Jovanna Burke — Rejection, Film Financing & Finding Another Way
What do you do when the traditional path to making your movie keeps saying no?
This week on Off The Lot, Anthony sits down with actor, writer and producer Jovanna Burke to talk about what she’s learned after more than 20 years working in film and television — and why rejection may actually be one of the most important parts of building a sustainable filmmaking career.
Jovanna opens up about transitioning from actor to producer, learning the business and financing side of filmmaking, building trust with investors, and the idea of pursuing “1,000 rejections” instead of being afraid of hearing no.
They also dig into the realities of making films in Canada: the limitations of relying entirely on public funding, why international co-productions could create new opportunities for Canadian filmmakers, and how we can build more Canadian-owned companies, IP and talent instead of relying exclusively on the service-production industry.
Jovanna also discusses her psychological supernatural horror feature Nuesta, currently being developed through the Whistler Film Festival Producers Lab, and her plans to build a production company connecting Canada with Latin America.
In this episode:
• Why filmmakers quit too early after rejection
• The “1,000 rejections” approach
• Going from actor to producer
• Building trust with film investors
• Why every producer needs to understand financing
• The limitations of Canada’s traditional funding model
• How international co-productions actually work
• Building Canadian-owned film and television IP
• Why starting embarrassingly small can be an advantage
• The importance of running toward the things that scare you
Off The Lot is the podcast for filmmakers building careers outside the studio system.
