Back in January, when the Canada Media Fund’s team started thinking about its 10th anniversary and subsequent year of celebration, the vision didn’t include a pandemic that would grab the screen industry by the feet and turn it upside down.

Turmoil, job loss and heartbreak aren’t an ideal backdrop for any celebration. But, in retrospect, marking this milestone amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been somehow timely. It’s been a year of great upheaval, but also great opportunity, and the screen industry has never needed the not-for-profit body’s leadership more.

By quickly launching a bilingual hub with pandemic news and information, as well as overseeing the distribution of more than $100 million in government emergency relief for the audiovisual sector in addition to its regular $353 million budget, the Canada Media Fund was able to reach a steady hand across shaky ground.

“We were very fortunate that our government made a large amount of funds available, and we were able to start delivering that relief within 10 days of receiving it,” says Valerie Creighton, president and CEO of the Canada Media Fund. “We couldn’t have imagined this situation but were able to respond quickly and work with the industry on solutions – that’s how we have always worked.”

The History of the CMF
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) was announced in 2009 and then launched in April 2010 to help Canadian content creators get the support needed to bring their ideas to life.

Growing out of a merger of the Canadian Television Fund and Canadian New Media Fund, the concept was to take financial investments from both the Government of Canada and the country’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors and funnel them into Canadian content across a wide range of audiovisual platforms, including TV shows, videogames, web series, virtual reality, interactive digital media and software applications.

“The government saw where things were going,” says Creighton. “They realized most Canadians would soon be watching content whenever they wanted, wherever they wanted, on any available platform, and we’d better get with the program.”

The rewards of such investment have been great not just for audiences and consumers, but for the country as a whole. In 2019 Canada’s screen-based industry created 181,000 well-paid full-time jobs and contributed $12.8 billion to GDP.

”I think the CMF soon understood that even if we are an important player in the audiovisual ecosystem, we are of no use without the work of our creators. So we have always made it part of our mission to listen. We spent the last decade reaching out to as many stakeholders as possible, asking them how we can serve their stories and projects better, and adapting what we do. And it works.”

Change has been a constant in the last 10 years, and particularly in 2020. The CMF’s ability to stay connected with the industry and one to the future has served it well. The CMF’s team of experts who consult with stakeholders, analyze industry and market trends, and track the impact of change on the industry will help it keep up with the ever-changing landscape.

Schitt's Creek

What the CMF has accomplished
If it’s on screen and made by Canadians, especially if it tells a Canadian story, there’s a good chance the CMF had a hand in its creation.

By connecting content creators with financing, experts and each other, the CMF has been an important partner in many favourite Canadian shows, web series, videogames, VR and AR content.

Think of critically acclaimed comedies like Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience, Private Eyes, Letterkenny; or the French-Canadian New Year’s celebration Le Bye Bye, a diverse slate that ranges from sketch-com to sit-com to satire but that all take advantage of that famous Canadian sense of humour.

There are the dramas that escape the big city for a more rural life, whether grounded in our Prairie reality, like Heartland, the High River, Alberta-shot series about a ranch family, Wynonna Earp, a supernatural horror set near the Canadian Rockies that sees the great-great-granddaughter of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp taking out the reanimated demon outlaws originally killed by her famous ancestor, or Cardinal for its shrilling portrayal of life in windswept, snowy Northern Ontario.

Projects like True North Calling, an Iqaluit-based documentary series about young people surviving in the Canadian Arctic, and Indigenous shows like Mohawk Girls, a Sex and the City-type dramedy that follows four friends navigating life and love in Kahnawake, have illuminated fascinating places and people that are integral to the Canadian identity.

There’s quality kids’ programming, too, like the award-winning Dino Dina or Malory Towers, a new Canadian-British co-production that tells the story of a 12-year-old girl who’s off to boarding school. Co-directed by veteran Canadian filmmaker Bruce McDonald, it’s been described as a Downton Abbey for kids.

