Banking solutions for the entertainment industry

Working in TV, film, and other areas of the entertainment industry is a rewarding and challenging experience. That’s why it’s essential to choose a financial partner with proven expertise in these fields.

Our mission

Our mission is to propel creativity into all its possibilities: Explore our different financial solutions for your start-up business & benefit from valuable advice from the experts at National Bank's Creative Industries Group.


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Our support 

  • Financing
  • Risk management and international trade
  • Cash management
  • Mergers, acquisitions and transfers
  • HR solutions

Want to learn more about our mission? Visit our YouTube channel to watch our series of videos.

A customized service

Since 1998, National Bank's Creative Industries Group has supported the unique and varied business needs of the creative sector. You can count on a Canada-wide team of more than 40 seasoned experts, many of whom are from the entertainment industry.  

Our areas of expertise

  • Canadian and international film, television, animation, web series, virtual and augmented reality productions
  • Provincial and international co-productions
  • Digital creativity
  • Multimedia events and environments
  • Performing arts
  • Video games
  • Visual effects studios
  • Production studios
  • Post-production and subtitling
  • Equipment rentals

Financing your creative project and business

The entertainment industry can be a complex landscape to navigate, whether it’s tax credits, agreements with broadcasters or Canadian and international contracts. We also understand that your projects may require quick access to a large sum of cash. We offer a wide range of financing solutions that is adapted to your specific needs, including financing for productions1, working capital, business transfers, equipment and real estate purchases.

The Creative Industries Group is the industry leader in Canada and has supported numerous business by financing more than 13,000 Canadian and international entertainment projects.

Contact our experts from the Creative Industries Group 

Our financial experts share your passion and know the entertainment industry well. Call on their leading-edge expertise and get solutions tailored to your needs to take your creativity to the next level.

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Brigitte LeBlanc (CPA, CA) has extensive experience in the financial services industry, specializing in the field of film and television, within Canada and abroad. Her primary goal as Associate Vice-President is to ensure the growth of this rapidly evolving sector and to oversee operations at the Creative Industries Group.

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Marie-Josée Corbeil (MBA, LLB) has worked in the arts and new media industry for over 25 years. She joined the Group in 2011 and currently acts as Senior Account Manager and Team Lead. As a specialist in financing international projects with complicated financial structures, she has played a role in a wide range of financing and acquisitions transactions for entertainment companies.

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Julie Larochelle joined National Bank in 2016 as Account Manager at the Creative Industries Group. She is a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés and boasts over 25 years' experience in accounting. She has spent the past 10 years working in arts and culture and has developed a thorough understanding of accounting for businesses in this sector.

Josée Turcot

Josée Turcot has been an Account Manager at National Bank since November 2017. With more than 15 years of experience in television production, as executive producer among others, she knows the challenges her clients face. On the lookout for new forms of content, she is now expanding her expertise to include all creative industries. Josée Turcot holds a Master’s degree of Science (MSc) in Management from HEC.

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Nima has been with National Bank for 10 years. He joined the Creative Industries group in 2022 as an account manager. With the experience acquired in various banking sectors, he has in-depth knowledge of commercial financing. Nima holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the John Molson School of Business.

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Igor is dedicated to offering tailored financing solutions, both bilateral and syndicated, to local companies within the creative and entertainment content production and distribution sector by leveraging his 20+ years diversified corporate and creative industries specific commercial banking background, gained in Canada and Eastern Europe. Igor holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business (York University, Toronto).

Anne Schneerer

Anne Schneerer has over 20 years of experience in banking. She joined the group in 2002 as an Account Manager. In 2017 Anne was promoted to Associate Vice President for Ontario and Western Canada. Previously Anne worked at CIBC World Markets. She holds a BA from Vassar College in New York and an MBA from the University of Toronto.

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Dominique Champagne (CPA, CMA) has been working in the field of arts and new media for more than 20 years, and is passionate about the entertainment industry. As a finance and accounting professional, she has overseen a wide range of financing transactions for companies specializing in video games, new media, shows and movie production, both in Canada and abroad.

Carolyn Allain

Carolyn Allain worked as a film, television and digital media producer and business affairs specialist for over 20 years. She joined the group in 2017.  Her extensive experience allows Carolyn to support the needs of her clients and offer made-to-measure financing solutions.

Edgar Groom

Having spent the past 25+ years of a diverse career with National Bank of Canada, previous experience in various sectors of the Bank provides a comprehensive and robust knowledge in commercial financial services. Highly responsive to clients’ needs and always looking to an innovative and creative approach to unique challenges.

