Wheeler Show, Turtle Island Talks on SiriusXM, Auntie Up!, Indigenous Screen Office's Storytellers and canadaLANDBACK. She is currently developing a 30-episode radio series on Indigenous languages.
Buy a Pass

DAY TWO: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20

Collage of ten Hot Docs Podcast Development Lab participants

Hot Docs Podcast Development Lab Breakfast and Mixer

While enjoying free breakfast and refreshments, network with fellow delegates and hear emerging creators present the exciting new projects they've been developing over the last six months through the Hot Docs Podcast Development Lab program.
Promotional graphic featuring Dan Misener

Rethinking Success in Podcasts, and How We Measure It

What does success look like in podcasting in 2023? And how do you establish metrics for success that are appropriate for your podcast? Here, Dan Misener will draw on his years of experience as a producer and podcast consultant to tackle these important questions.
With:
Dan Misener, Co-Founder, Podcast Growth Agency Bumper.
Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic featuring Leital Molad and Michael Gluckstadt

Podcasts and Multi-Platform Storytelling

Podcasts occupy an increasingly central place within the media landscape. In this candid conversation, two influential decision-makers who oversee audio projects at major content studios will discuss how they adapt their expertise in audio to complement and enrich projects in other storytelling media, from audiobook collaborations to film and TV companion pods.

With:
• Leital Molad, SVP, Content Development, Pushkin Industries
• Michael Gluckstadt, Director of Podcasts for HBO and Max

Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic featuring Irene Noguchi and Chris Oke

The Art, Craft and Future of Longform Narrative Podcasts

In this session, two of North America’s leading champions of longform narrative podcasts and audio documentaries will discuss the art of crafting impactful projects—and what can be done to lower the bar for entry to this thrilling narrative form for talented emerging creators.
With:
• Irene Noguchi, Executive Producer of the Enterprise Storytelling Unit, NPR's home for ambitious long-form narrative storytelling and audio documentaries
• Chris Oke, Executive Producer of Content, CBC Podcasts, overseeing investigative and long-form series
Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic featuring Chris Bannon

Masterclass: Condé Nast's Chris Bannon on Spotting and Supporting Exciting New Talent

With 25 years in the industry, Chris Bannon is one of the most influential tastemakers in podcasting. Now in an exciting role as head of Global Audio at Condé Nast—overseeing the New Yorker's In the Dark, Bon Appetit's Dinner SOS, and Vanity Fair's Inside the Hive with Brian Stelter, among others—he joins us to discuss his approach to developing new shows and cultivating new talent.
With:
Chris Bannon, Senior Vice-President, Head of Global Audio, Condé Nast
Buy a Pass
Promotional graphic for Hot Docs Podcast Festival

Creators Forum Finale: Networking Cocktail Mixer

Grab a drink and plot out your next podcast collaboration. Pick the brains of delegates and leading decision-makers. Celebrate the finale of the Creators Forum in style!

Networking cocktail mixer supported by CBC Podcasts.

Get the latest from Hot Docs

Sign up for e-news and keep up to date with the latest from Hot Docs and Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.
  • Advance notices about upcoming films
  • The latest on festival dates and tickets
  • Customize your preferences
  • Unsubscribe at any time
Sign up