Kevin DeWalt, ceo of Regina’s Minds Eye Pictures, moonlights as chairman of the cftpa distribution committee. The committee was formed two years ago to represent the interests of Canadian television distributors who, DeWalt says, were barely being heard over groups representing feature film distributors.

‘We deal with policy with regard to distribution for television,’ says DeWalt, the committee’s founding chairperson. ‘We obviously react to any kind of distribution issue regarding federal or provincial governments, so the distribution committee is primarily a policy committee to react to policy suggestions or changes.

‘It gives us a chance to hear what all of the regions are dealing with in terms of distribution issues and trying to get some consistency in terms of distribution expenses.’

Establishing a national policy on just what qualifies as a distribution expense is among the committee’s top priorities.

‘In most companies there are rules in regard to what you can spend as a distribution expense, and sometimes it is dealt with differently in each region,’ explains DeWalt.

‘This committee provides a chance to come up with some national policy on the various issues we deal with and to hear what all the parts of the country are dealing with in television distribution and have a singular voice for that side of the business.’

DeWalt says another focus of the committee is recoupment issues.

‘The various funding agencies and organizations have various policies on recoupment and where a distribution advance recoups from,’ he says. ‘We are trying to come up with a consistent and coherent national policy to make sure everybody across the country is being treated the same.’