For some the onset of September marks the back-to-school season. For others it’s the end of them lovely summer hours. But for the international community of film buyers, distributors, filmmakers and fans, this September ushers in what’s been repeatedly deemed the second most important film festival in the universe. And for some of that same contingent, as well as the entire Canadian TV programming, buying, distributing, producing and viewing world, this September also marks the coming of Canada’s digital revolution. Ready or not, Sept. 7 is the day when something like 40 new digital channel will launch on BDUs across the land, with 40 confirmed on Bell ExpressVu, 28 confirmed on Shaw and an amount described as ‘the most’ on Rogers.

Here at Playback, we’ve spent just about the entire year following the evolution of these digital services, from CRTC call to application to hearing to licensing to carriage negotiations – however, little information we managed to garner – to launch, which at press time still seemed murky from our POV. There was still little word on rates and packages (with the exception of ExpressVu, see story p. 2); still no confirmation of all the channels launching; and still no indication of the kinds of deals struck on the bargaining table (i.e. which BDUs took equity shares in what). Nonetheless, it is with a mix of excitement and curiosity that we bear witness to the biggest launch of programming in Canadian history, as described by gatekeeper Jim Shaw, who was also on the record in late May predicting that half the channels launching this fall would fail because of far-too-heavy programming and marketing costs.

Alas, the Canadian marketing dilemma.

With the Toronto International Film Festival before us, the preeminent launching pad for Canadian features and, arguably, the single shot Canadian filmmakers have to secure a distribution deal, marketing remains top of mind and the question of who will survive beyond September lingers.

‘During the 10 days of the festival people in the city are really aware of Canadian cinema. Within the festival, we’re on even ground, when the festival ends, sometimes we’re not,’ says Perspective Canada programmer Stacey Donen (see p. T-4), putting it mildly.

The truth is, while Grand & Toy is busy purveying its pencils and duotangs, filmmakers and digital broadcasters alike need to worry long and hard about the marketing of their product in an increasingly saturated economy.

Unfortunately, as filmmaker Vincenzo Natali points out (see story, p. 1), ‘The reality is that there just isn’t a strong incentive for Canadian distributors to put a lot behind a film.’ And, of course, for digicasters, whose subscriber base is two million and whose ad market is softened and overly fragmented, the biggest battle is only about to begin.

Happy new year film and television people!