On the more experimental side, even videogames and apps fall under the CMF’s purview, like The Long Dark, an award-winning first-person survival game out of Vancouver Island’s Hinterland Studio that gets going when a bush pilot crash-lands in the Canadian wilderness during a geomagnetic storm, and Smala, an app from Montreal-based Tobo Studio that promotes family bonding through mini-challenges and photo-sharing.

Bringing Canada to the world
Interestingly, content created in Canada has more international appeal than that of any other country. A 2019 study by Parrot Analytics in partnership with the CMF found that television produced or co-produced in Canada was number-one in terms of “global travelability,” which Parrot defines as “the ability for local content to attract audience demand outside of the country where it was originally produced and aired.”

Canadian content achieved a 22.4% score, tops in the world, while content created in the United States, perceived as the great generator of global pop culture, came in at only 18.7%. It’s a quality that’s more and more valuable as streaming platforms hungry for content find viewers are open to projects created beyond their own borders.

Part of that worldwide appeal is the result of international co-productions fostered by the Canada Media Fund. The CMF has created more than a dozen direct partnerships with international funding organizations in recent years, including with Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Italy and South Africa to name a few.

But it also owes something to the diversity inherent in Canadian programming, where a show like Kim’s Convenience, about a convenience store run by a Korean Canadian family, can win Most Popular Foreign Drama at the Seoul International Drama Awards.

Diversity of voices
Diversity of gender, sexual orientation, culture, race and geography is crucial to the CMF. In 2017 the CMF challenged itself to have 50% of its projects feature women in lead roles (writer, director, showrunner) by 2020, and they’re well on their way to achieving that goal with almost 50% of projects already in compliance. The CMF also supported the establishment of the Indigenous Screen Office in 2017 with a mandate to encourage the growth of Indigenous production from the inside, fostering narrative sovereignty for this vital sector of the industry.

But the events of 2020 — specifically the racial reckoning that followed the killing of George Floyd in the United States — brought renewed urgency to ensuring all voices are well-represented. So what does that mean for the CMF?

“We know that for our industry to truly succeed we need to make lasting change. Professionals from racialized communities need to be in the rooms where decisions are made. Companies owned and led by Black, Indigenous and people of colour require support for their projects to succeed, reach audiences, and for them to be able to develop talent, says Creighton. “That’s what we have to do. There’s no one simple solution, and the industry needs to work together. (See Q&A with Creighton following this story).

What’s next?
Moving forward, the CMF is committed to investing in cutting-edge and experimental projects. That outside-the-box approach has never been more important, or more likely to be met with an open mind.

Dealing with COVID-19 has created an opportunity for the screen industry to rethink priorities and develop new and nimble ways of working together, whether that means operating remotely, in smaller groups or with novel solutions coming from unexpected places. It has inspired a more supportive environment, and a better grasp of work/life balance that, with hope, will enrich the content created in the future. “It's not going to be the same as it was,” says Creighton. “The industry will be different and it’s our job to ensure that amid the challenges we also take advantage of this time by rewarding success and encouraging innovation.

“So, we will foster growth and resilience as we create new opportunities for exactly those people hit hardest by the pandemic. We will build opportunities for a diverse production community, including those who are Indigenous, Black, racialized, LGBTQ2, people with disabilities and women.”

“We simply won’t let this crisis do permanent damage to our industry. Instead, we’ll find the ways this extraordinary challenge can make us all better.”

The post Happy 10th, Canada Media Fund. Now get to work! appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

“In addition to administering over $120M in Government of Canada COVID-19 Emergency Support Funding, the CMF has over the past several months continued to deliver funding though its various programs,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, CMF. “We have made--and will continue to make—every effort necessary to ensure Canada’s creators take their stories to screens here at home and around the world. With the government announcing the Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian audiovisual productions, the CMF is now pleased to announce it is investing $40.6M in close to 100 projects through several of its programs, including the Indigenous Program and the Innovation Program.”

Indigenous Program: Production

Respecting the distinctive and traditional approaches to Indigenous storytelling, the CMF’s Indigenous program is dedicated to supporting from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. The CMF will provide $7.6M in funding to 13 Indigenous-led projects. Click here to access a list of projects that received funding through the Indigenous Program.

