Montreal: Telefilm Canada has published a draft version of a new pilot funding program for multimedia development, production and marketing.

Funding is in the form of loans for the production of original, fully interactive entertainment products published in optical disc (cd-rom, cd-i or other formats) or distributed through online services. The fund’s first-year allocation is $1 million.

Louis Laverdiere, Quebec operations director, says additional multimedia funding is also available through the agency’s Loan Guarantee Program.

Entertainment projects distributed to the general public and more focused cultural products with significant live-action or animated video images will qualify based on other factors such as a product’s interactivity, financing package and marketing strategy. In general, corporate and industrial as well as video arcade games will not be eligible.

Financing is in the form of interest-free, unsecured loans. Capped at the lesser of 50% of the budget or $50,000 for development, the cap rises to $150,000 for the production phase and $75,000 for marketing.

The entire advance must be repaid when rights are assigned to a third party, a draft condition for production financing.

Depending on distribution criteria, Laverdiere says some of the loans may be converted to grant assistance.

Marcel Choquette, director multimedia and new technologies, is program manager. The program will be in operation by mid- to late August.