Village Gamer

I also tweeted from the Banff World Media Festival session yesterday where the Canada Media Fund (CMF) announced the official launch of a new website dedicated to information on crowdfunding. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are all of the details about the new Eye On Canada national promotional brand that I was tweeting about yesterday from the Banff World Media Festival. Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund (CMF), Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada and Michael Hennessy, President and CEO of the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) presented an update of this National Promotion Strategy and the new brand to promote Canadian audiovisual content. Read the rest of this entry »

Temple Street Media Ventures (the newly created division of Temple Street Productions) today announces the establishment of an original digital content studio, Boat Rocker Studios.  Working with YouTube, Boat Rocker Studios will foster a campus-like environment for online creators to collaborate, gain expertise, receive business support and produce content that speaks to the new generation of viewers. Read the rest of this entry »

Premier digital content strategists and creators Daniel Dales and Jarrett Sherman are announcing the launch of Digital Howard, an interactive entertainment company focused on creating and producing extraordinary 360 degree entertainment experiences for audiences on all platforms.  Digital Howard specializes in expanding conventional intellectual property onto digital platforms, working with IP owners at any point along the curve, from the initial stages of development through production and exploitation. Dales and Sherman founded Smokebomb in 2008 and were quickly acquired by television prodco Shaftesbury to become their in-house digital studio. Having left Smokebomb in the summer of 2012, the Executive Producers bring an impressive list of awards and accomplishments to the table in their latest venture. Read the rest of this entry »

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) announced today a contribution of more than $7.8M to 19 eligible projects that applied either to the Francophone Minority Program or the Anglophone Minority Incentive.  As the CMF enters its fourth year, it continues to support diversity of voices from a regional, language and point of view perspective by offering financial support to official-language minorities across the country.  Read the rest of this entry »

DHX Media Ltd. has signed a number of licensing deals for its popular kids’ and entertainment properties Johnny Test and Caillou. Johnny Test has been licensed in a multiyear worldwide deal with Percy3D for their line of digital party products, and toy licensee Imports Dragon has renewed their license with DHX Media for Johnny Test. Caillou has been licensed by PlayWorld Mobile which will be producing a global mobile app. An agreement has also been signed by Les Chocolats Vadeboncoeur, who will be making chocolates inspired by the show in a multiyear deal. Read the rest of this entry »

Shirley Douglas, Officer of the Order of Canada, and a long-time protector of child actors in the entertainment industry, will be on hand at the Ontario Legislature today with child actors, parents and other supporters of Bill 71 – Protecting Child Performers Act. ACTRA Toronto and Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, representing screen and stage actors, jointly support the bill. The private members bill will be presented at second reading today in the Ontario Legislature by Paul Miller, MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. Read the rest of this entry »

The Canada Media Fund has released a new study (PDF) on the Aboriginal screen-based production sector paints a portrait of a dynamic and vibrant industry sector. Producers in the sector typically employ Aboriginal Peoples, combine the roles of producer, writer and director and create original productions in Aboriginal languages. The report prepared by Maria De Rosa, President of Communications MDR, and her Associate, Marilyn Burgess, examined the state of Aboriginal television, interactive and feature film production in Canada and measured production activity over the five-year period 2007-2008 to 2011-2012. In that period, the sector created over 3,300 full-time jobs, generating almost $173 million in production activity. Read the rest of this entry »

Vancouver-based Force Four Entertainment is launching a huge cross-Canada casting call for big personalities and larger-than-life characters for a new series in development with a major Canadian broadcaster. Force Four is looking for people who could be TV’s next biggest star – fill out an application form to apply. All applicants should also submit a photo of themselves or of their group, and a short 1-minute video to introduce their quirky life and demonstrate why they deserve their own TV show. Read the rest of this entry »

Public Mobile has announced its acquisition by Thomvest Seed Capital Inc., the Toronto-based investment vehicle of Peter J. Thomson, and Cartesian Capital, a New York-based private equity firm. With the acquisition, Thomvest and Cartesian invested the first tranche of a commitment to fully fund Public Mobile to a cash flow positive position, and Thomvest became the company’s controlling shareholder. Read the rest of this entry »