An informal coalition of independent feature film producers is addressing the Canada Cable and Television Production Fund to ask that two-thirds of the ctcpf envelope for features be earmarked for production companies without distribution affiliation.

Triptych Media, Jonathan Barker and Christina Jennings of Toronto’s Shaftesbury Films, and Susan Cavan of Toronto’s Accent Entertainment are spearheading the lobby to carve support for the indie feature film community into the cftpa’s permanent guidelines, set to kick in at the end of March. Telefilm Canada is administering all $15 million of the feature film cash in the transition period.

In a letter forwarded to Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, ctcpf chairman Phil Lind and Telefilm chairman Robert Dinan, the feature producers outline what they see as a ‘structural problem’ with the proposed guidelines allowing integrated companies with distribution and production arms equal access to the fund.

Those confirmed signing the letter include producer Arnie Gelbart (Galafilm) and Stavros Stavrides (Arto-Pelli), with other producers (including Bruce McDonald and Rhombus Media’s Danny Iron) throwing their support behind it after the fact. Indies including Atom Egoyan, Chris Zimmer and Lynne Stopkewich were approached to support the letter with their signatures, although at press time there was no confirmation they did so.

The current guidelines require a minimum licence fee for feature film eligibility, as well as a ‘recognized’ Canadian distributor in Canada. The producers’ letter addresses the small number of Canadian distributors, most of which have Distribution Fund envelopes from Telefilm and are also in the production business through associated companies. The concerned producers fear that the situation has created ‘several significant and unfair results.’

Special needs

Anna Stratton of Toronto’s Triptych says the independent feature film community has special needs which the letter attempts to address. ‘It’s a united front, which is very important,’ says Stratton. ‘Usually it’s hard to get independent feature filmmakers together because there’s no formal mechanism.’

‘If the funds for features are first come, first served, independent producers are at a disadvantage compared to production/distribution entities which are well bankrolled and have the ability to self-finance,’ says Arto-Pelli’s Stavrides. While he adds that the feature film fund itself is a ‘fantastic addition,’ he admits having concerns about bringing his project to a distributor who is also supporting productions from an entity to which it is related.

‘The only way for me to grow my company in the sense of federal subsidies,’ says Stavrides, ‘would be to get into distribution as well.’

In the letter itself, the producers also express concern that companies whose distribution arms are major suppliers to television licensees can push their own projects to the top of the licensee’s priority list by leveraging price breaks, output arrangements and package deals. They also feel that integrated companies, having more in-house production financing services than indies and charging for their use, are able to subsidize product for their sales arm and have a built-in profit center from distribution and sales commissions.

TV similar

The letter points out that a similar situation exists in television (with indie production vs. broadcaster-affiliated production) and that it was clearly identified by the ctcpf as needing intervention to protect the independent sector.

The producers assert there may be other effective mechanisms to ensure a level playing field between independent feature producers and integrated companies other than a minimum two-thirds envelope, but encourage the policymakers to address the issue as soon as possible.

The initiating producers, who did not release the letter to Playback, would not comment on the specific recommendations, opting instead to wait for an official reply from government, the ctcpf and Telefilm. At press time, the Ministry of Heritage had not confirmed receipt of the letter.