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Dilani Rabindran: Analyst at the Toronto International Film Festival and part-time entertainment columnist for Indian film website BehindWoods.com

Behind Woods operates out of the U.S. but provides international coverage of the south Indian film industry. At TIFF, I provide financial support to the different teams, but I am particularly focused on government relations. My columnist and correspondent job involves writing on a bi-monthly basis and interviewing Indian film stars when they visit Toronto.

I did my undergrad and graduate degrees at McMaster University in mathematics, statistics and genetic biology. I took my MBA at the DeGroote School of Business in the co-op stream. That entailed working three different jobs throughout the program, alternating with four school terms. I did the health services management specialization, but that involved only a few specific courses and the rest of the degree focused onthe standard facets of business.

Going into my undergrad, I had an interest and aptitude for numbers, statistics and science. My MBA built upon that analytical aptitude and helped me understand the management of companies, both the financial and strategic aspects. It also strengthened my understanding of Canadian non-profit organizational structures, relationship management and strategic consulting. All of that comes in handy at TIFF, because I support all sorts of teams and levels of management.

My MBA coupled with my passion for film and the arts helped me stand out from the large number of applicants TIFF always receives for job openings. Growing up, I learned to play various musical instruments and dabbled in videography. I produced wedding slide shows and small event videos for school as well.

My MBA taught me how to be a chameleon and fit into various industries. It’s a versatile degree that allows you to understand all the divisions of a business. TIFF is such a multifaceted organization: there’s the festival, year-round programming and exhibitions, and education and industry divisions.

It was always my goal to get a job in entertainment, but co-op jobs are not easy to come by in this field. I always thought when I was done that I would start at a small company and work my way up. The fact that I was able to start off working at one of my top choices helps keep me motivated every day.

I love working in a client-facing organization, because we see the impact on Toronto, or even the world, right away. Last year was particularly fun because our City-To-City program focused on Mumbai, so I met a lot of Indian film icons and got to pick the brains of some of India’s most prolific directors.

I also took a business of film development course at Ryerson’s Chang School of Continuing Education. Working for a production company or independently producing films are career paths I have been contemplating for some time. I want to learn more about how Canadian film and TV projects go from idea to screen.

Although the MBA provided me with skills like financing, business law and people management that are needed to independently produce or develop a project, I am gaining a deeper understanding of how entertainment projects are pitched, financed, marketed and distributed in Canada.

Where to study science

CARLETON UNIVERSITY (Ottawa) Bachelor of science – ISI: $6,799/year. isi.carleton.ca

LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY (Thunder Bay/Orillia) Bachelor of science – interdisciplinary studies: $6,679/year. lakeheadu.ca

MCMASTER UNIVERSITY (Hamilton) Honours integrated science: $6,612/term (plus fees). mcmaster.ca

RYERSON UNIVERSITY (Toronto) Contemporary science: $6,576/year. ryerson.ca

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH (Guelph) Bachelor of arts and sciences: $3,623/semester. uoguelph.ca

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO (Waterloo) Biotechnology/chartered professional accountancy biotechnology/economics science and business: $7,900/term. uwaterloo.ca

UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR (Windsor) Chemistry and physics: $3,248/term (plus fees). uwindsor.ca

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