“I want to continue to make films with joy, and to give it everything I've got,” says Temitope Salu, a producer and scriptwriter from Nigeria who moved to Kingston in 2023.
Keen to learn about filmmaking in her new home, Salu jumped at the chance to join the Producer Accelerator Program, designed to fast-track junior to mid-career producers by providing practical experience, resources, and mentorship.
It was a master class in how the industry works,” she says. “I learned what’s transferrable in filmmaking between Nigeria and Canada, and what’s done differently.
Salu was one of 15 participants in the program, launched in spring 2025, funded by Tourism Kingston, the Canada Media Fund, and Ontario Creates, and hosted by Kingston Film and Media. “I loved the opportunity to learn in the various courses—and then to later, to apply what I’d learned in the field while on placement.”
First, she attended four workshops focused on key producing topics. “Learning how to pitch was a big highlight for me: we delved into the whole process, and the teacher shared practical examples,” Salu says. Legal affairs was another eye-opener, she adds. “So much information was shared, and I was able to apply what I learned to projects I'm working on. It was all very clear: the terms, the contracts, the business side of it, including banking and financing.”
Photo credit: Amanda Palmer, "Postcards from Kingston"
Next, as one of four filmmakers selected for a two-week paid placement, Salu gained hands-on experience by working with local production companies. She helped with logistics for a boat scene as a production assistant for The Amazing Race, and then worked as a fixer on the travel show Postcards From….
“This travel show involved many activities: we were on a tall ship, the trolley tour, monster trucks at the fair, among other things” she recalls with a laugh. “It was quite busy, but really fun.” Salu’s role included researching who and where to shoot and assisting the producer with contracts for cast and crew, making notifications about filming on location, and general troubleshooting.
Originally, Salu came to Kingston to study at St. Lawrence College. “This ties back to my experience producing TV commercials—I wanted to learn about the client point of view, consumer behaviour and the marketing side, and to gain project management skills.” She earned postgraduate certificates in Digital Marketing Communications and Project Management in 2024.
Photo credit: Amanda Palmer, "Postcards from Kingston"
Business acumen and creative passion underpin her work. “As a kid I acted in school plays, and in secondary school and university, I did voiceovers and stage plays. I’ve always loved the arts,” says Salu.
After studying accounting at University of Lagos in Nigeria, Salu soon realized “that thrill and excitement of making something just wasn’t there.” So she pivoted and began writing scripts, and then a short film, and later, with her husband, founded a production company. “We went all in—making films is just part of who I am.”
Her broad experience as producer in Nigeria for a decade encompasses unscripted reality shows, TV series, documentaries, ads, music videos, corporate videos and films. “I believe in the power of storytelling to make a difference,” says Salu. She is proud of her “social impact projects,” which include films and a web series for the United Nations Development Program. “I also really enjoyed working on the reality show Voice of Africa as an assistant director and scriptwriter.”
Photo credit: Amanda Palmer, "Postcards from Kingston"
Now, Salu and her husband have founded a new production company, Creatopia Studios, and produced two short films. The most recent is A Christmas Story in Kingston, in 2024; and in 2023, Convictus, a suspenseful production about Internet fraudsters, was showcased at The Screening Room in downtown Kingston.
Asked about her career goals, Salu replies: “I want to continue to be a filmmaker who makes great scripted and unscripted work.” The Producer Accelerator program boosted her progress, she adds. “I got to be with like-minded people, to network, grow, learn. Another awesome result is that I’m now eligible to apply as a producer for the Ontario Creates Futures Forward Program for project funding of up to $20,000.”
Give it your all,” is what Salu advises aspiring producers attending upcoming programs. “It's a great opportunity to learn to make connections. Listen and stay in touch with people that you engage with afterwards, because it always makes a difference to create community. Also, not everyone gets selected for a paid placement, so it’s important to put your best foot forward.
