Times are still challenging in the documentary business, with the new administration in the U.S. formally taking aim at funding for public broadcasting. While the recent Canadian federal election didn’t lead to a government with quite the same level of vitriol for pubcasters, funding for Canada’s CBC has remained a topic of discussion in the country for some time.

Documentaries have long been a key staple of CBC’s programming lineup, and since the launch in 2018 of its free CBC Gem streaming platform, the pubcaster has been sharply focused on its doc and non-fiction content, bolstering a lineup that includes documentary strands such as ‘The Passionate Eye’ and ‘The Nature of Things.’

Michelle McCree is an executive in charge of production at CBC Docs, and oversees ‘The Passionate Eye,’ which is home to internationally renowned documentaries from Canada and around the world. Recent projects include Yintah, Searching for Satoshi, Snow King: From Olympian to Narco and Black Lives: Untold Stories. Prior to her time at CBC, she was a director, producer and writer.

Speaking with Playback‘s sister publication Realscreen for the latest edition of its commissioner-focused interview series The Brief, McCree (pictured) discussed such topics as planning content for streaming versus linear, the importance of diversity in doc programming and the state of the industry at large.

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

How is the doc landscape looking right now, from your perspective as a public broadcaster?

Michelle McCree: From my perspective as a programmer for ‘The Passionate Eye,’ I am incredibly optimistic. Getting documentaries made is challenging, and I don’t want to downplay the hurdles filmmakers face finding homes for and financing their films. It’s tough and very competitive, but when I think about the range and ambition of the stories being pitched to us — over 800 a year — I am reminded that the desire to share stories is unstoppable.

And, despite having endless ways to entertain themselves, audiences continue to demonstrate a strong appetite for documentary content. As the public broadcaster, our goal is to offer a Canadian lens. It’s a tremendous opportunity, as the desire to see ourselves from coast to coast to coast, in all our diversity and complexity, has never felt stronger.

It feels like there’s a lot of uncertainty around public broadcasters at the moment, obviously particularly in the U.S. with the new administration. Have you found some of that anxiety has bled over into Canada?

McCree: We’re certainly aware of the discussion happening in the public broadcasting landscape internationally. But before those shifts, the anxiety I hear about persistently — and this emerged during the pandemic — is connected to how hard it has become to get documentaries made generally. CBC only commissions films for Canada, and many Canadian filmmakers are able to sustain careers by securing distribution for their documentaries in the international market.

Still, I remain optimistic. One of the most important roles we play as Canada’s public broadcaster is fostering opportunities for storytelling that showcases the vibrancy and diversity of Canadian culture, to and for all Canadians.

Obviously, much of the doc and unscripted business is dealing with a lot of challenges right now. How has your acquisition and commissioning strategy changed in recent years?

McCree: Being digitally nimble is a strategic priority. We want to be where we know audiences are spending time across multiple platforms, and we know younger audiences stream almost exclusively.

CBC Gem allows us to be agile with release dates, meaning we are not dependent on a TV slot. We may have a ‘Passionate Eye’ documentary planned for a future TV slot, but if the topic is bubbling up culturally, we can release it on our streaming platform so it lands in the zeitgeist. It also means audiences can continue to discover stories long after the broadcast premiere.

We’ll also continue to build on the success of our limited documentary series. The recently announced Snow King: From Olympian to Narco is a great example of the premium, distinctly Canadian stories we are excited to share. We’re working with production partners Visitor Media and Dogwoof to capture the unfolding story of Ryan Wedding, a Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned FBI most-wanted fugitive, for allegedly running a violent drug cartel. Rolling Stone Films and The Toronto Star are also partners, bringing the unprecedented access that will set this series apart.

What kinds of things do you look for when evaluating a possible acquisition? And is it different from when you’re evaluating a pitch for a potential commission?

McCree: ‘The Passionate Eye’ offers Canadian audiences a broad range of stories from Canada and around the world. Our acquisitions team buys completed documentaries from both Canadian and international producers and distributors, but we only commission from Canadian producers or international producers who are coproducing with Canadians. Either way, our overall curation strategy is to build a ‘Passionate Eye’ season that features a diverse range of stories, storytellers and perspectives, tones and approaches that will draw audiences to our platforms.

I specifically look for well-defined story arcs and a pacey approach to storytelling that feels immersive. Cinematically, we look for a visual language that elevates the subject matter. Although we typically launch the season with a feature-length doc, our linear slots have a runtime of 44 minutes, and that’s our commissioning priority. Our acquisitions often debut on Gem, so runtimes can vary.

And, of course, journalistic integrity is at the core of all of our storytelling, alongside relevance to the moment, which I’ve mentioned. For these reasons, commissions for ‘The Passionate Eye’ need to be turned around quickly so we can get them in front of audiences.

What kinds of doc content has been connecting with audiences lately? Is it different on CBC Gem?

McCree: The audience makeup is different depending on the platform, but our limited series remain a strength alongside our ‘Passionate Eye’ and feature docs. Malcom is Missing, It’s Not Funny Anymore and The Loneliest Race are examples of documentaries that performed strongly across all platforms.

How has the introduction of Gem impacted how you evaluate content? Are there projects that may work for Gem but not the linear network, or vice versa?

McCree: We are always audience-focused. That means greenlighting and acquiring the most engaging documentaries and getting them in front of audiences wherever they are watching. Most of us watch content on several different platforms every day, so we commission great stories of varying lengths with all of our platforms in mind. When making decisions, the approach is platform-agnostic. Instead, we ask, “What length serves the story best?” and “What platform gives this story the best shot at connecting with audiences?”

‘The Passionate Eye’ typically has 10 linear TV slots from September through November. Streaming allows us to extend our season by offering audiences even more documentaries year-round, whenever and wherever audiences want to watch.

While this has always been a part of the mix at CBC, it feels like over the past several years there has been an increase in doc and unscripted content about different cultures, with projects focusing on South Asian culture, Black culture, Indigenous culture and more. How conscious was the effort to bring more diversity to the doc lineup and bring focus to those stories?

McCree: This is very intentional and an integral part of CBC’s larger commitment to reflect and give voice to all Canadians. We are a large and diverse country, and working towards equity unlocks a treasure trove of compelling stories that weave truth and understanding into the complex fabric of our national identity. We believe that these stories are not only important for the communities they represent but also for all Canadians, fostering greater empathy, understanding, and connection.

Great examples that bring this strategy to life include The Knowing, Yintah, Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music, My Brother, Soleiman, An Unfinished Journey and For the Culture with Amanda Parris, all of which are nominated for multiple Canadian Screen Awards this season.

This story originally appeared in Realscreen

Image courtesy of CBC