SPILL FEATURE: WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING AN ANTI-GATEKEEPING EVENT – A CONVERSATION WITH MAC DOWNEY, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR OF THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL

WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING AN ANTI-GATEKEEPING EVENT

A CONVERSATION WITH MAC DOWNEY, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR OF THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL

From November 7-9, the Toronto International Music Video Festival returns for its third year: a three-day celebration of the overlooked art of music videos, a format where many of today’s most renowned creatives originally got their start.

“Music videos kind of get the short end of the stick at most film festivals,” says TIMVF director Mac Downey. “You’ll see like one general award and that’s it. We really pride ourselves on being a festival that truly celebrates the art form.”

This year, the festival has expanded its award categories to include Best Choreography, Best Student Music Video, and Best Canadian Music Video. The addition of the Best Student Music Video category really drives home one of the greatest factors of the festival. This is motivating and educating a younger generation on how to break into the industry.

“We really try to get rid of the intimidation factor of meeting big artists and big creatives,” Downey adds. “When you go to TIMVF, know you can have open conversations. You’ll get the chance to talk to creatives. And, you know, there’s no such thing as a dumb question type deal. Like, we want people to learn.”

The three-day festival kicks off on Friday, November 7, with a music-themed photo gallery and live concert at The Rec Room. The show will feature performances by Canadian artists memyself&vi, Melo Griffith, and QUIETLOVE, and will be hosted by internet sensation Unsighted.

Day two will begin at the Paradise Theatre and will start with the Micro-Budget Music Video Showcase, followed by the newly minted From The Ground Up, a roundtable discussion featuring Fatty Soprano, Jalal Kazemi, Lil Man Purse, and That Good Graphic.

“This panel is about the MacGyvers of the industry,” says Downey. “These guys had to learn how to wear multiple hats at once. A lot of them took on the role of producer, writer, director, cameraman, all that. And they really had to build their careers from honestly nothing. I really look forward to having that open-ended conversation with both their moderator and just the Q&A with young students that allow them to learn about how they did it. You know, ask the questions they’ve always wanted to ask — everything from just how do you approach studios, how do you approach labels, how do you make that good first impression, to just kind of moving up ranks.”

The day will continue with an exclusive screening of It’s All Gonna Break, a documentary on the legendary Toronto indie band, Broken Social Scene. Following that will be the Canadian Showcase and the International Showcase, the latter of which received submissions from over 50 countries around the world.

The last day of the festival, Sunday, Nov. 9, will take place at The Paradise Theatre, with the panel Through the Eyes: A Conversation With Jorden Lee & GOVI. This panel will feature a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the director-artist partnership can blossom into creating a meaningful visual world that stands on its own.

“All our panels are free, and we plan to keep that standing for the rest of our existence,” Downey says proudly. “This really allows for students and creatives of all different levels to get a chance to learn. There’s no pay barrier or anything like that. So, we really do pride ourselves on being an anti-gatekeeping event, really pushing the educational aspect and creating open dialogues.”

After the Nominated Showcases, the festival will conclude with the 2025 TIMVF Awards Show, where winners across all 17 categories will be announced. When all is said and done, this festival is destined to get the people of Toronto talking again as its reach continues to grow year after year.

In Downey’s words, “Music videos are a beloved art form that allow filmmakers of all backgrounds to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. We hope TIMVF can help break down the industry barriers for emerging and talented creatives.”

2024 Festival Photos

Festival Links

Photo Credits: Haley Keenan