The Government of Canada Announces its New Feature Film Policy
VANCOUVER, October 5, 2000 -- Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps today announced, during the Vancouver International Film Festival, the new Canadian Feature Film Policy. During the next few months, the Government of Canada will invest an additional $15 million. Beginning in April 2001, this new investment will grow to $50 million per year. The objective of this policy, entitled From Script to Screen, is to increase the quality, diversity and accessibility of Canadian films."Thanks to the stories they tell, which represent our societies in all their diversity, filmmakers help bring Canadians together while providing us with a window on the world," said Minister Copps. "This policy will offer us more homegrown choices in local theatres."
The policy refocuses the public investment in the industry by taking a comprehensive script to screen approach to funding. The approach is based on four orientations: develop and retain talented Canadian creators, encourage the quality and diversity of Canadian feature films, build larger Canadian and international audiences through improved distribution and marketing, and preserve and disseminate our collection of Canadian feature films.
By virtue of this policy, government investment in this industry will be re-centred on a financing approach that covers all aspects of film production, from script to screen. Key to the new policy is the Canada Feature Film Fund, administered by Telefilm Canada. The fund provides assistance for screenwriting, production, marketing and promotion. But more than just new funding, the new policy introduces a new way of disbursing those funds which includes a performance-based approach to supporting the Canadian film industry.
"This investment demonstrates the government's commitment towards an industry that has made - and continues to make - a significant contribution to the cultural life of our country," said Minister Copps.
More detailed information on the Canadian Feature Film Policy is available on the web site of the Department of Canadian Heritage at the following address: http://www.pch.gc.ca.
Information:
Krista Pawley
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
BACKGROUNDER
FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN:
THE NEW CANADIAN FEATURE FILM POLICY
The scenario
Canadian filmmakers have worked for decades to make a lasting and valuable contribution to Canada's cultural life by bringing Canadian stories to the big screen. Their journey toward developing an industry has been one of experimentation, creativity, growth and achievement. Federal and provincial governments have also played a role by fostering partnerships with creators and entrepreneurs, providing support and creating policies and programs aimed at building an industry.
The industry has arrived. Movies such as I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, Jésus de Montréal, Margaret's Museum, The Red Violin, Les Boys and New Waterford Girl stand as testament to the talent of Canadian creators and the strong foundation that has been laid. Despite the successes, Canadian films capture only a small share of total box office receipts. It is now time to refocus efforts from building an industry to building an audience at home and internationally.
The new Canadian Feature Film Policy takes a more integrated approach, from script to screen. It is designed to produce films that are seen and enjoyed by larger audiences both at home and abroad. The approach is intended to encourage more private sector investment, strengthen partnerships across the industry and improve quality, marketing and distribution. For its part, the Government of Canada is doubling its investment in the industry from $50 million to $100 million annually.
The strategy
-- to develop and retain talented creators by investing in screenwriting and professional development for filmmakers;
-- to foster the quality and diversity of Canadian film by restructuring support programs to reward ongoing performance and by encouraging an increase in average production budgets;
-- to build larger audiences at home and abroad through more effective support for marketing and promoting Canadian films;
-- to preserve and disseminate our collection of Canadian films for audiences today and tomorrow;
The investment
Canada Feature Film Fund Ñ administered by Telefilm Canada
-- Screenwriting Assistance Program: A new investment of $2.3 million in Canadian screenwriters will give them the time, money and tools to fully develop their stories for the big screen. The program will help create a pool of experienced screenwriters and a bank of promising Canadian screenplays.
-- Project Development, Production and Marketing Assistance Program: Approximately $85 million has been earmarked for this program to offer Canadians a diverse and accessible range of Canadian choices at local theatres. This represents a $40 million increase in funding. The program gives Canadian producers and distributors a stake in the success of feature film projects through performance-based funding. Financial assistance to distributors will allow them to increase their marketing budgets, while producers will be in a better position to develop their projects more fully and increase average production budgets. A selective-based component will give priority to new players by providing funding to produce and distribute innovative and culturally-relevant Canadian feature films on a qualitative, project-by-project basis.
-- Complementary Activities Program: To help homegrown films reach more audiences at home and abroad, $4.95 million is being set aside for Canadian and foreign film festivals, Canadian film awards ceremonies and alternative distribution networks. This initiative, which injects new funds totalling $1.85 million, will help raise the national and international profile of Canadian films with moviegoers, critics and the media.
