The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has allocated more than $3.9 million to 25 interactive digital media projects through its partnerships with the Shaw Rocket Fund and Ontario Creates.

Nine projects will receive a shared total of $3,615,775 in production funding through the CMF-Shaw Rocket Fund’s Kids Digital Animated Series Program. The program, which is now in its fifth year, supports the creation of Canadian digital animated series for children and youth audiences and the use of new technology.

Of the selected projects, five are receiving $350,000 each, including Coal from Montreal’s Laughing Dragon Studios; Welcome (pictured) from Toronto’s Titan1Studios; two series from Quebec City-based Happy Camper Media Woodchuckchucks and the French language series Shared Yard; Les Coco Boo from Montreal’s Image-in.

The remaining four projects include Max Velocity ($220,000) from Regina-based Landslide Entertainment; the Indigenous-language series Shift and Go! ($160,517.00) from Edmonton’s Turquoise Sky Entertainment; Playing with Stu ($150,000.00) from Toronto’s J & J Pilot Productions; and the French-language Pour une histoire des noirs au Canada ($130,000.00) from Montreal’s Urbania Media.

Meanwhile, 16 digital media projects are receiving a total of $300,000 in development funding as the inaugural recipients of the Ontario Creates-CMF Pilot IDM Futures Forward Program. The program was created in 2022 and provides support to “early-stage, interactive digital media development projects from emerging and equity-deserving Ontario companies.”

Eleven projects are receiving $10,000 each, including Singled Out from Eva Thomas’ banner; Don Valley Girls from DVG Entertainment; Gay People Suck from SDP Entertainment; Mo’chi from Gata Games; Cage of Dreams from Holding Space Films; Boom Bloom (working title) from Turtle Riot; Lunchboxing from Butterware Studios; season two of Kitchens of Toronto from Leandre Studios; Diaries of an Average Black Dad from Barrocks; Masala Love from Better Half Films; and All Aboard! from Diaspora Games.

Rounding out the selected projects are Ocean Mouse Studios’ Project Baron ($9,900); Polly’s Big Day Out ($9,950) from Milkcow Media; We’re Not for Me ($7,500) from I’m Chips Productions; Wizkids ($7,450) from Ceres Productions; and Packing ($7,400) from Snail Mail Media.

Photo courtesy Titan1Studios