Village Gamer

Five major Canadian digital media funding organizations have joined efforts to facilitate international digital media co-productions through the creation of a shared and simple framework (PDF 125KB) that sets the basis for co-producing digital media projects with Canada and to access their respective funding programs. The new framework was developed by the Canada Media Fund, the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, the Independent Production Fund, the Quebecor Fund, and the Shaw Rocket Fund. It provides a unified administrative approach to ease negotiations between Canadian producers and their foreign partners.

The framework is the result of consultations with the industry that have shown that Canadian producers are facing many challenges in structuring digital media co-productions with international partners. Participating funders recognize that there is a need to facilitate international co-productions in digital media between Canada and other countries in order to access new opportunities and partnerships. Furthermore, existing audiovisual co-production treaties do not address digital media production.

The framework provides guidance on basic requirements to access funding from one or more of the five funding partners involved. Canadian producers who wish to access funding support from one or more of the funders when planning their digital media co-productions will need to abide by the principles established in the framework and to the specific criteria of the fund(s) they wish to apply for. However, producers will not have to apply to obtain a certification of their co-production. Eligibility under the framework will be assessed simultaneously by the fund(s) to which the producer will submit a funding application.

The framework is being implemented on a trial basis and applies specifically to digital media co-production. It does not apply to film or television co-productions which are subject to existing audiovisual co-productions treaties. Participating funding organizations will monitor results and will continue working together to seek out other avenues to better support the international growth of Canadian digital media producers.