CineVic is new Telefilm Micro-Budget Production Partner

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The big news around Victoria, BC, is that CineVic is now a recommending partner for Telefilm Canada’s 2013 Micro-Budget Production Program.

The co-op joins 27 others across Canada that will write one letter of recommendation for a local micro-budget first feature that will then compete for a share of $1,000,000.

“This program targets emerging Canadian talent, supporting them in the production and promotion of their first feature-length film, with an emphasis on the use of digital platforms for marketing, distribution and audience engagement. Telefilm will support between eight to ten projects through the main component, and up to three projects in the Aboriginal component.  Support will be through a non-repayable financial contribution of up to $120,000 per project.”

Projects may be narrative, documentary or animation, with budgets of up to $250K.

Producers must not have previously produced and/or directed a feature film.

Producers of recommended projects must apply to Telefilm between January 6 and February 3, 2014. The films must be finished within a year.

Recommending partners will determine their own selection criteria and deadlines.

New this year: Telefilm is not requiring a script, only asking for a synopsis. (But of course, you better have a script or how else can you thoroughly break it down to make an accurate budget?)

My take: this is your golden opportunity! You’ve got a project and a team ready to go, so contact your local film school or co-op today!

Emerging Producers: Apply for Rotterdam Lab 2014

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Telefilm is inviting emerging feature film producers to apply to CineMart‘s Rotterdam Lab 2014.

“The aim of the Rotterdam Lab, a 5-day training workshop, is to give starting producers the opportunity to develop international market experience and knowledge through privileged access to CineMart participants (sales agents, producers, distributors, television buyers, private investors and national funds).”

Telefilm will choose three producers. The trio will receive accreditation to CineMart and the 43rd International Film Festival Rotterdam and five nights accommodation but must arrange their own travel and food.

The deadline is October 25, 2013. Apply through Telefilm.

My take: if you have a feature in development that could be an international co-production, you should check this out.

Bell Media creates bravoFACTUAL

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Bell Media has created bravoFACTUAL, becoming a major source of funding for short documentaries in Canada.

The semi-annual competition promises up to $50,000 for 15-minute “micro-docs,” which must be completed within six months.

“Budgets must reflect  the story’s complexity, specific production elements, any special production techniques, required archival footage and/or, music rights, E&O insurance and any other requirements which result from the creative materials.”

New filmmakers, take note:

“…preference will be given to emerging filmmakers with limited experience who are trying to enhance their skills and credentials”

The first deadline is Thursday, October 31, 2013.

My take: kudos to bravoFACT for stepping up to the plate and funding short docs in Canada. When the Harper Government spiked the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund, they created a funding void. Now this program promises to replace the CIFVF.

The Canada Media Fund wants to chat with you

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The Canada Media Fund recently came to Victoria and met with a dozen people in a hotel meeting room.

The CMF picked our brains on how they’re doing and how their future direction might change.

The discussion was wide-ranging but got most traction on ‘Triggering Events’.

It was great to chat with Valerie Creighton before the presentation.

See a PDF of the deck.

See the remaining schedule.

My take: Definitely worth going to and speaking your piece. We’re talking about how to disseminate a quarter of a billion dollars of cable TV subscription money and tax dollars annually. Show up early for great access.

Enter Pitch 360 at Merging Media 2013

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You have until 5 p.m. on Monday, September 30, to enter Pitch 360 at this year’s Merging Media fourth annual conference in Vancouver.

Twelve contestants will then compete on Thursday, November 7, at the Creative BC Pitch Parlour by pitching their concepts for cross-media or transmedia projects in development. They are looking for:

“…a cross‐media property that ‘crosses­-over’ into at least one other medium e.g. a multi-platform story that extends onto more than one platform, a television series with mobile App, a webseries with a mobile game element, an e-book with an Alternate Reality Game etc.”

Up for grabs is $10,000. If you live on the right side of the tracks, you might also qualify for an additional $5,000 from Telus.

Note: you need to be based in Western Canada and there is a $75 fee if you’re chosen to pitch.

