2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT

True North Calling is a six-part documentary series that follows the lives of several compelling, resourceful Canadians living across the North.

Export Programs

In the context of the Government of Canada’s Creative Canada Policy Framework and its vision for Canadian content in the global marketplace, the CMF launched two export pilot programs. Based on results observed in other CMF programs, ongoing stakeholder feedback, as well as an extensive benchmarking analysis of existing export initiatives in the audiovisual sector, these pilot programs were developed to promote content creation for international markets, increase the volume of content exports, create a leverage effect to help finance additional content, and increase both the reach and the revenue earned by Canadian productions.

These programs complement the CMF’s comprehensive international strategy, which include the launch and renewal of numerous international incentives with funding counterparts in various other jurisdictions around the world, active participation at key international industry events, as well as the research and publication of industry and intelligence on key international markets through CMF Trends.

Export Programs

    CMF $K Number of projects
Export Pilot Program English 2,073 38
  French 527 11
Total Export Pilot Program   2,600 49
CMF-Quebecor Fund Export Assistance Program Pilot Partnership French 500 5
Total Export Programs   3,100 54

One Export program was administered fully by CMF and the other was a partnership with the Quebecor Fund. Of the total funding from the Programs, 66.9% went to English-language projects and 33.1% of funding went to French-language projects.

The Export Pilot Program funded pitches, sales, and promotional activities for television projects intended for international markets during the development stage. Demand was high for the program and the budget was fully utilized, with 49 projects funded. The average funding per project was $53K. Funded projects were of all four genres, with half (50.4%) going to Drama. Results by genre cannot be provided as one genre had only one project funded. Projects came from across the country.

The CMF-Quebecor Fund Export Assistance Program Pilot Partnership was an innovative initiative to jointly fund export initiatives of audiovisual content intended for foreign markets by Quebec-based producers. Projects were initially evaluated and recommended by the Quebecor Fund. CMF made the final decision to commit an additional amount of support from the CMF. Five companies each received $100K in assistance with the development of initial phases of projects leading to international export pre-sales. 

Based on these results, both pilot programs were renewed in 2018-2019.

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