sparks lively debate

the heightened spirit of competition among producers led to lively debate at the Canadian Film and Television Production Association’s conference in Ottawa Dec. 2-4. Not that producers haven’t flexed their entrepreneurial muscles in the past. But with the recent wave of producers taking their companies to market – the stock market that is – and the deadline for the gazetting of all specialty channels approaching, attendees were obviously in a feisty mood.

The early theme that arose during the symposium was whether publicly traded companies should be eligible for public financing from Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Film Development Corporation. Delegates then tackled the question of how to avoid self-dealing among large, vertically integrated companies to ensure they do not have an unfair advantage over smaller companies.

Not surprisingly, representatives from the larger companies were vehemently opposed to any suggestions that there be a curb on financing for publicly traded entities.

‘The government should not be looking at penalizing success,’ said Micheline Charest, chairman and ceo of The Cinar Group, Montreal. Charest suggested that an industrial approach should be taken. She noted there is not a sector of the economy that doesn’t benefit from government incentives, and questioned why the film and tv industry should be an exception.

Charest also rejected the notion that the trend of producers becoming broadcasters is unhealthy. ‘I think it is irresponsible to let third parties handle single-handedly what we produced,’ she said. ‘Broadcasting is an inevitable path.’

Most of the producers on the panels also agreed that with the growth of the large companies will come a capital pool to boost talent and small companies.

‘The strategy behind Alliance (Communications) is to support talent,’ said vice-chairman Jay Firestone, who pointed out his company supported the development of new series by the e.n.g. creative team of Wayne Grigsby and Barbara Samuels, and when one of the series, North of 60, came to fruition, Alliance was there as a financial partner and assisted them in getting below-the-line expertise. Alliance, he added, is encouraging producers to look to it for equity, interim financing and distribution.

While producers such as Harold Tichenor of Vancouver’s Crescent Entertainment felt positively about the ties being forged between smaller independent producers and the vertically integrated companies, Kevin DeWalt, cftpa chairman and president of Regina’s Minds Eye Pictures, pointed out that once smaller companies hand over distribution rights they also lose, to some extent, their ability to network. At mip it’s the company with the product to sell that will be able to strengthen ties and build relationships, said DeWalt.

Whether there is room for smaller companies may depend on how successful the first crop of five or six producers will be at trying to forge ties with larger companies, according to Halifax producer Andrew Cochran and Toronto-based producer Martha Fusca. ‘If they are successful, the appetite will be there,’ said Cochran.

All expressed confidence that creative control will remain in the hands of the smaller company.

‘As projects become real, (smaller producers) are forming liaisons with other companies, but creative responsibility and execution of projects remain with the original producer,’ said Debby Bernstein, creative head of tv series at cbc. In some cases, entry-level producers are teaming up with experienced partners right away while others tend to approach a larger production company after a deal is done for distribution.

Panelists agreed there will always be room for people with new ideas and talent, but the growth of these entry-level producers will be limited.

‘The market is not expanding,’ said Derek Mazur of Credo Group in Winnipeg. Because the specialty channels will not have the resources to push the envelope for dramatic tv, there will be a ‘finite pie’ and expansion will have to come from cutting deals outside Canada, he said.

The other limiting factor will be the lack of funds available from the educational broadcasters, said John Taylor of Telefilm Canada in Vancouver. Although broadcasters such as WIC Western International Communications and CanWest Global are greenlighting more projects out West, the traditional meat and potatoes for smaller companies are the educational channels.

– About a year ago, radio broadcaster Peter Gzowski launched a contest asking listeners to finish the thought, ‘As Canadian as… ‘ The winning entry was, ‘As Canadian as possible under the circumstances.’ The phrase pretty much summarizes the state of Canadian broadcasting.

The conference panel on ‘As Canadian As…’ tackled the definition of service production versus true Canadian content. Producers said they are wary of trying to legislate a definition for Canadian content, however, they do think it’s necessary to make the distinction between an industrial show like Top Cops and a Road to Avonlea.

As writer Suzette Couture pointed out, defining indigenous content can become ridiculous. She said about 10 years ago she submitted a script for a romantic comedy to the Ontario Arts Council. Her proposal was rejected on the grounds that the story was universal in theme and therefore not applicable in Ontario.

Bev Oda, chairperson of the Foundation to Underwrite New Drama for Pay TV and former crtc commissioner, suggested that categories such as sports and news should not be regulated for Canadian content because Canadian broadcasters are going to cover these areas regardless. The emphasis, she said, should be on drama and variety programming.

– On the issue of the cable broadcast fund, cftpa president Sandra Macdonald said the cftpa board has taken the position that it will not support an envelope-type system for any regional or minority group. If the cable fund is divided on the basis of how much money each provincial cable operator donated, then regions such as the Maritimes would get nothing. Besides, she said, most of the cable funds will probably come from central Canada – Rogers Cable Systems. The board is looking at a mechanism of caps on a per company basis. KM