Applications for funding through this program were evaluated by a jury composed of individuals from Indigenous communities. Jury members were Rachel Alouki Labbe, Adriana Chartrand, Charles Bender, Tina Keeper and Jason Ryle. Together they bring a complementary skill set, including Indigenous-led audiovisual production, contemporary visual arts and traditional storytelling through Indigenous perspectives, as well as knowledge of several Indigenous languages. To learn more about the jurors involved in the Indigenous Program application evaluation process, please click here.

Innovation Program: Production

A CMF investment of $6.3M through the first round of production funding of the Innovation Program will support 10 Canadian innovative digital media projects.

A jury of Canadian and international specialists evaluated the projects submitted for production support. This round’s jury consisted of Annelise Larson (Saskatoon), Frederik Lesage (Vancouver), Jonathan Lessard (Montréal), Isabelle Marazzani (Montréal), Nadia Serraiocco (Montréal) and Adam Sigel (Los Angeles). Click here to read more about each juror involved in the application evaluation.

The Experimental Stream’s Innovation Program allocates funding to interactive digital media content and software applications that are innovative and leading-edge.

For information on the latest projects that received production support, please click here.

Innovation Program: Limited Marketing and Promotion

The CMF will invest a further $1.1M in marketing and promotion support to four interactive digital media projects.

Marketing support provides funding for the marketing and promotion of an eligible project such as the creation of national and international marketing campaigns, design costs, creation and market-testing of advertising, use of the Internet for promotion or transactions, and more.

Click here to access a list of projects that received marketing support.

Francophone Minority Program

A total of 20 convergent projects will receive $7.8M in funding as part of the first round of production financing through the Francophone Minority Program. This program supports projects which reflect the realities of living in French-language communities outside Québec.

Audiences will have a chance to enjoy new French-language content produced in Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Click here to view a list of CMF-funded projects and additional information, including production synopses, producer credits, and funding commitments.

English POV Program

A total of 18 projects will receive $5.7M in funding through the English Point-of-View (POV) Program. The English POV Program is designed to encourage one-off, point-of-view documentary production in the English-language market.

To view a list and description of new projects that received POV funding, please click here.

Commercial Projects Program

CMF will invest, in the first round of funding, over $7.0M in the production of seven digital media projects, including six games and one software applications.

A jury of Canadian and international specialists evaluated the projects submitted for funding. This round’s jury consisted of Nicholas Fortugno (New York), Laurent Guérin (Toronto), Valérie Hénaire (Québec), Tina Merry (Vancouver), Denis Talbot (Montréal) and Magalie Zafimehy (Toronto). Click here to read more about each juror involved in the application evaluation.

The Commercial Projects Program funds digital media projects that have a high probability of commercial success. Projects are evaluated based on their potential to attain stated commercial objectives, demonstrate business opportunity and achieve profitability.

Click here to view a list of projects funded through the Commercial Projects Program.

Prototyping Program

An investment of $4.7M will enable the development of 22 digital media prototypes, including games, rich interactive media, and software applications through the first round of funding of the Prototyping Program.

The Experimental Stream’s Prototyping Program allocates funding to projects at the early stages of building a product to demonstrate its intended functionalities and design. Specifically, this phase is for experimenting, testing and validating different concepts and hypotheses to arrive at a first functional prototype.

For information on the latest projects that received prototyping support, please click here.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For press inquiries, please contact:

André Ferreira
Senior Communications Manager
Canada Media Fund
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca
(416) 554-2768

The post Canada Media Fund invests over $40M in the development, production and marketing of 94 projects appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

The Canada-Denmark Co-Development Incentive for Digital Media Projects budget is set at CAN $300,000, with each partner investing half of the total amount.

This Incentive will support the codevelopment of new digital content that is innovative, explores new ways of telling stories, experiments with new formats and platforms and new ways of engaging audiences. The project must involve at least one Danish producer eligible under the DFI’s criteria, and one Canadian producer eligible under the CMF’s criteria.

