How TV and film producer Ian Whitehead found his first network at Concordia

There is no doubt about it, says Ian Whitehead, BA 92. The biggest “gift” that Concordia’s Communication Studies program gave him was community.  

“I found my first tribe there,” he says. “I found 100-plus people who shared similar passions. We were our first network.”

For many of them, including Whitehead, those passions were television and film.

All these years later, Whitehead still credits those Concordia peers with putting him on the path towards a successful career as a Quebec-based producer.   

Since graduating from Concordia, Whitehead has produced close to 200 hours of scripted television in Canada and internationally, including episodic drama and comedy series, mini-series and feature films. These include award-winning productions such as Versailles, Fungus the Bogeyman, and The Good Sister.

Whitehead has also collaborated with the BBC, Amazon, CBC and ABC, and has received more than 20 nominations for BAFTA Children’s Awards and Canadian Screen Awards.

In 2022, he joined Montreal production company and distributor Attraction in the new position of vice-president of English Scripted Content. Whitehead’s mission? To keep growing the English-side of Attraction’s business and to continue showcasing the “amazing talent out of Quebec,” he says.  

“It’s been a privilege to be with Attraction,” he adds. “You can probably count on one hand the number of producers who are born and bred in Quebec, who are English speaking, who’ve only worked in English out of Quebec, who have as many titles and experience as I have. So, I feel honoured to continue my career here.”

‘I’ve never been too arty or too commercial’

Growing up in Quebec City, Whitehead would often have a big camcorder on his shoulder, shooting short movies with his friends for any high-school class he could.

When he arrived at Concordia, he thought his path would naturally lead to a career as a director or cinematographer. But when he found that network of communication studies peers, he quickly discovered that he had a knack for producing instead.

“I realized that I wasn’t as deeply creative as some my friends,” he recalls. “But I understood the creative, I could see the things that needed improvement, and that I had a very strong organizational side.”

Whitehead’s first professional gig after university came from the help of that communications network. One of his friends was hired as a driver on a Denys Arcand film, and when he won a paid apprenticeship with the Academy, it helped Whitehead land a spot as a video assist recorder on the same production.

He then went on to work for two Montreal-based production companies before arriving at Attraction: Galafilm — where he produced TV series such as 18 to Life and movies like The Kate Logan Affair — and Incendo, where he produced more than 50 movies and co-produced the hit series Versailles.      

“I’ve never been too arty or too commercial,” says Whitehead of his style of production. “I lean towards stories that have significance and meaning and bring value to people, not just escapism.”

Growing English content

Through his work at Attraction, Whitehead has been keen to inject his style into the company’s new English scripted division.  

“The company sees its growth in English, so for me to build something from the start with my taste and vision with the support of a brilliant gang of people is just incredible,” he says.

Right now, Whitehead has about 12 projects on the go at different stages of development.

One is set in his hometown of Quebec City’s Fairmont Le Château Frontenac and involves producers behind the popular Netflix series Ginny and Georgia.

“My parents met at the Château Frontenac on a blind date, and I always wanted to set a series at this magical place, this ultra romantic city, and we’re in the process of doing it,” he says.  

One of Whitehead’s main goals now at Attraction is to keep the spotlight on Quebec.

“There’s a lot of amazing talent out of the province that isn’t given the opportunity to really shine as much on the English and international side,” he says. “Attraction sees it as a high-growth division, and they’re willing to take the time and put the resources into building that, and I feel very honoured to be trusted with it.”