ABOUT US
M51 Entertainment Inc. is a Calgary based production company focusing on bringing Indigenous factual and scripted content to an international market. In Indigenous culture, oral storytelling is a practical and integral mechanism to pass along knowledge and teachings to future generations. Building on that tradition, we are taking it one step further by encouraging and developing Alberta talent. Our projects, regardless of scale will provide entertainment from a unique and diverse perspective.
M51 Entertainment Inc. values its connections and ties to the community. The company is committed to having a diverse workplace. Our policy is to encourage and seek out applicants who represent a cross-section of Canadian society including visible minorities, First Nations people and the LBGTQ2S+ community. We also are committed to mentoring applicants from these groups and our pro-active hiring initiative includes placement of individuals in trainee positions.
M51 Entertainment Minority Hiring Policy
M51 Entertainment Inc. is owned and operated by Rene Collins, a Metis of Mi’kmaq ancestry. The company is committed to having a diverse workplace. Our policy is to encourage and seek out applicants who represent a cross-section of Canadian society including visible minorities, First Nations people and the LBGTQ community.
As well, we are proactive in placing under-represented people in our mentorship program.
RENE COLLINS - Director/Producer
A veteran producer, director of photography and musician with over 30 years in the film and television industry, Rene Jean Collins started his career in private broadcasting. Over the next 13 years at the CBC he produced current affairs and documentary features for Regional and National News services. In 1997 he opened his production company, servicing the film and television industries and received numerous awards and nominations to his credit. In 2019, he Co-Produced the sci-fi thriller Parallel Minds, a feature film for APTN, Indigenous Crafts a six-part documentary series currently in post- production and is the Executive Producer on the Indigenous horror film Don’t Say Its Name.
Rene’s accolades include being nominated for the Robert Brooks Award for best documentary Cinematography 2012 and was awarded the Metis Businessman of the year 2009 and Volunteer of the Year award, Calgary Aboriginal Friendship Centre 2019.
CINDY COLLINS - Content Consultant
Our Indigenous consultant, Cindy M Collins (Houle), is a traditional Anishinaabekwe from Sandy Bay, Manitoba. She’s a fluent speaker and knowledgeable about her cultural history and practices. She’s consulted on several projects as the Anishinaabe linguist and/or cultural/Indigenous consultant for television, video, and film projects over the past decade, mostly in partnership with her Producer/DOP husband, Rene J Collins. Cindy, along with her Uncle, Teddy Boy Houle, were the cultural consultants on a new feature film, called Parallel Minds, soon to be aired on APTN.
Cindy has a strong background in working in the justice system and in working with people in need. She’s a mother of three, a grandmother and an Auntie and "Coo Coo” to many. She has an unwavering dedication to family, with a special place in her heart for her grandson, Dante Strong.
