News
May 10, 2021
May 10 FilmOntario Update
Join the Honourable Lisa MacLeod for Lunch TodayThe Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries is hosting a lunch-and-learn webinar today at noon on the impact of COVID-19 on the heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries with special guests Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Darryl Bricker, CEO, IPSOS Public Affairs.
For lunch, the Minister is encouraging everyone to show their love for local by ordering take-out from their favourite restaurant and share a photo to social media using the hashtag #Local4Lunch.
You can register for the lunchtime webinar here.
Ontario Creates Deadlines
Ontario Creates is currently accepting applications for the Export Fund – Film and Television, which provides eligible Ontario producers with funding to pursue strategic export development activities that support company growth and produce measurable business development results. Primary activities supported include targeted sales trips and attendance at international market events to support the company’s content creation and exploitation activities. The deadline for applications is May 11 at 5 pm; application material and guidelines can be found here.
Applications are also being accepted for the International Financing Forum, the agency’s feature film co-financing / co-production event at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Selected international and Canadian producers are brought together with international sales agents, US distributors, agents, equity financiers and executive producers for brokered meetings and exclusive networking opportunities. Application material and guidelines can be found here; the deadline for applications is June 10.
And finally, a reminder that the Ontario Creates Film Fund is currently accepting applications on a continuous basis for the Development Stream and the Marketing and Distribution Initiative; the next deadline for the Production Stream is July 7.
Welcome Netflix
On April 27, Netflix announced that its new Canadian office will be located in the City of Toronto. Mayor Tory welcomed this announcement, highlighting a number of successful Netflix productions that have already made the City their home, as well as the location of two Netflix production hubs in Toronto. With this new office, Netflix has committed to working with Canadian talent to create uniquely Canadian stories.
FilmOntario was pleased to work with City of Toronto and Ontario Creates staff on the successful pitch to bring this office to Toronto. Thank you to all the members who contributed letters of support and other material to the bid book. We can’t wait to see the great new content that comes out of this office!
CMF and Telefilm Deadlines
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is distributing $18.9M in remaining 2020-2021 COVID-19 relief funds it received from the Government of Canada over the past year to Canada’s television and digital media production companies. The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds - Spring 2021-2022 Allocation will provide a top-up to up to roughly 2,000 television and digital media production companies. Eligibility criteria can be found here and applications, which will be accepted until May 20, can be found here.
A number of the CMF’s other programs are also now open for applications or will be in the near future. Remember to keep an eye on their list of programs here.
The Telefilm Canada Export Assistance Program will begin accepting applications on May 19, for eligible distribution costs related to the theatrical release of an eligible Canadian project. The program guidelines have been updated to reflect the realities of the ongoing pandemic.
Telefilm is also offering a preferential rate for an online pass to this year’s edition of Sunny side of the Doc, until May 21, and is accepting company submissions to be included in the Canada Virtual Pavilion at the Marché du Film Cannes until May 28.
Welcome New Members – Don Carmody Productions
We are pleased to welcome Don Carmody Productions as FilmOntario members. Don Carmody has produced over 100 projects for film and television, including Chicago, Polytechnique, and Goon and successful franchises such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Don Carmody Television, a partnership with producer David Cormican includes work for CBC, Netflix and Disney.
It is always a pleasure to welcome new members to FilmOntario and strengthen our collective voice. If you know someone who benefits from our work and is not yet a member, please reach out to them to join us in our work on behalf of our industry. And remember, it’s always better to do business with another FilmOntario member!
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.