Television and Web-Based Development Fund

Who can apply

1. Applicants must be resident Manitoba producers
2. A resident Manitoba producer is defined as a producer who operates a production company in Manitoba that is majority owned and controlled by Manitoba residents or Manitoba businesses whose primary objective is either the production or the distribution of audio-visual projects
3. Applications must be submitted by an eligible Manitoba resident producer
4. A resident is defined as an individual who is legally entitled to be, work and remain in Canada, is currently a resident of Manitoba and has been for not less than 365 days prior to the date of application to MFM
5. A Manitoba business must have its head office and principal place of business located in Manitoba and includes a sole proprietorship, or a partnership operated by Manitoba residents as defined above, or a company, corporation or co-operative which is incorporated or registered pursuant to the laws of Manitoba where:  A majority of the shares are owned, both equitably and beneficially, by persons who have been Manitoba residents for at least one year, and  A majority of the directors have been Manitoba residents for at least one year
6. Not-for-profit organizations are not eligible for MFM programs
7. Have a minimum of two years of production experience as a producer and have previously produced at least one project (minimum 30 minutes in broadcast length), which has been either screened by a major network/streamer (such as CBC/Gem, Bell/Crave, APTN/Lumi, etc.) or distributed by a recognized distributor (such as Elevation Pictures, Mongrel Media, Lionsgate, etc.)
8. Producers who do not meet this requirement, but who are judged to have equivalent experience (including experience in interactive digital media) may be deemed eligible at MFM’s sole discretion
9. Have proof of ownership in the underlying property and the necessary, corresponding current rights or options to develop, produce, and exploit the production throughout the world (may be shared in the case of co-development)
10. Be a series, mini-series (a minimum of two thematically connected episodes), pilot, MOW, or one-off
11. Be a scripted and fictional drama or comedy, documentary, variety, or children’s production
12. Be live-action or animation
13. Television: Have secured a minimum of 20% of the development budget by development-targeted financing from an industry-recognized arms-length broadcaster or distributor, or a combination thereof
14. Web-Based: Have secured one of the following two “triggers”: Development or broadcast contract with a web broadcaster/streamer with an industry-recognized track record; Development or distribution contract with a web-content specialist distribution company with an industry-recognized track record
15. Web-Based: The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate that the market trigger is an industry- recognized web broadcaster or web distributor and that the strategy for monetization is viable
16. The market trigger’s development participation must be in the form of cash, not services, to be eligible
17. Co-productions or co-ventures will be considered eligible, but MFM will require evidence that the resident Manitoba producer shares ownership in the project
18. The resident Manitoba producer must have voting share ownership in the single- purpose applicant company that is at least proportionate to the level of Manitoba investment in the project
19. At least 50% of the directors and officers of the single-purpose production entity must be Manitoba residents
20. There must always be at least one Manitoba resident as a required signatory for the applicant company
21. The production’s bank account (under the Manitoban single-purpose applicant company in the case of co-productions or co-ventures) must be based in Manitoba; the bank’s address on the cheques for the account must be a Manitoban address
22. The signature of at least one Manitoba resident must always be required for cheque signing authority
23. The production team must be able to successfully manage and complete the project for which it is applying for financing
24. The project must be in the compliance with the laws, regulations, standards, and policies applicable to broadcasting and to intellectual property, and the project must not infringe upon any public or private rights and must not otherwise contravene the Canadian civil and criminal laws in effect

Who can't apply

• Sponsored productions, sports, news, game shows, current affairs
• Public affairs, lifestyle productions, “how-to” productions, reality television
• Instructional television, infomercials, music videos, formal or curriculum-based educational programming
• Talk shows, talk shows “culturels,” award shows, galas, reporting, and current events
• Religious programming, fundraising productions, benefits, tributes, promotional productions
• Pep rallies, travelogues, and interstitials
• Pornography