Twelve interactive digital media projects received over $800K in funding through the first three rounds of funding of the Canada-Denmark Co-Development Incentive for Digital Media Projects.

Finding a coproducer

Producers interested in finding an international partner as part of this development incentive are invited to post a profile of their company on the CMF’s website by clicking here. Profiles will be accessible to all, including potential partners from other countries

How to apply

Projects will be evaluated and chosen by a selection committee composed of representatives from both funding organizations.

All applications must comply with the guidelines for the Incentive which are available on both the CMF and DFI websites. The deadline to apply is December 14, 2020. Recipients will be announced in mid-February 2021.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

About the Danish Film Institute
The Danish Film Institute (DFI) is Denmark's national agency for film and cinema culture, operating under the Ministry of Culture. The DFI provides funding for the development, production and distribution of films, series, video games and other audiovisual content. An important task of the DFI is to encourage diversity and risk-willingness in the industry, doing so by offering many gateways to funding, highlighting talent development, keeping a sharp eye on new digital platforms and nurturing international partnerships. Located in central Copenhagen, the DFI also offers a meeting place for scholars and film lovers with screenings at the Cinematheque as well as a library and a stills archive. Please visit dfi.dk/en.

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For more information, please contact:

Shelley Coultish
Telefilm Canada
Deputy Director, Portfolio Management, CMF Program Administration
shelley.coultish@telefilm.ca
1.800.567.0890

For media requests, please contact:

André Ferreira
Canada Media Fund
Senior Communications Manager
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca
416.214.4402

The post Canada and Denmark announce reopening of digital media codevelopment incentive appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

The program will support development activities in the CMF-supported genres of Children’s and Youth and Drama, including acquisition of underlying rights, scripts, bibles and storyboards with some additional funding allocated for travel and pitch materials.

Projects applying to the Wildbrain-CMF Kids and Family Development Program shall compete for funding according to a selective process. To make its funding decisions, the CMF evaluates projects according to a set of criteria which include market interest, the creative team’s composition, originality and creativity, as well as the program’s objectives. The maximum contribution per project will be the lesser of $56,000 or 75 per cent of the project’s eligible costs.

The deadline to apply is November 30, 2020.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For more information, contact:

CMFPA Funding Application Office
1-800-567-0890
CMF.FMC.coordination@telefilm.ca

For press inquiries, contact:

André Ferreira
Senior Communications Manager
Canada Media Fund
416-554-2768
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

The post CMF and WildBrain reopen program to support the development of new kids’ and family content appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

To qualify, projects must involve producers eligible under criteria from both organisations. Eligible projects are television programs in drama, documentary, children and youth genres. Closing date for applications is October 30, 2020.

The total amount of funding available through the Incentive is approximately CAD $195,000 or ZAR 2,400,000, with each funding organization contributing approximately half of the funds. The total maximum contribution for each project funded through the Incentive is CAD $65,000 or ZAR 800,000.

The CMF and NFVF have since 2017-2018 invested $346,000 in the codevelopment of nine audiovisual projects.

Finding an international partner

Producers interested in finding an international partner as part of this Incentive are invited to post a profile of their company on the CMF’s website by clicking here. Profiles will be accessible to all, including potential partners from other countries.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

About NFVF
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), is an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, that was created to ensure the equitable growth of South Africa's film and video industry. This is done by providing funding for the development, production, marketing and distribution of films and the training and development of filmmakers. In addition, the NFVF commissions research and produces industry statistics that provide both the public and stakeholders with valuable insights into the South African film industry. For more information, visit www.nfvf.co.za.

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For media requests, please contact:

André Ferreira
Canada Media Fund
Senior Communications Manager
416.214.4441
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

The post Canada and South Africa renew codevelopment incentive appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

The Top-Up is part of Phase 1 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund designated by the Government of Canada for cultural, heritage and sport organizations and is available to companies that are majority owned by Black people and people of colour that received previous support from the “CMF Allocation” of cultural, heritage and sport emergency relief funds.

