The Canada Media Fund (CMF) announced that 47 projects would receive a total of over $13M in development and production funding through four of its programs.
COMMERCIAL PROJECTS PROGRAM
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.
CMF will invest $8.2M in the production of nine digital media projects, including seven games and two software applications. Two projects are from Ontario, six are from Quebec and one from Alberta. Including this round of funding, CMF has invested since 2017-2018 more than $23M in the production of 36 projects through the Commercial Projects Program.
WEB SERIES PROGRAM
Funding through this program is designed to support original, linear series, created initially for the web, in their second or subsequent season. A total of 18 projects will receive nearly $4M in production support. One of the projects is both official languages, while 10 are in French and seven in English. Audiences will have access to 11 Drama series, five Children’s and Youth projects and two Documentaries. Two of the projects are from Alberta, one from BC, 10 from Quebec and five from Ontario.
WILDBRAIN-CMF KIDS & FAMILY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The WildBrain-CMF Kids & Family Development Program is designed to help fund Development activities for Television projects in the CMF-supported genres of Children’s and Youth and Drama. This is the first round of funding for this program.
An investment of $464K will support the development of 10 projects through this program, including nine children’s and youth programs and one drama series. Four of the projects are from Quebec, five from Ontario and one from Nova Scotia.
CORUS-CMF "PAGE TO PITCH" PROGRAM
This program is devoted to funding creative and business activities during the development of television projects with a financial commitment from an eligible Canadian Broadcaster in a CMF-supported genre. CMF will invest $433K in the development of 10 projects, seven of which will be in French and three in English.
Of the 10 projects in development, six are Drama Series, three are Children’s and Youth projects and one is a Documentary. One of the projects is being developed in BC, seven in Quebec, one in Ontario and one in New Brunswick.