Tom Perlmutter writes, speaks and consults on issues relating to culture, the public sphere and audiovisual industries in a digital era. Until recently, he was the head of the National Film Board of Canada, which he transformed into a global pioneer in digital creation and distribution. An earlier version of the article was delivered as a keynote address at Sunnyside of the Doc, 2014. Perlmutter can be followed at @tperl.