MFG NEWS / NOUVELLES DU MFG

i-Wire
A Focus on CBC and Independent Production in Quebec
March 2007
(Reprinted on the MFG site with permission, 3/5/07)

This is i-Wire, an electronic newsletter with updates and news about CBC and the Quebec independent production community. i-Wire features calls for proposals, along with upcoming broadcast dates and information on projects in productions.

If you have productions airing on CBC, please let us know. Email philip_lewis@cbc.ca


MEET THE NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Mahalia Verna has recently stepped into the position of Program Development Manager with CBC-TV in Montreal.

HOW DO YOU ENVISION YOUR MANDATE?

I’m one of several program development managers working for the network across Canada – and our role is to provide a liason between regionally-based independent producers and the main commissioning editors at CBC-TV in Toronto. In my case, I can help Quebec producers get a clear idea of the type of programming that CBC-TV is currently seeking, and help them direct proposals to the appropriate commissioning editor. I’ll be continuing the work undertaken by Michelle van Beusekom — facilitating fruitful working relationships between Quebec producers and the network.

With this in mind, I’ll be coordinating a series of events designed to serve the needs of local producers, and will be providing development support to certain projects through the Program Development Fund.

WHAT IS THE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FUND?

The Program Development Fund, formerly known as the TransCanada Development Fund, has existed for seven years now, and its goal is to provide development support for productions that reflect regional realities in a dynamic and original way. We’re open to receiving proposals for the full range of genres – from docs and drama to factual entertainment, comedy and new media. The idea is to support projects that showcase Quebec stories while appealing to a national audience.

IS THERE MONEY STILL IN THIS FUND?

The new fiscal year begins on April 1, and yes – I welcome proposals.

WHAT EVENTS ARE ON THE CALENDAR?

Independent producers in Quebec should watch for details of a spring meet-and-greet session with the Arts-and-Entertainment team from CBC-TV. We haven’t established exact dates just yet, but it will take place here in Montreal, and it will provide a valuable chance for local producers to get a sense of the latest trends in A&E, and to meet the commissioning editors face-to-face.

Looking down the road, we look forward to supporting COURS ECRIRE TON COURT! once again this year. It’s a very popular project, initiated by SODEC’s Programme jeunes createurs, and it has become an annual event, held in conjunction with the Festival du nouveau cinema.

Doc Circuit is another event where CBC-TV will be present. This will be the third year for this documentary film market – the only one in Quebec. It’s an initiative of the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM) and DOC Québec, and it has proved to be a useful platform for independent producers.

There’ll be other events too – and i-wire will be one of the ways that I keep producers informed. As someone who’s been active as an independent producer myself, I look forward to helping CBC-TV play an evermore creative role within Quebec’s independent production community, and I encourage producers to contact me with their questions or news on their current projects.

Contact Mahalia at (514) 597-6355 or by email at
mahalia_verna@cbc.ca

For more information on the CBC-TV’s support for independent producers and the program development fund:
http://www.cbc.ca/montreal/features/independentproducers/pdf.html

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http://www.cbc.ca/mycbc/do/newsletter/Indienewsquebec