“We cannot thrive as an industry when Black, Indigenous, and people of colour communities face discrimination and barriers to access financial resources and support,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, CMF. “We made a clear commitment this spring to act on this. Together, with our funders, the industry and leaders of racialized communities, we will work to create positive influence and dismantle the many ways Canada’s screen-based sector has reinforced systemic racism. The measures we’re announcing today are a further step in that direction.”

Funding top-up to BPOC creators

On July 3, 2020, the CMF announced $13.3M in Emergency Relief Funds for underrepresented groups, including $4M in support for Black people and people of colour in the industry.

The Top-Up directly follows the recommendation that came out of the last Black Industry Leaders Group meeting held by CMF and stakeholder discussions throughout the summer: to provide a top-up amount companies that are owned by Black people and people of colour that received support from Phase 1 of the CMF’s COVID-19 emergency relief. This is just the first of several components to distribute the $4M of support for Black and people of colour in the industry. The other components are planned for release in the months ahead, including funding for applicants who did not receive support in previous COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund phases.

Eligible businesses for the Top-Up must be majority owned and controlled by individuals that are a member of a visible minority group that meet the definition under the Employment Equity Act. Applicants will receive a Top-Up in the amount of $11,000. Click here to access the guidelines. Click here to apply.

Towards better representation

As part of CMF’s commitment to combatting systemic racism in Canada’s screen-based industries, it pledged to review its human resources practices and hire, promote and retain more Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour.

As such, CMF is announcing the hiring of two Leads, Support for under-represented communities. Tamara Dawit is an Ethiopian-Canadian producer and director. She is based in Toronto and will be the Lead for the English market. Diego Briceño is a Colombian-born media maker with over 20 years’ experience as a producer, director, concept developer and editor on social documentaries. He is based in Montréal and will be the Lead for the French market. Both bring to their roles deep experience in the industry, broad networks in Canada and internationally, and track records of developing equity initiatives across multiple communities.

Both will work with CMF executives to lead the CMF’s consultations with under-represented communities and will contribute to the development of the CMF’s anti-racism and inclusion strategy. They will also contribute to the development of COVID-19 emergency support for under-represented communities, and will advise on changes to other CMF programs and policies so they are more equitable and inclusive.

In addition to the hiring of the two Co-leads, Support for under-represented communities, the CMF and Telefilm Canada are pleased to announce that Adam Garnet Jones will act as Lead, Indigenous Initiatives on behalf of both organizations. Adam is Cree/Métis from amiskwaciy-wâskahikan. Having joined Telefilm in 2018, he is a screenwriter, director, bead-worker and novelist with a newly expanded mandate to sustain outreach activities with Indigenous communities and contribute to initiatives intended to increase the representation of Indigenous creators within both CMF’s and Telefilm’s portfolios.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For more information, contact:

CMFPA Funding Application Office
1 800 567 0890
CMF.FMC.coordination@telefilm.ca

For press inquiries, contact:

André Ferreira
Senior Communications Manager
Canada Media Fund
416-554-2768
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

The post CMF announces new steps to support racialized creators appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

The 15 projects to be supported by SODEC and the CMF are:

Fiction TV series

La canicule des pauvres
Screenwriter: Éric Piccoli
Production: Films Babel inc.
Based on La canicule des pauvres by Jean Simon Desrochers, Les Herbes rouges

Charlotte#Yolo
Screenwriter: Nathalie Roy
Production: Encore Télévision inc.
Based on La vie épicée de Charlotte Lavigne by Nathalie Roy, Groupe Librex

Docteure Irma
Screenwriters: Ghyslaine Côté and Claude Landry
Production: Les Productions Megafun inc.
Based on Docteure Irma by Pauline Gill, Les Éditions Québec Amérique

Eddie
Screenwriters: Joseph Hillel and Stanley Péan
Production: Gestion Avanti Ciné Vidéo inc.
Based on Nom de code: Mao: Parcours du premier policier haïtien à Montréal by Édouard Anglade, Les Éditions du C.I.D.I.H.C.A

