Canada-Australia coproductions receive over $700,000 in funding

Toronto / Sydney, March 23, 2016 – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and the Australian Government through Screen Australia announced today a financing incentive of over CAD $700,000 for three interactive digital media coproductions. The Canada-Australia Interactive Digital Media Incentive supports projects that go beyond traditional screens, with content available across different media platforms.

The program is designed to encourage creative producers from each country to collaborate on experimental digital productions by facilitating the creation of innovative narrative pieces. By funding projects that use new technologies to tell culturally relevant stories, both countries demonstrate their continued support for original storytelling in the digital age.

 “This incentive gives producers in both countries the opportunity to push the geographic and creative boundaries of interactive storytelling,” says Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the CMF. “Canada and Australia have a long-standing history of film and television coproduction. Given the linguistic, historical and cultural ties between our two countries, it was only fitting that we extend our partnership to include an incentive for digital media coproduction that supports innovation and creativity in both countries,” she added. 

"We're thrilled to be working with the Canada Media Fund to enable new collaborations between our countries. The selected projects look highly innovative in form and content, and are a great blend of Aussie and Canadian talent and ideas that we believe will result in something unique. We're confident these teams will overcome all the hurdles of co-production and provide inspiration for others to do more," stated Screen Australia CEO, Graeme Mason. 

The following projects will receive funding as part of this incentive.

Project Production companies CMF Funding 
CAD $)
Screen Australia Funding
(Approx.
CAD $)
Total CMF & Australian
Funding
(Approx.
CAD $)
The Westbury Faery Canada: Log Cabin Productions
Australia: Plot Media Pty Ltd.
$77,039 $165,580 $242,619
Teenage Jesus – Metal Messiah Canada: The Goggle Media Group inc.
Australia: Closer Productions Pty Ltd.
$72,200 $128,323 $200,523
Inanimate Alice; Perpetual Nomads Canada: Ian James Harper
Australia: Mez Breeze Design
$199,987 $69,767 $269,754
TOTALS   $349,226 $363,670 $712,896

Projects were evaluated and chosen by a selection committee composed of representatives from both funding organisations. Projects were required to be a collaboration involving at least one eligible Canadian producer and at least one eligible Australian producer. Both organisations contributed an equal share in the total funding of the incentive.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite and IPTV distributors. Please visit cmf-fmc.ca.

About Screen Australia
The Australian Government invests in the local film, television and multi-platform (digital) industry through the agency Screen Australia. Support is provided by direct investment in the development and production stages of selected works that have significant Australian content and talent, in addition to support of marketing, festival attendance and career development. Screen Australia also conducts industry research and manages The Producer Offset tax incentive which encourages the production of local works. For more information see screenaustralia.gov.auaustraliaonscreen.com (festival), thescreenblog.com (editorial).

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André Ferreira
Communications Manager
Canada Media Fund
416-554-2768
[email protected]

Tamara Zimet
Publicist
Screen Australia
+61 403 937 074
[email protected]