Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation reporting to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.  Telefilm has its headquarters in Montréal and provides services to the Canadian audiovisual industry through regional offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax.

Telefilm offers assistence to various players in the audio/visual entertainment industry under three broad categories The Canada Feature Film Fund ; the Canada Media Fund; and the Business Development Program.

Under the first heading can be found programs for: Feature Film Development, Production and Marketing; Slate Development ; Theatrical Documentaries; Writers; Low Budget Independent Feature Films;  Versioning;  International Marketing; and Alternative Distribution Networks.

Under the Business Development Program, Telefilm supports: Business Development Programs; Official Languages Activities; Festivals Performance Program; Producers’ Package; Feature Comedy; Multiplatform, Multi-success Programming; Aboriginal Stories; Bursaries for the TVA-HEC Montréal Program; the Directory of Potential Jurors; and Mini-treaties.

Telefilm administers the Canada Media Fund (CMF), which has been set up in partnership between Canada’s cable and satellite distributors and the Government of Canada. The mandate of the CMF is to champion the creation of successful, innovative Canadian content and software applications for current and emerging digital platforms. The CMF has two funding initiatives: Convergent and Experimental.

The Convergent Stream supports multi-platform Canadian projects which must provide content on at least two distribution platforms, one of which is television. The Convergent Stream is made up of various programs and incentives that target key activities and audiences.

The Experimental Stream encourages the creation of leading-edge, interactive, digital media content and software applications. Projects funded under the Experimental Program are to be developed for commercial potential by the Canadian media industry or public use by Canadians.

Eligible projects include experimental, non-linear, interactive content and software applications created exclusively for the internet, wireless, mobile, and emerging platforms or devices. Projects must demonstrate leading-edge characteristics. A television component is not required.

Telefilm is also the “competent authority” in Canada for the administration and approval of official international co-productions governed by international treaties with over 50 countries.  Film and television productions deemed an “official co-production” receive all of the benefits of a wholly Canadian production, including access to Canadian and Provincial tax credits and recognition by Canadian distributors and broadcasters as Canadian.

For more information on Telefilm’s services, see www.telefilm.gc; for assistance in navigating the myriad hoops and hurdles to successfully access Telefilm assistance, call me at 416 466-1487 or send me an email at: mkrys@filmlegals.com.