Elsie
Screenwriter: Anie Pascale
Production: Amalga Créations Télé inc.
Based on Elsie by Catherine Francoeur, Groupe Ville-Marie Littérature

Le gazon
Screenwriter: Amélie Dubois
Production: Productions Pixcom inc.
Based on Le Gazon... toujours plus vert chez le voisin? and Le Gazon... plus vert de l’autre côté de la clôture? by Amélie Dubois, Les Éditeurs réunis

Manuel de la vie sauvage
Screenwriters: Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard and Christian Laurence
Production: Productions KOTV inc.
Based on Manuel de la vie sauvage by Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard, Les Éditions de Ta Mère

Les maudits
Screenwriter: Edith Kabuya
Production: 9215-8534 Québec inc.
Based on Les Maudits by Edith Kabuya, Éditions de Mortagne

Tu peux toujours courir
Screenwriter: Valérie Chevalier
Production: DATSIT Sphère inc.
Based on Tu peux toujours courir by Valérie Chevalier, Éditions Hurtubise

Documentary series

Le gangster et le ministre
Screenwriter: Daniel Proulx
Production: Anémone Films inc.
Based on Les trois colombes by Dorval Brunelle, VLB éditeur

Sagesse en deux temps
Screenwriters: Joséphine Bacon and Pascale Ferland
Production: RF2 Productions
Based on Uiesh  ̶ Quelque part by Joséphine Bacon, Un thé dans la toundra by Joséphine Bacon, Nous sommes tous des sauvages by José Acquelin and Joséphine Bacon, and Bâtons à message by Joséphine Bacon, Mémoire d’encrier

Children’s animation series

Les apprentis scientifiques
Screenwriters: Olivier Bernard and Marie-Ève Belleau-Bérubé
Production: Écho Média Productions 3 inc.
Based on Le petit garçon qui posait trop de questions by Olivier Bernard, Éditions les Malins

Le brunissement des baleines blanches
Screenwriter: Marie-France Landry
Production: CarpeDiem Film & TV inc.
Based on Le brunissement des baleines blanches and Jo Groenland et la route du nord by Boucar Diouf, Les Éditions La Presse

Les expériences de Mini-Jean
Screenwriters: Robin Balzano, Alexandra Larochelle and Louis Patalano
Production: Happy Camper Média inc.
Based on Les expériences de Mini-Jean by Alex A., Presses Aventures

Olga
Screenwriters: Anne-Marie Perrotta and Sylvie Rochon
Production: Apartment 11 Productions inc.
Based on Olga et le machin qui pue and other titles in the series by Elise Gravel

About SODEC
SODEC’s mandate is to promote and support the development of cultural enterprises both in and outside Quebec in the following sectors: film and television production, books and publishing, fine arts and crafts, and in music and variety shows. It also has a mandate to protect and enhance a heritage real estate portfolio of 32 buildings that reflect the Quebec identity.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances, and promotes the production of Canadian content and relevant applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment through fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voices, and promoting access to content through industry and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives funding from the Government of Canada and the country’s cable, satellite, and IPTV providers.

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Information:

Johanne Morissette
Director of Communications, SODEC
514-841-2314
Johanne.Morissette@sodec.gouv.qc.ca

André Ferreira
Senior Communications Manager, CMF
416-554-2768
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

The post SODEC and the CMF to Support 15 Pre-Development Projects for Television Series Based on Literary Adaptations of Quebec Works appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

Administered by the CMF, in collaboration with Telefilm Canada, the Audiovisual Allocation is available to both film and television producers that did not receive Phase 1 funding reserved for the cultural, heritage or sport sectors and who meet the eligibility criteria. Click here to apply. Click here to access the criteria.

“Canada’s audiovisual sector continues to be heavily impacted by the pandemic,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, CMF. “This additional support by the Government of Canada is a most welcome lifeline to hundreds of production companies across the country. These businesses are the bedrock upon which our industry is built. Their preservation is both a cultural and economic imperative.”

