Financial commitments ranging from $165,000 to $1 million have been pledged to 18 new interactive digital media projects as part of the Canada Media Fund’s (CMF) Experimental Stream $10.7 million production support.

Quebec’s Mighty Cast received the only seven-figure amount distributed by the CMF, for its bilingual Mighty Cast, described as “the world’s first connected, social, bi-directional charm bracelet.” Using pending technology and a proprietary platform, Mighty Cast uses a wrist console to connect physical collectible and swappable objects with mobile iOS. The company’s first app will be based on the company’s independently owned IP “The Mighty Maru,” which is a story world based on a Secret Society with magical charms.

Six more were awarded just under $1 million: Classcraft Studios for ClassCraft, an educational augmented reality, multi-player role playing game ($998,130); Kung-Fu Numerik’s Anna, the story of a young girl looking for her mother while treading two worlds ($927,872); Lusio Film’s In the mouth is an English-language narrative experience about food available on both personal computers and mobile ($899,937); Behaviour Interactive’s RealFeelGolf, a social golf game for smartphones and tablets ($874, 249); Bunch’s Bunch, a topic-driven discussion platform for mobile applications ($750,000) and 8 Leaf Digital Productions’ Biba Mobile Application, where the playground becomes the platform ($710,000).

Hovering around the $500,000 – $700,000 range are Immersive Studio Design’s Immersive ($698,051);  bitHeads’ BrainCloud and Foundation Applications ($656,053);  9 Story Interactive’s Monsters Everywhere ($576,000)  and Frima Studio’s Agora ($553,764).

Also earmarked for CMF funding are Blot Interactive’s planktOs($464,025);  Game ‘N Give’s GameNGive.com ($435,146);  Interactive Athletes Corporation’s Shnarped Fan Engagement Platform ($342,550);  Sinking Ships’ Interactive’s I Created A Monster ($281,250); Electrik Box’s Plateforme Kilobeat ($216,000); Boximals Studios’s Boximals: The Lost Secret of  Kuna Forest ($179,040) and Mikutech Consulting’s Project Food ($165,000).

With the exception of B.C.’s 8 Leaf Digital, Boximals Studio and Interactive Athletics Corporation,  and Ontario’s bitHeads, Sinking Ships, 9 Story Interactive, Blot Interactive and Mikutech Consulting, the rest of the approved digital media projects hail from Quebec.

The 18 approvals covered nine interactive platforms, 8 games for children, tweens, young adults and sports lovers, and one social media website.

The CMF serves as an incubator, financier and promoter for Canadian interactive digital media projects. The first round of funding for this cycle was announced in July.