Creative and professional development
-- Film production cooperatives: Annual funds totalling $2.9 million will help support early-career filmmakers through film production cooperatives. This additional funding of $1 million will give emerging filmmakers from different regional and cultural communities opportunities to upgrade and refine their skills.
-- Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund: This new initiative will offer filmmakers stable funding of $1.8 million annually through this non-profit private sector organisation. The funding will allow filmmakers to gain experience by working on non-theatrical productions.
-- The new Independent Filmmakers Assistance Program: A special envelope of about $1.8 million annually will support low budget, director-driven feature film projects with budgets of at least $300,000.
Preserving Canada's feature film collection
-- Preservation and dissemination: The new Canadian Feature Film Policy provides a new investment of $750,000 to restore, preserve and disseminate our feature film heritage. Telefilm Canada will require that the cost of a preservation copy of all films be included in production budgets. A program aimed at restoring and preserving copies of existing Canadian feature films, particularly those at risk, will be established. Funding will also go to projects that offer Canadians increased opportunities to access feature films no longer in commercial distribution.
Target goal
To capture 5% of the domestic box office in five years and to increase audiences for Canadian feature films abroad. To meet this goal, the new Canadian Feature Film Policy aims to:
-- improve the quality of Canadian feature films by fostering an increase in average production budgets to at least $5 million; and
-- encourage more comprehensive national and international marketing strategies by promoting an increase in average marketing budgets to at least $500,000.
Action plan
-- A permanent advisory group on feature film issues will be established with a mandate to advise Telefilm Canada on how best to achieve the new policy goals.
-- The Department of Canadian Heritage will strengthen its partnerships with exhibitors, video retailers and Canadian broadcasters, both private and public.
The last word
Film matters. Canada's creators provide a window on the Canadian experience. Feature films allow Canadians to tell their stories in communities from Italy Cross, Nova Scotia to Amos, Quebec to Squamish, BC and Rock River, Yukon and beyond. They also take the work of Canada's creators beyond our borders to audiences around the world. This new policy reaffirms Canada's commitment to Canadian creators by investing in feature films.
This investment is more than just the vote of confidence that it clearly represents. It is a partnership among government, entrepreneurs and creators. The policy will create an environment which will allow filmmakers to reach for new goals and Canadians to journey as far as their imaginations can take them.
* Allocation of funds subject to Treasury Board approval
FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN:
FILM FACTS
Canadian films on the big screen
-- Canadians produce approximately between 30 and 35 Canadian feature films per year.
-- Canadian films earned only 2.1% -- or $13.8 million -- of box office receipts in 1999, the lowest performance among comparable film making countries. Homegrown films in comparable countries earned 37% in Japan, 30% in France and 14% each in Italy and Spain.
Canadians at the movies
-- Canadians have become avid movie watchers -- ticket sales went from 69.2 million paid admissions in 1991-92 to 98 million in 1997-98.
-- Canada's per capita attendance of 3.3 at the movies is among the highest of comparable countries. Attendance is 4.2 in Australia, 2.6 in France, 2.3 in UK, 1.8 in Italy and 1.2 in Japan.
Overview of the Canadian feature film industry
-- The film and television production industry contributes $3.7 billion to Canada's gross domestic product.
-- The film and television production industry accounts for more than 38,000 direct jobs and a total of 61,000 indirect jobs in Canada (CFTPA).
-- There are 2,000 screenwriters, 2,200 directors and 14,000 actors in the Canadian film and television production industry.
-- Average production budgets of Canadian feature films have decreased over the past two decades Ñ from $3 million to $2.7 million for English language films and from $3.1 million to $2.2 million for French language films. Films produced in other comparable countries have increased production budgets over that same period -- by 13% in the UK, 21% in Australia and 42% in France.
-- Nearly two-thirds of Canadian feature films supported by Telefilm in recent years had average marketing budgets of less than $150,000. By comparison, the Hollywood-based studios productions had average print and ad expenditures of $37 million in 1999 (MPAA).
Federal Government involvement
-- 80% of Canadians believe that the federal government should support arts and culture (Ekos 1999).
-- 73% of Canadians believe it is important that Canadian films are shown in theatres (Angus Reid 1998).
-- Film matters. That is why the federal government is nearly doubling its investment in Canada's feature film industry from $51 million to $100 million.
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