“This additional emergency funding will continue to help maintain jobs and support Canadian film and television organizations,” added the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage. “Supporting Canadian content is more important than ever for our country’s cultural industry. We thank the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada for their great leadership during these challenging times.”

Eligible Applicants may receive between $5,000 and $100,000, to be determined through a formula-based approach.

Applications will open on Monday, September 21 and will close on October 16, 2020.

To help workers and businesses in the screen-based industries navigate the many programs and resources available to those affected by the crisis, the CMF launched an online information hub. Information on financial support offered through hundreds of programs, as well as other essential resources can be found at covid.cmf-fmc.ca.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For more information, contact:

CMFPA Funding Application Office
1 800 567 0890
CMF.FMC.coordination@telefilm.ca

For press inquiries, contact:

André Ferreira
Senior Communications Manager
Canada Media Fund
416-554-2768
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

The post CMF announces $19M in COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for film and television production companies appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

In a context of rapid industry evolution and the upheavals caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the CMF’s funding programs contributed $349M to finance the development, production, promotion and export of 1,483 television and digital media projects in 2019-2020. This level of investment and support was made possible thanks to the continued commitments of the CMF’s funding contributors: the Government of Canada, and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors.

The CMF 2019-2020 Annual Report details the various programs and initiatives the CMF undertook to support Canada’s audiovisual industry through the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020.This includes a detailed analysis of results of the CMF's funding programs, as well as insights into its extensive research and promotion initiatives, all of which serve to illustrate the important role the organization plays as a major driver of Canada’s digital economy.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For media requests, please contact:

André Ferreira
Senior Manager, Communications
Canada Media Fund
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca
416-554-2768

The post CMF funding triggers over $1.4B in industry activity, says 2019-2020 annual report appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

Click here to apply.
Click here to access eligibility criteria.

The funding is being made available to applicants who have not previously received COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds from the CMF Allocation and who meet the eligibility criteria.

Eligible Applicants will receive between $5,000 and $100,000, to be determined through a formula-based approach.

The program will open Monday, August 31 and the deadline to apply is Friday, September 25, 2020.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, promotes, develops and finances the production of Canadian content and relevant applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment through fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through industry and private sector partnerships. To learn more, please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For more information:

CMFPA Funding Application Office
1 800 567 0890
CMF.FMC.coordination@telefilm.ca

The post COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds for IDM companies appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

Created in partnership with YouTube Canada and Canada’s film and television producers, distributors, broadcasters, unions, guilds and industry associations, Encore+ features over 2,000 acclaimed Canadian feature films, documentaries and television shows in English, French and by Indigenous creators. Encore+ offers content for all ages and across genres – free to view at any time and on any screen – to the world. As loyal subscribers have come to know, long lost treasures are added weekly.

“With the world increasingly watching from home, Encore+ has become a unique destination for audiences looking for great Canadian content,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, Canada Media Fund. “After many years of discussion with the industry and the highly successful launch in 2017, I couldn’t be prouder of our work on Encore+ alongside our industry partners, as well as the demonstrated results. We’ve given new life to iconic Canadian content. Thanks to this channel, rights holders are monetizing, preserving and relicensing their legacy titles to new streaming platforms. New generations of Canadians, and audiences worldwide are rediscovering and connecting with important Canadian stories, comedies and childhood favourites.”

“In less than three years, the Encore+ YouTube channel has introduced over 2,000 videos of some of Canada's finest TV and film content to a new generation of fans around the world, while also helping existing fans re-watch their favourites,” said Andrew Peterson, Head of Partnerships, YouTube Canada. “With unprecedented access to a global audience, Canadian content is thriving on YouTube. Thanks to the CMF, classic stories that reflect Canada’s history are seeing a resurgence in views and the Encore+ channel surpassing 100,000 subscribers is a real testament to their hard work and dedication to supporting Canadian creators."

