Debbie has been actively involved in the television and film industry in Canada since 1979. She has produced feature films, television series, documentaries and kids series as well as numerous events in the industry over the last number of years. Debbie was the Founding Executive Director of the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival. Nightingale has sat on Boards including Toronto Women in Film and Television and the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (DOC) in recent years.

Her most recent production is the critically acclaimed HBO Canada series Living In Your Car that airs Fridays at 9:30pm until August 6, 2010. Set in an unstable economy, the show follows the winding karmic adventures of fallen corporate exec Steve Unger (played by John Ralston), who was caught cooking the books and now finds himself legally forbidden from working in any position that involves “other people’s money”. Shunned by family and friends, under court order to teach an ethics class to other “fallen angels”, Steve now makes his home inside his luxury car. You can view an episode at http://www.hbocanada.com/livinginyourcar/

What does a typical Thursday look like for you, starting from when you wake up – to heading to bed?
I relish the fact that I don’t have a typical day……it’s what keeps me energized. I usually get up around 5:30 or 6:00am to get a head start on the day. We have 3 dogs living with us at the moment, so first thing in my morning is getting the dogs outside. Once they’re all taken care of, I check and respond to emails that have come in overnight. I was thrilled to see that our new show was nominated for a Rose D’or International TV award! Then I squeezed some time in to transplant some veggies from pot to planter. Gardening is my meditation and a great way to start the day. My husband is on his way to the farm, where I’ll be heading later today. But first I head to the office. My stepdaughter Gita has an office in our building and she runs an NGO called Africa’s Children-Africa’s Future out of there, so I check in to see how she’s doing for a few minutes.

Because we are in pre-production on a new show, it’s a series of meetings about casting, directors, scripts, budgets, financing, cash flows and all sorts of fun things – which ARE all very exciting to me. It’s been incredible to be working with the most talented (and fun) writing team in the country….George F. Walker, Dani Romain, Joseph Kay and Courtney Walker.

I have the best team in my office ever. So I love coming in. Stephen handles the bulk of the Business Affairs, but I do the big picture stuff. Matt, my executive assistant, just makes it all so easy. We’ve just decided that Denis, who does Business Development should go to the Banff TV festival….there’s too much going on there for us not to have a presence, so we spent a good part of the morning planning who he should be meeting with while there. Alyson, who is in our LA office, checked in for several phone meetings during the day as it is now pitch season there, and we have several very cool projects which she is pitching out to the broadcasters there. Christine is our amazing resource for all things in the U.S. broadcast world.

At around 4, I’ll head over to see my son Noah who is working for the summer at Sherwin Williams, just around the corner from me, so that he can give me paint chips to take home to plan the big paint job we hope to do there in the next week or so.

Then, I’m heading to the farm – which is about two hours east of Toronto. While on the road, I’ll do two phone meetings (yes, I have hands free) as it is a great way to maximize time. Then I’ll check in with my other son Leland who is working construction for the summer, and my daughter Sarah to see how her day at her new job at Sunwing Vacations went.

If traffic cooperates, I should arrive at the farm around 6pm and there will still be enough light to check how the vegetables in my kitchen garden are doing, and to say hello to the horses, goats and chickens….and of course my husband. He’ll have prepared a nice dinner in anticipation of my arrival – which I’m anticipating now! After dinner, I’ll take the dogs for a long walk around the farm as it is especially nice at this time of year, if you can overlook the black flies and mosquitoes. At around 8pm, I’ll check and respond to more emails, try to read a script and then likely fall into bed around 11:00pm…..

What was your first job out of school?
I did the ‘night shift’ at a home for unwed mothers in Toronto. It was actually the best shift because the girls would come to talk and hang out when they couldn’t sleep. It was a transition time when teenagers who got pregnant were shipped ‘away from home’ in the hopes that no one would find out. One of the girls asked me to be with her in the delivery room – it was an incredible and humbling experience.

What are the 3 skills you require most to do your job well?
Patience, persistence and a sense of humour that contemplates the absurdity in the world.

What do you love most about your career?
The people I work with, that every day is different and that I can indulge my curiousity.

Do you have any warnings?
Don’t be afraid of failure. Try everything you dream of.

If you could try a different career on for a year, what would it be?
If I could skip the school part, I’d love to be a veterinarian. I’ve always loved animals.