News
January 23, 2015
Weekly Update from Film Ontario, January 23, 2015
Happy Friday!
Lots to share this week:
- The OMDC has launched a new Collaboration and Innovation Pilot Fund. It targets businesses that have a compelling new idea that crosses sectors and/or distribution platforms, involves non-traditional collaboration, or reimagines your operational model. To find out more, click here.
- The Banff World Media Festival has once again entered into a "Community Partnership" with FilmOntario. This means significant discounts on registration fees for Members, for this Festival (clickhere) and the Connect TO 2015 (click here) and Connect LA 2015 events (click here). Don't miss out!
- Cinecoup: $1 Million and a Theatrical Release Through Cineplex Entertainment. CineCoup is once again enabling filmmakers with a new way to accelerate their genre film ideas (Sci-fi, Horror, Action, Thriller, Comedy - or documentaries that focus on related pop-culture tropes like King of Kong, Indie Game: The Movie, Trekkies, etc.) towards development, production and distribution opportunities. Learn more here.
- The updated version of Where To Watch in Canadais more robust with enhanced features making it more user friendly. Where To Watch in Canada makes it easy for audiences to find legitimate online content by directing Canadians to a growing list of legitimate sites and services. You can access the page here.
And last but not least, a reminder to complete ourFilmOntario members survey on Ontario youth employment (under 30). Your participation would be greatly appreciated! You should be able to access it here. Feel free to contact me with any questions!
Sarah Ker-Hornell
CEO & Executive Director
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Weekly Update from Kelly Graham-Scherer, Los Angeles Representative
Happy Friday everyone,
The L.A.-based media is still currently dominated by Oscar-related stories, but a major shakeup at Dreamworks Animation made headlines amid the awards chatter this week. As detailed in the Los Angeles Times below, the studio has announced its largest-ever layoffs, resulting in a charge of $290 million and job losses for 500 people - 25% of its workforce.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-dreamworks-layoffs-box-office-flops-20150120-story.html#page=1
Rumors of the Dreamworks layoffs started several days ago, but predicted significantly fewer job losses (400). The story from the Times below takes an in-depth look at the issues, including several recent box office failures, which resulted in the cuts.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-dreamworks-layoffs-20150122-story.html
This next article is a good reminder about the unmistakable impact of tax credits on production business: the North Carolina-based Star News is reporting that the cancellation of that state's film and TV tax incentives will prompt the Fox series Sleepy Hollow to relocate to Georgia from the state where it has shot for the past two seasons.http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20150117/ARTICLES/150119768?tc=ar
In production powerhouse Louisiana a panel is having difficulty deciding on how that state's tax incentives program can or should be reformed. As reported in the New Orleans Advocate below, the state's film program, which doles out $170 million annually, is one of several programs currently under scrutiny, though there is no consensus on what, if any, changes are necessary.http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/11337950-171/panel-divided-on-how-to
The Hollywood Reporter's much-awaited 2015 "Complete Guide to Pilots" was released this week. While most of the locations remain TBA, Ontario is a serious contender for several on the list below.http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-pilots-2015-complete-guide-764707
There was also big news in the world of film this week as Amazon Studios announced that it will begin to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical release and early window distribution on Amazon Prime Instant Video. As detailed in the Hollywood Reporter below, production is set to begin this year with the goal of bringing customers a dozen original prestige movies each year.http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amazon-produce-acquire-movies-theatrical-764659
And finally this week, a lengthy, syndicated feature out of western New York state sang the praises of Toronto film and television crews. As quoted below,"At a time when New York is trying to capture a larger piece of the Hollywood pie and attract more productions to the state, several top-rated TV shows are currently filming just 90 minutes away from Western New York".