Amount:
No Fixed Amount
Type of Program:
Grant / Loan / Equity investment
Description:
This program supports Canadian production companies looking to finance feature-length documentary projects in production and post-production.
Comments on Funding:
Financing offered by Telefilm to successful applications will be as follows, subject to the availability of funds:
- 1For the Production Stage - For projects whose Canadian budget is less than $500,000: the lesser of 49% of eligible Canadian production costs or $175,000;
- 2For the Production Stage – For projects whose Canadian budget is $500,000 or greater: the lesser of 35% of eligible Canadian production costs or $500,000.
- 3For the Post-production Stage: the lesser of 49% of the eligible Canadian costs or to $75,000 (a maximum financial participation of).
Telefilm’s financial support will vary based on the total budget of the project and depending on the choice of the applicant as follows:
- 1choice between a non-repayable contribution or an equity investment repayable at a rate of 10% of the Applicant’s entitlement to the production revenues, for a period of two years for projects having a total budget of less than $2.5 million;
- 2choice between a repayable advance or a repayable equity investment for projects having a total budget of $2.5 million or more.
If Telefilm’s financial participation is in the form of an equity investment, Telefilm will acquire a proportionate share of the copyright in the project. The applicant’s choice as to the form of Telefilm’s financing may affect the amount of federal or provincial tax credits that the applicant is eligible to receive in connection with the production or post-production of the project.
Consequently, the applicant must determine, in consultation with its professional tax advisors, which form of Telefilm financing is optimal for the project. Note that the choice of method of financing for Telefilm’s funding must be clearly indicated at the time of contracting.
When It Ends:
Intake opens February 7, 2022 for the Indigenous Stream
Intake opens March 21, 2022 for other projects
Deadline:
February 21, 2022 for the Indigenous Stream
April 4, 2022 for other projects
Eligibility:
Applicant must:
Additional eligibility criteria for the Indigenous Stream:
Applications Steps:
All applicants must apply online using Dialogue and including all required documents, as listed on Telefilm’s website.
All documentation required to be submitted after the application is submitted must also be submitted on-line through Dialogue.
Please note that applications for audiovisual treaty coproductions recommendations must be done separately at the earliest of: 40% of the financing confirmed (exclusive of tax credits) or after an offer of financing from Telefilm has been received and, in all cases, no later than 30 days before the start of principal photography.
Applicants for the Indigenous Stream must contact Telefilm prior to submitting their application through Dialogue.
Documentation Needed:
Applicants must complete the online application form and upload the documents below:
- 1Incorporation Certificate, if modified since company’s last application to Telefilm;
- 2Most Recent Treatment or Script;
- 3Creative Production Plan;
- 4Summary of Changes to Script and Creative Production Plan for production applications submitted more than once;
- 5Rough Cut (or equivalent before Picture Lock) - for all post-production applications;
- 6Creative Completion Plan - for all post-production applications.
- 7Director’s Vision and Intentions;
- 8Previous Work of Director(s);
- 9Track Record Summary for all Producers, Directors and Screenwriters;
- 10Promotion and Marketing Plan;
- 11Firm Commitment from a Canadian Distributor;
- 12Broadcast Licence Commitment(s) and/or Online Distribution Agreements for applications with a broadcaster or online distributor attached;
- 13Coproduction and/or Joint Venture Agreement(s) as applicable;
- 14Declaration Form - Designation of Main Applicant and Performance Ratio Sharing for all applications where there is more than one Canadian applicant;
- 15Details of All Confirmed and Projected Financing;
- 16Production Budget;
- 17Declaration of Costs Incurred and Paid to Date;
- 18Description of Chain of Title;
- 19Declaration Regarding Projects Submitted to the Indigenous Stream - for Indigenous Stream applications only;
- 20Community Engagement Plan;
- 21Sustainability Plan – optional;
- 22Request for Additional Funding for Remote Location Shooting - for applications submitted to the Indigenous stream where there is a request for additional funding for remote location shooting.
- 23Request for Additional Funding for Capacity Building - for applications submitted to the Indigenous stream where there is a request for additional funding for capacity building.
Guidelines updated on December 15, 2021.
