Telefilm Canada has announced that Telefilm Canada invests nearly $3.6M in 16 Talent to Watch projects from 136 submissions.

It’s quite revealing to look at the numbers in detail.

Let’s start with Type.

The Narrative features break down thusly:

Province?

Screenwriter?

Let’s look at Language next.

And let’s finish up with Stream.

In addition, if Gender is assumed from names:

Some observations:

• The number of submissions is down from last year.
• Documentary projects are way down this year.
• Drama remains the most popular narrative genre.
• Almost all of the successful projects are from Ontario and Quebec.
• Only two projects have Screenwriters that are not the Directors.
• Four projects are helmed by one individual filling the director, screenwriter and producer roles, rather than a team of two or more.
• The vast majority of successful projects continue to be Filmmaker Apply-Direct, given that the Festival stream is de facto Filmmaker Apply-Direct.
• One quarter of the successful projects are from Industry Partners.
• After being shut out for two years in a row, Atlantic Canada roars back with three projects.

My take: really nice that Telefilm got this announcement out in September, as last year folks were on tenterhooks for almost another month. This is the fifth year that filmmakers could apply directly and Telefilm has rewarded them well! Therefore, if you can apply direct, bypass your local industry partner, for odds of approximately one in 8 1/2.

Telefilm Canada has selected 17 Talent to Watch projects to share $3.45 million from 150 submissions.

It’s quite revealing to look at the numbers in detail.

Let’s start with Genre.

Province?

Let’s look at Language next.

And let’s finish up with Stream.

In addition, if Gender is assumed from names and excluding Executive Producers:

Some observations:

• The number of submissions rose almost 20% from last year.
• Non-fiction continues to be almost as successful as Fiction.
• Almost all of the successful projects are from Quebec and Ontario.
• Almost one third of the successful projects include world languages in addition to English and/or French.
• The vast majority of successful projects continue to be Filmmaker Apply-Direct.
• Less than 20% of the successful projects are from Industry Partners.
• Women far outnumber men and other expressions of gender.
• No projects are selected from Atlantic Canada.

The cynical might posit that Telefilm’s Talent to Watch program continues to compensate for the broader industry.

My take: this is the third year that filmmakers could apply directly and Telefilm has rewarded them well! Therefore, if you can apply direct, bypass your local industry partner, for odds of approximately one in nine.