OTTAWA — ‘Cross platform’ is the new buzzword for ‘multiple windows’ or maximum distribution of any moving picture, from the silver screen to the mobile screen. And the veteran of them all, feature film, will apparently not be left out of any new deal models in Canada.

In separate speeches on Friday, National Film Board head Tom Perlmutter and Telefilm Canada exec director Wayne Clarkson joined the choir of voices heard at the CFTPA conference which called for a funding and distribution system that treats moving pictures not as isolated ‘silos’ but as part of a spectrum of entertainment options available to audiences.

Clarkson cited a recent Telefilm report that ‘examined how countries in Europe support their feature film industry — with particular attention directed to conventional television, pay television, video-on-demand and the Internet.’

‘One of the statistics that most struck me,’ Clarkson continued, ‘was ‘on average, an individual in the U.K. watches 78 films a year; three in cinemas, 18 on DVD, one via VOD and 56 on television.”

Clarkson’s conclusions included, ‘It is not about box office, it is about Canadian audiences… whatever the platform.’

Ironically, the Telefilm chief was in concert with a separate panel of distributors and producers.

‘It’s critical that the different components work together,’ Astral SVP J. Kevin Wright told Playback Daily after the packed session.

Panelists reiterated that any new deal models — or upcoming CRTC legislation, or revised Telefilm or Canadian Television Fund policies — need to address the ever-expanding gamut of distribution options, from traditional feature distribution and marketing through conventional and specialty broadcasting, to ancillary platforms such as computers, mobile devices or yet-to-be-invented gadgets.

The rising chorus of voices also seemed to agree that feature films need a higher average budget (currently about $3.5 million in Canada) of about $5 million, and that broadcasters need to play a more active role in financing and distribution strategies.

Strangely enough, no one talked with any conviction about more government funding for features, and panelists seemed to agree with some applause from the audience that fewer titles from Telefilm’s Canada Feature Film Fund would be a good place to start making changes.

‘Fewer films with more marketing,’ said Wright when asked how progress can be made.

And ‘be inclusive of all the platforms,’ stressed Steven Hoban of Copperheart Entertainment (Young People Fucking).

‘We can’t just make movies for Canada,’ he added. ‘We’re going for an English-language movie that looks like an American movie… that can travel around the world.’

It also seemed that — amid in the endless references during the conference to the ‘tough new economic climate’ — that ‘money’ stopped being a dirty word, even among the most artsy in attendance, and the word ‘audience’ was heard regularly.

‘I want to make films that are going to reach an audience everywhere,’ said Suzanne Girard, CEO of BBR Productions and a coproducer of Emotional Arithmetic.

‘The money actually comes from all of us, not just the government,’ noted David Reckziegel of Seville Pictures. ‘So let’s make films we like.’

Perhaps it’s the global popularity of new media and its pervasive Internet distribution that evoked the talk about reaching audiences. Or it maybe partly because the choir was well aware to whom it was ultimately singing.

The one man in Canada who arguably holds enough power to effect real change in the distribution food chain — Konrad von Finckenstein — may be the first CRTC chairman who actually attended the entire Prime Time conference, rather than just popping by as a speaker.

Von Finckenstein was listening intently, and engaged with industry members during the ‘networking breaks,’ and looked keenly interested in the numerous sessions he attended. He also allowed some 20 CRTC staff to attend the conference so they too could join the industry in grappling with these mega-issues, which may effectively trigger a revised Broadcasting Act. All seem to agree that the law must reflect the rapidly changing broadcasting landscape so Canada can compete both at home and on the global stage.

Clarkson also referred to the need for better international coproduction treaties and global distribution. And he didn’t miss the opportunity to remind Ottawa, quoting another report, this time from the Conference Board of Canada, that ‘the impact of our cultural sector on the economy overall was $84.6 billion… 7.4% of the total GDP.’