News
September 2, 2020
September 2 FilmOntarion Update
Keep Those Insurance Letters Coming!Thank you to all the members who have already written to your MPPs about production insurance. I have heard from many of the MPPs that you have contacted, and we continue to work with the CMPA and other organizations across the country to advocate for a national insurance solution for domestic producers. These conversations are ongoing, and promising, but it is important that we keep the momentum going!
If you haven’t done so already, please get involved by writing to your local (business or personal) MPP. We have created a template for your use here, and you can find information about your riding and contact information for your MPP here. Be sure to note in your letter that you live and/or work in their riding!
Our goal is for the Ontario government to support a federal insurance initiative and, in the interim, create a reserve fund for productions that can be drawn on in lieu of private insurance. For more details on all of the issues we are currently talking to the government about, please see the full submission we made to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs as part of their hearings into the economic impact of COVID-19 and the road to recovery.
Thank you for your ongoing support on this and all other return-to-work related issues. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email me or phone at 416-906-5408.
To demonstrate the economic impact of the delay in finding an insurance solution, we are also keeping a list of productions that have had to postpone or cancel production due to lack of insurance. If you are in this situation, and are willing to have this information shared, please let me know.
Ontario Creates Film Fund – Final Production Deadline This Year
The final 2020-21 funding year deadline for the Ontario Creates Film Fund Production Stream is November 17, 2020 at 5:00 pm.
The Film Fund Production Stream provides support to Ontario producers for drama and documentary feature film projects in the final stages of production financing.
The Fund supports a range of projects across genres with both industrial and cultural benefits. Applicants must be Canadian-owned, Ontario-based companies and the individual producers must have at least one producing credit. Funding levels are dependent on genre and the amount of money being spent in Ontario. The program also provides enhanced support for films with diverse elements.
Full application guidelines and eligibility requirements can be found here.
A reminder that applications for the Development Stream and the Marketing and Development Initiative will be accepted until January 29, 2021
COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds for IDM Companies
Applications are now being accepted for the second phase of emergency funding through the Canada Media Fund (CMF) for interactive digital media companies.
Canadian companies that have not received other emergency relief funds and meet all other eligibility requirements will receive between $5,000 and $100,000, to be determined through a formula-based approach.
Full eligibility and application details can be found here. Applications will be accepted until September 25, 2020.
As a reminder, other phase 2 emergency funding programs, administered by both Telefilm and the CMF, continue to operate. Please check the website of each organization to determine which programs you may be eligible for.
SIRT Centre Fall 2020 Virtual Production Training Courses
SIRT is excited to announce that in Fall 2020 they will be offering online courses in Virtual Production with Unreal Engine, VFX, Animation and Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve. They are working to grow their training through this new series of courses and want to know how they can best serve you in your professional development journey.
They value your feedback and invite you to view their working list and help them identify your training needs by filling out this interest form.
Telefilm and CMF Deadlines
Telefilm and CMF have several upcoming industry deadlines:
September 25 – Deadline for applications for feature films wishing to be considered to represent Canada in the International Film Award category at the 93rd Academy Awards.
September 25 – Deadline to submit your film to Telefilm for consideration for the 2021 Berlin and Sundance Film Festivals. Films that register through Telefilm will have their fees waived.
October 15 – Deadline for the CMF’s Canada-Luxembourg Codevelopment and Coproduction Incentive, which provides development support for drama or animation series, feature-length animation or digital media projects and production support for eligible digital media projects in the areas of virtual or augmented reality, transmedia or enabling technologies.
News to Share?
If there are any updates or announcements you would like to share with your fellow FilmOntario members, please don’t hesitate to let me know at clynch@filmontario.ca and I will include them in the next member update.