Television and Web-Based Production Fund

Who can apply

1. Support the production of television and web-based projects that have an acceptable market trigger for broadcast or distribution and sufficient third-party financing to complete the project
2. Applicants must be resident Manitoba producers
3. 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
4. Applications must be submitted by an eligible Manitoba resident producer
5. 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
6. A Manitoba business must have its head office and principal place of business located in Manitoba
7. Not-for-profit organizations are not eligible for MFM programs
8. The production team must be able to successfully manage and complete the project for which it is applying for financing. The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate the ability of the production team
9. Co-productions or co-ventures will be considered eligible, but MFM will require evidence that the resident Manitoba producer shares ownership in the project
10. For co-productions or co-ventures, the Manitoba producer must have voting share ownership in the applicant company that is at least proportionate to the level of Manitoba investment including equity, tax credits, producer investments, deferrals, etc. At least 50% of the directors and officers of the single-purpose production entity must be Manitoba residents
11. Be live-action or animation
12. Television: Broadcast licences must be in the form of cash, not services, to be eligible
13. Web-Based: The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate that the market trigger is an industry- recognized web distributor and that the strategy for monetization is viable
14. All pre-sales must be verified and bankable
15. Applicants must demonstrate to the satisfaction of MFM that all necessary insurance is in place, as well as a satisfactory completion arrangement (bond, producer fee holdback, contingency percentage)
16. 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
17. Projects applying for production funding must meet the Manitoba Content Requirements and Manitoba Training Requirements found in the applicable program guidelines
18. 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
19. Manitoba should be the principal film location for all projects, with the exception of documentaries

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
• Talk shows, talk shows “culturels”, award shows, galas, reporting, and current events
• Religious programming, fundraising productions, benefits, tributes
• Pep rallies, travelogues, and interstitials
• Pornography