Project Development Fund

Who can apply

Applications will only be accepted from production companies. Companies applying must:

1. Be an audiovisual company incorporated in British Columbia or Canada with its head office in

British Columbia. (Note: Companies extra-provincially registered in B.C. are not eligible.)

1. The majority of the common interest voting shares of the company must be held by B.C.

residents2.

1. The principals, directors, officers and shareholders of the applicant company are in good standing

(i.e. not in default) with Creative BC.

1. The applicant company may own 10% or less of the shares of a broadcaster and may have 10%

or less of its shares owned by a broadcaster or by a distributor.

In the case of an inter-provincial co-production:

1. A minimum of 51% of the project must be owned by the B.C. applicant.
2. Should a project be co-owned by two B.C. companies, it will count as 100% ownership and is

eligible. Kindly note that if successful, the application becomes a joint application, and the contract must be addressed to and signed by both B.C. companies.

In the case of an international treaty co-production:

1. The applicant is in active development with an international partner, engaging in a treaty co-

production agreement3.

1. Creative BC will follow the minimum guidelines laid out in the governing international treaty.
2. The B.C. applicants’ creative and financial control must be commensurate with their copyright or

ownership of the project.

2B.C. residency is defined as either a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident who has resided in B.C. for at least 200 of the 365 days prior to application and have filed income tax returns in B.C. for the taxation year prior to the application.

3 Projects that have co-production agreements in place with a partner who has an agreement with an international equivalent to Telefilm Canada may be eligible for Project Development funding and will be assessed on a case- by-case basis.

Previously funded applicants must have submitted all required final deliverables for any open files (as applicable to the project delivery date) to be considered.

Eligible projects must have attached to them a “Triggering Agent” that is arm’s length from the applicant company and cannot be a related or associated company.

In the event that a project is intended for coproduction, it must be associated with an independent "Triggering Agent," which is not related to or affiliated with the applicant company or co-producing partner.

Eligible projects may include British Columbia owned and/or controlled:

1. Scripted feature length films – including (but not limited to) live action or animation (minimum 75

minutes in length).

1. Documentary one-offs (minimum 25 minutes in length).
2. Documentary or factual series (minimum 25 minutes per episode).
3. Scripted television series, pilots, and mini-series (dramatic, comedy, or animation).
4. “Movies of the Week” (MOWs).
5. Web series.
6. Short films.

Eligible projects must:

1. Be 100% owned and controlled / optioned (or intended to be optioned should the application be

successful), by the applicant for a minimum of 12 months.

1. Exceptions regarding copyright may be granted for inter-provincial or international treaty co-

productions. In these cases, the B.C. applicant must retain the copyright interest as per the terms of the applicable treaty for international treaty co-productions and demonstrate that the copyright ownership is equal to the B.C. applicant’s financial, technical and creative contribution and control as specified in the co-production agreement entered into between the parties.

1. The applicant must obtain the prior written consent of Creative BC if they plan to sell, assign,

transfer, option or otherwise dispose of or encumber any right, interest or property of the applicant in the project, in any materials created during the development of the project or in the underlying rights agreements.

1. If the eligible project is produced, the production must be produced in British Columbia by the

applicant unless the applicant has entered an interprovincial co-production, co-venture or international treaty co-production as specified under Applicant Eligibility.

Triggering Agents Eligible applicants may apply to Creative BC for a non-recoupable development advance of up to 50% of the committed cash advance intended for the development of the eligible project from one or more of the following Triggering Agents:

Distribution entity or public/private broadcaster:

1. An arm’s length bona fide distribution entity (Canadian and international distributors)4.
2. A licensed public or private broadcaster (Canadian and international broadcasters) 5.
3. National Film Board of Canada (NFB co-productions only; 100% owned and controlled

NFB productions are not eligible).

1. TELUS Originals (development costs only).
2. TELUS independent (development costs only).

Over the top (OTT) subscription-based services:

1. Netflix, Crave, Amazon, Hulu, Vimeo On-Demand originals, etc.6;

Select funding agencies:

1. Independent Production Fund (IPF) Web Series Development Packaging Program;
2. Bell Fund Slate Development;
3. Telefilm Canada Feature Film Fund (CFFF) Development Program7;
4. Canada Media Fund (CMF) Indigenous Development and Predevelopment; and
5. Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) Development Program.

Advances by the Triggering Agent must be relevant to the current phase of development.

Private companies or private investment do not qualify as an eligible triggering agent.