RBC renews commitment to the MVP Project in support of emerging Canadian recording artists and filmmakers

A joint RBCxMusic and Prism Prize initiative, round 9 will support 10 new artist teams with development of music videos, bringing their work to life on screen

TORONTO, Jan. 12, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, RBC and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television are pleased to announce the extension of the Music Video Production (MVP) Project until 2025. The program, which launched in 2018, provides funding for emerging Canadian musicians and filmmakers to create and produce music videos.

This milestone coincides with round nine of the program, which has awarded grants to 10 diverse artist teams from a variety of musical genres and filmmaking styles. Since its inception, the joint initiative between RBCxMusic and the Prism Prize has awarded 97 grants to emerging artists, supporting the creation of 71 music videos, and surpassed $1 million in funding this past July.

"Amplifying new talent and showcasing diverse perspectives in music is core to the RBCxMusic platform, and we are incredibly proud to continue our support of the MVP Project," said Shannon Cole, Vice-President, Brand Marketing, RBC. "With each round, we continue to be impressed by the talent in this country and look forward to seeing the latest recipients' creative visions come to life."

The MVP Project, administered by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, is committed to supporting the Canadian music video community as they transform their music into video and reach new audiences. In addition to funding from MVP Project grants, selected artists also have access to MVP Labs, a mentorship initiative that offers guidance on the development of music videos, from ideation and treatments to production plans to budgeting. MVP Labs launched in 2022 featuring four behind-the-scenes sessions with artists and directors behind MVP-supported music videos, with more planned for 2023.

"Witnessing and experiencing how the MVP Project has grown over the past four years into an impactful aid that is helping our creative Canadian talent achieve their dreams has been incredibly meaningful and truly inspiring to witness," said Louis Calabro, Vice-President, Programming & Awards, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and Founder of the Prism Prize. "We are thrilled to continue working alongside RBC to support even more emerging Canadian musicians and filmmakers over the next three years."

Music videos supported by the MVP Project continue to make waves and receive critical acclaim. In 2022, the animated clip for Ouri's "Oussature," directed by Derek Barnscombe, was featured by the New York Times and garnered a coveted Vimeo Staff Pick designation. Desiree Dawson's "Meet You At the Light," directed by Alex Farah, received a SXSW "Best Music Video" win and a UKMVA nomination. Additionally, Amanda Sum and Mayumi Yoshida's "Different Than Before" was named "Best Music Video" at Urbanworld, and was included as an official selection of the Asian American Film Festival, Aesthetica, and numerous other festivals.

The recipients selected for round nine were determined by a jury of industry professionals. Recipients include:

• Recording artist Alaskan Tapes, Director Andrew De Zen, and Producer Adam Maruniak
• Recording artist Casey MQ, Director Harry Cepka, and Producer Emily Rice Hillgren
• Recording artist DACEY, Director Kevin Jin Kwan Kim, and Producer Daniel Lin
• Recording artist Evan Redsky, Director Adrijan Assoufi, and Producer Jackie De Niverville
• Recording artist KIANA, Director Sina Dolati, and Producer Shaghayegh Haghdoust
• Recording artist Korea Town Acid, Director Yú, and Producer Lina Li
• Recording artist Neela, Director Purusha Anokhei, and Producer Arri Dee
• Recording artist Radiant Baby, Director Catherine White, and Producer Gabriel Roussil
• Recording artist SULLY, Directors Alim Sabir and Okay Mojo, and Producer Michael Ren
• Recording artist Wild Black, Director Sara Alfaro, and Producer Yasmin Evening-Kerr

The MVP Project is part of RBC's ongoing commitment to the arts community. Since 2003, RBC's investments in arts organizations have exceeded $90 million supporting over 28,000 artists. In 2021, the RBC Foundation donated over $10 million as part of RBC Emerging Artists to over 185 organizations in Canada, helping to bridge the gap for more than 5,900 emerging artists.

Round 10 of the MVP project will be announced in the coming months, and eligible emerging recording artists and filmmakers are encouraged to apply. Follow RBCxMusic and Prism Prize on Instagram for the latest updates, and information on other RBCxMusic initiatives.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 95,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

About Prism Prize

The Prism Prize is an annual event that recognizes outstanding artistry in music video production through a slate of awards including the Grand Prize, which carries the largest cash prize in the world for music videos. Established in 2012, this annual honour gathers a jury of more than 130 Canadian arts professionals who vote to crown one video as best of the year. Previous winners of the Grand Prize have included Theo Kapodistrias for Haviah Mighty's Thirteen (2021), Peter Huang for Jessie Reyez's Far Away (2020), and Emily Kai Bock for Arcade Fire's Afterlife (2014).

The Prism Prize is a division of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, an organization that shares the common goal of promoting and supporting homegrown Canadian creative projects while inspiring and developing the next generation of talent.

Prism Prize proudly acknowledges its Patron Partner, The Slaight Family Foundation, its Lead Partners, Telefilm Canada, FACTOR and the Government of Canada, and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters, and its Supporting Partners, William F. White International Inc. and Stingray.

For information, please visit PrismPrize.com.

About the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest non-profit professional arts organization in Canada with a membership of more than 4,000 emerging and established industry professionals. Founded in 1979, the Canadian Academy is dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and advocating for Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors while remaining committed to discovering and nurturing all levels of talent through professional training, networking opportunities, and guidance.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television proudly acknowledges the support of its Leading Media Partner, CBC; Premier Partner, Telefilm Canada; Platinum Partner CTV; Principal Partner, Netflix; and its Lead Partners, the Canada Media Fund, Cineplex, the Cogeco Fund, and WBD Access Canada.

For information on membership and programming visit academy.ca.

SOURCE RBC

Brianne Sommerville, Senior Manager, Brand Communications, RBC, [email protected], 437-228-5396; Natalie Grossi, Director Marketing & Communications, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, [email protected]