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Patrick is a Managing Director in the Vancouver office of the Creative Industries Group. From there, his team works with local and international studios and producers. He’s a Charter Member of the Motion Picture Industry Association of BC (MPPIA) where he contributes to industry and policy developments. He has 15 years of capital markets experience and holds a B.A. in Political Science from The University of Western Ontario and the Public Leadership Credential from the Harvard Kennedy School.

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Before joining the National Bank, Michael spent 23 years working in television production and five years with equipment house, William F. White. Michael worked as an assistant director, line producer, production executive, and executive producer in music videos, commercials, and tv series. From this experience, Michael has an intimate understanding of the needs of film and television producers and how best to help them produce their projects.

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Julie Prud’homme (CPA, CA) has specialized in the arts and culture industry for over 15 years. She served as financial controller for a major media company for five years and has been working for the Creative Industries Group at National Bank since 2004. Her extensive experience allows her to manage a diversified portfolio of local and international clients. She is dedicated to addressing her client's needs promptly, proactively and creatively.

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Lucie Marion has been an Account Manager at National Bank since March 2014. Before joining our team, she handled financing for a number of different production companies and served as analyst at the Department of Canadian Heritage. She has in-depth knowledge of audiovisual financing sources and mechanisms for both Canadian and international production companies.

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Lina Ghandour has over 10 years of banking experience in which she specialized in the Film and Entertainment Business for the past 7 years. Having covered both local and international markets in the industry, she gained experience that enables her to manage complex clients on an international scale. Always seeking to find creative opportunities to best serve the clients.

Photo of Karine Thibert

With more than 20 years of experience at the National Bank of Canada, Karine has acquired expertise in multiple spheres of business financing, both nationally and internationally, as well as in team management. In 2021, she joined the Creative Industries group, a dynamic environment in which she wishes to participate and make her progressive contribution. His distinctive interest in listening to your needs promotes the realization of your projects.

Photo of Matthew Persram

An experienced corporate banker specializing in film/television production, digital media, and game development, Matthew emphasizes a creative approach to meeting the needs of his clients and delivers timely results. Offering a wide range of industry-specific financial services alongside commercial & corporate banking solutions, Matthew brings thoughtful collaboration to studio projects throughout the sector.

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With over 17 years of experience in commercial financing at the National Bank of Canada, David Malo Lalande (MBA) has specialized for several years in the financing of complex projects. His approach, initially based on attending our client's need coupled with the constant desire to tackle challenges by adopting a "solution-oriented" mindset. His ability to undertake multiple files with flawless execution make him a trustworthy asset for his clients.

Managing risk

Our financial market experts are specialized in risk management and can offer you smart, creative solutions. Our Group offers financial instruments to hedge your exposure to fluctuations in interest and exchange rates.

Managing cash flow

Sound cash management is key to the financial health and success of any business. The Creative Industries Group can help you manage surplus cash with investment solutions tailored to your industry.

 

Spotlight - Businesses

Are you filming outside of Canada, or coproducing an international project?

Our 15 foreign currency accounts will simplify your operations and protect you from foreign exchange risk.

Our foreign currency accounts
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Photo of a projector for a film set
Photo of a projector for a film set
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Photo of a wallet with bills
Photo of a wallet with bills
U.S. one-dollar bills - Businesses

Do you need a credit card for purchases in USD?

Discover our U.S. Dollar Mastercard® Business Card and see how it could help you with your cross-border transactions.

Our Mastercard credit cards
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Filming in Quebec

Are you interested in filming in Quebec? National Bank has a partnership with the Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC).

Find out all about QFTC
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Useful Articles

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1  Financing solutions are subject to credit approval by National Bank of Canada.

®Mastercard and Priceless Cities are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank.

At National Bank, we love creativity.

We are passionate about innovative and bold people.

For over 25 years, we have contributed to more than 13,000 projects by Canadian businesses.

We are proud to shine a light on their expertise, both locally and internationally.

Our mission is to push creativity to its limits … and beyond.

Whether it’s about real-world or digital experiences or about television and movies.

We are captivated by video games, mesmerized by virtual and augmented reality and by all the inner workings of event management.

The Creative Industries Sector are specialized teams spread across the country who want to make a difference.

We are driven people who care about your business, your employees and the industry.

Our strength comes from our passion and our extensive knowledge of this landscape.

It’s our mission to take Canadian talent to new heights.

Together, let’s grow the entertainment industry of the future.