To mark this milestone, Encore+ is now streaming hundreds of beloved TV series including Zoboomafoo, Big Wolf on Campus, Danger Bay, The Creative Native, Ready or Not, Street Legal and more. Feature films include I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing, Bayo and The Snow Walker with Johnny Mnemonic just ahead. Encore+ is also home to impactful Canadian documentaries including Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, National Parks Project, The Great War and the upcoming Hero Dogs of 9/11. The award-winning documentary The Corporation is currently number one on the platform.

Created as a discoverability catalyst to stimulate demand for outstanding content, multiple productions launched on Encore+ have now been licensed by alternate platforms. Currently, approximately 58 per cent of the platform’s viewership is from international audiences.

Enjoy hundreds of Canadian productions today. Subscribe at youtube.com/EncorePlusMedia and get the latest updates on Encore+ by following on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Encore+
The Encore+ YouTube channel invites YouTube audiences to discover – or rediscover – memorable Canadian movies and TV shows, wherever they are in the world. Comedies, dramas (even the romantic kind), children’s shows, documentaries, short films, and feature films – it’s all on Encore+ for fans of all ages to enjoy. Launched by industry pros, the channel brings to life great moments from the past on today’s screens. Check out the various playlists, with hundreds of titles fans won’t want to miss. Subscribe to Encore+ and be first in line for new English, French and Indigenous-focused content added weekly.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

André Ferreira
Senior Communications Manager
Canada Media Fund
416-214-4402
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

The post Encore+ YouTube channel reaches 100,000 subscribers and 25M views milestones appeared first on Canada Media Fund.

To be eligible, projects must be submitted by producers meeting the criteria of both organizations. Projects funded at the development stage must be drama or animation series, feature-length animation or digital media projects. The Incentive also funds eligible digital media projects—specifically in the areas of virtual or augmented reality, transmedia or enabling technologies—at the production stage.

The annual combined budget of the Incentive is CAD$900,000 (approximately €600,000), with each party contributing half, for a total investment over a two-year period of CAD$1,800,000 (about €1,200,000).

The total maximum combined contribution is CAD$100,000 (about €65,000) for each television or digital project funded at the development stage and CAD$500,000 (about €320,000) for each digital media project in production. The contribution of each funding organisation to selected projects will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Projects will be evaluated through a selection process conducted by a committee formed of representatives of the CMF and FFL according to different criteria, including the cultural value of the project and the target audience, the team roadmap and the viability of the project.

The program provided close to $1.5M in funding to six codevelopment and coproduction project in its first two years.

Identifying foreign partners

We invite Canadian producers interested in finding a foreign partner for this program to post their company profile on the CMF website by clicking here. Profiles will be available to anyone visiting the site, including potential partners in other countries.

Application process

All applications must comply with the Incentive Guidelines, which are available on the CMF and FFL websites. The application period is now open and continues until November 12, 2020. The committee’s decisions will be announced in December 2020.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global digital environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

About Film Fund Luxembourg
Film Fund Luxembourg encourages and promotes the development of the audiovisual production sector in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Since 2012, Film Fund Luxembourg offers only one support mechanism for audiovisual productions to be carried out by a Luxembourg registered film production company. The so called National Audiovisual Production Support (AFS) is a selective scheme which provides discretionary loans to producers to finance development and scriptwriting, distribution and production/coproduction for fiction, animation, documentaries, short films, transmedia projects, virtual and augmented reality and other new technologies, repayable from the finished work’s receipts. Please visit www.filmfund.lu.

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Industry contact:

Jill Samson
Canada Media Fund Program Administrator
Deputy Director – Portfolio Management
+1 416.973.1819
jill.samson@telefilm.ca

For media requests, please contact:

André Ferreira
Canada Media Fund
Senior Communications Manager
+1 416.214.4441
aferreira@cmf-fmc.ca

Nicole Jans
Film Fund Luxembourg
Communications
+352 247 86715
nicole.jans@filmfund.etat.lu

The post Canada-Luxembourg Codevelopment and Coproduction incentive now accepting applications appeared first on Canada Media Fund.