My take: of course, if you’re developing a cross-media or transmedia project, you must enter!

 

Dolby dies

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Ray Dolby, the man whose name was synonymous with noise reduction, has died.

Dolby died last Thursday in San Francisco of leukaemia. He was 80. In recent years he had also been battling Alzheimer’s disease.

I have fond memories of making backup copies of my record albums onto cassette tapes, and using the Dolby button to minimize hiss.

Dolby had many patents and became a billionaire when his company went public in 2005, forty years after its founding in 1965.

Thomas Dolby, the English new wave musician, best known for his hit ‘She Blinded Me with Science’, was not a relation but changed his last name to his nickname, one he got for his audiophile tendencies.

My take: rest in peace, Ray. In the analogue days, Dolby NR was a glimpse of better sound to come. In our digital age, tape hiss is a historical footnote, thank goodness.

Digital conversion threatens indie theatres

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On the heels of my shares on exhibition formats and DIY DCP, comes a Rolling Stone article discussing the collateral damage of digital conversion.

“The National Association of Theater Owners, the trade organization that represents exhibitors, has estimated that as many as 10,000 screens – one in every five screens in North America – could go dark because they can’t afford to convert. Among those venues most in danger are independent theaters.”

Gary Susman hints that this might actually be a Hollywood plot to lessen competition.

“Hollywood studios don’t much care about the possible demise of the independent theater. (It’s not showing their movies anyway.) Besides, the potential loss of thousands of screens will only hasten the day when Hollywood doesn’t have to deal with those pesky exhibitors anymore and can go directly toward home distribution on disc or video-on-demand, where most of a film’s money is made.”

My take: if progress is gradual and change is sudden, the demise of ‘film’ exhibition is change that we may not be able to fight. If you’ve ever had to lug two heavy ‘cans’ of 35mm film up to the projection booth at the very back of the balcony, you may not care. But I’m not in favour of this if it means a restricted number of movies.

Help shape Canadian policy on $360M of TV and New Media funding

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The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is about to launch a cross-country consultation tour.

“The CMF is a not-for-profit corporation that delivers $360.7 million in funding annually to support the Canadian television and digital media industries….”

Consultation Tour 2013 will help shape policy for the next two years and will spend time in 18 cities, towns and hamlets from coast to coast to coast from mid-September through mid-November.

Sign up here.

My take: $360M is a lot of money! Why not get yourself invited to the table?

Saul Bass: posters and title sequences

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Saul Bass is one name I remember noticing when I first got into films.

Probably because he did cool titles and his name was usually right in those titles.

Check out the first 10 and a half minutes in this documentary to see some of Saul Bass’s famous title sequences.

Saul Bass was also a graphic designer and made some very iconic posters.

He was also an Academy-awarded filmmaker. See his 1968 winning short film.

My take: when it comes to opening and closing credits, Saul Bass was a trailblazer. Have you seen any great title sequences lately?

Does your film have a clean Chain of Title?

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If you’re selling your movies already, stop reading.

If you want to make money from your films, see below.

The film business is ultimately a business. Stop thinking only about actors and directors and start thinking about accountants and producers as well. Actors and directors need good scripts, whereas accountants and producers need good products.

Yes, your sellable film is a product.

Not only does it need to be a damn fine film, it must have a “clean chain of title.” Title simply means ownership. The chain are all the creative people who’ve helped you along the way. You document their agreement and the terms of their involvement in contracts.

And there are a lot of contracts:

  • Writer Option Agreement
  • Crew Agreement
  • Actor Agreement
  • Location Release
  • Composer Agreement
  • Etc., etc., etc.

You need these agreements to get Errors and Omissions insurance.

Why do you need E&O insurance?

Distributors and television outlets want to know that they’re not going to get sued when they show your film.

Want to know more? Want free resources about Chain of Title? See Jordan Clark’s Chain of Title campaign on Indiegogo.

My take: kudos to Jordan for getting this rolling. Keeping your chain of title clean is just plain smart.