The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Calgary-based Shaw Rocket Fund (SRF) are increasing the budget for the second round of their joint digital animated fund.

The sophomore edition of the CMF-SRF Kids Digital Animated Series Program will have a total budget of $5.06 million, a $1.76 million increase from $3.3 million.

The funding bodies unveiled the program in March with a view to stimulating more production for animated series bound for digital platforms. Through the program, projects are eligible to receive up to $525,000 or 75% of the project’s eligible costs, with the CMF contributing two-thirds of the funding to each project, and SRF the remaining one-third. The program is geared towards animated series in their first season, and gives priority to titles that demonstrate innovative use of technology and the potential for multiple seasons.

Seven projects were funded through the program’s inaugural round, including Vérité Films’ Jeremy and Tunebug (pictured), Epic Story Media’s Piper’s Pony Tales and Di-O-Matic’s Li’l Santa. The other titles to receive funding were CarpeDiem Film and TV’s CHAOS, Oxus Films’ Ara’s Imaginarium, Tobo’s Dounia and Big Bad Boo Productions’ Galapagos X. 

The deadline for applications is Jan. 17, 2020.

According to the CMPA’s most recent annual Profile report, Canadian animation production increased in the children’s and youth genre by $21 million in 2017/18 – led by $15 million in French-language production. Overall, animation production in Canada improved across all genres to $331 million in 2017/18 to almost match the 10-year high of $332 million hit in 2015/16.