Canada Media Fund Announces Experimental Stream First Round Results

TORONTO, Oct. 13 /CNW/ - The Canada Media Fund (CMF) today announced the first round results of its Experimental Stream. Twenty-seven projects were approved for production funding in the form of CMF equity investment commitments for a total of $12.9 million. While the average commitment is $478,000, three requests received the maximum $1 million. Twelve projects are in English, nine are French, and six are bilingual. A total of $8.6 million and $4.3 million was committed to English and French production projects, respectively. Approved production applicants are based across Canada, with six from BC, one from Alberta, four from Toronto, one from Ontario excluding Toronto, twelve from Montréal, two from Quebec excluding Montréal, and one from PEI.

Approved production projects include twelve games, five websites, three mobile applications, three interactive web series, and four software applications.

List of Approved Production Projects:

(note: project descriptions are being finalized and some translations are in progress. An update will be posted to the CMF website as soon as possible.)

Applicant	Project Name	Project Type	Platform Type	Language	Region	Amount
2904802 Canada Inc.	Bot Colony	Game	Internet	English	MTL	$1,000,000
	Bot Colony players will learn or improve English skills as an integral part of gameplay in this online adventure.
9178-6574 Quebec Inc.	X-Agora	Software	Other	Bilingual	MTL	$1,000,000
	X-Agora will be a multimedia technology platform that transforms public spaces into interactive culture experiences.
Absolunet Inc.	J.E. Participe!	Website	Internet, Mobile	French	MTL	$432,001
	J.E. Participe! will engage the users in the world of entrepreneurialism. J.E. Participe! convie les internautes à une odyssée dans le monde entrepreneurial
Balestra interactif inc.	La Carte du Mental	Website	Internet	French	MTL	$68,926
	La Carte du Mental will encourage players to think like a champion through various activities built in augmented and alternate reality animation.
Bight Interactive Inc.	Scallywags	Game	Internet, Mobile	English	PEI	$269,352
	Scallywags players will explore the world as they hunt for treasure in this pirate-themed geocaching adventure.
Brain Center International inc.	NeuroActive Mental Coach - Golf	Game	PC	Bilingual	QC	$664,126
	NeuroActive Mental Coach-Golf divertira les mordus du golf tout en leur permettant d'améliorer la composante mentale de leur jeu. NeuroActive Mental Coach-GOLF will engage golf enthusiasts in an entertaining way, while helping them improve their mental game.
Btwxt Games Inc.	Swarm! The World!	Game	Internet, Mobile	English	BC	$800,000
	Swarm! The World! players will acquire, nurture, and trade armies of swarms to capture, fortify, hold, and grow their territories.
CBC	Kids' CBC Augmented Reality	Alternate Reality Game	Internet	English	TO	$434,400
	Kids' CBC children will explore augmented reality and will interact with 3D images rendered on screen by their own movements through a webcam and digital marker.
Cirrus Communications Inc.	Burquette sur le Web	Website	Internet	French	MTL	$403,233
	Burquette sur le web enables fans of the comic strip to view 2D animated shorts of the strip, interact with characters and the author, and participate in the creation of new strips.
Creo Inc.	Game for Science / Science en Jeu	Game	Internet	French	MTL	$875,107
	Game for Science / Science en Jeu players will solve problems, search for clues, share hints with friends, conduct lab experiments, choose appropriate equipment, and learn from the experts in a captivating scientific virtual world.
Disternet Technology Inc.	Disternet Software	Software	Multi-device	Bilingual	BC	$1,000,000
	Disternet provides intelligent content distribution to enable users to access and interact with any media (live, recorded TV, and personal video and picture) that resides on any device from any screen over Broadband Network, and from inside and outside home.
Frima Studio Inc.	The Tripoli Family	Game	Game console	Bilingual	QC	$686,034
	The Tripoli Family will engage party game lovers in a zany adventure through the lives of a family of reality show participants. La Famille Tripoli séduira les amateurs de jeux de salon avec les péripéties d'une famille plongée dans le monde absurde de la téléréalité.
Inspirado Games	Garden Mind	Game	Internet	English	BC	$100,000
	GardenMind players complete brain training challenges and actively support real-world philanthropic causes to grow their virtual garden.
Interdimensional Games Inc.	PROJECTB6	Game	Internet, PC	English	BC	$500,000
	PROJECTB6 is the world's first 3D interactive TV series and is pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling and character development.
Jet Black Games Inc.	Sketchpad Plus	Game application	Game console	English	BC	$240,169
	Sketchpad Plus enables users to draw basic to complex designs on their Nintendo DS using unique smooth line drawing technology.
La Presse Télé Ltée.	Zieuter.TV	Interactive web series	Internet	French	MTL	$264,722
	Zieuter.TV users will immerse themselves in "overheard conversations".
MoboVivo Inc.	Previiw	Software	Internet	English	AB	$430,725
	Previiw is a social TV platform that enables broadcasters and producers to seamlessly combine the active engagement of social media with the more passive experience of traditional TV viewing, allowing audiences to interact with TV shows using the web, mobile apps, iPads, and Smart TVs, and share clips on social media, blogs, and affiliate websites.
Mountain Road Pictures Inc.	Totally Random	Website	Internet	English	ON	$750,000
	Totally Random will enable kids to engage with each other in an online playground where they will create and share youthful, random ideas.
My City Lives Inc.	My City Lives Mobile	Application	Mobile	English	TO	$586,686
	My City Lives Mobile users can learn about places to visit in the city through a growing library of geo-tagged videos contributed by the user community.
ODD1 Inc.	Odd Society Online	Game	Internet	Bilingual	MTL	$311,250
	Odd Society Online will be a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) where players will collaborate to combat enemies and to build a highly stylized fantasy world. Odd Society Online est un jeu en ligne massivement multijoueurs (MMO) où la coopération est à l'honneur pour combattre des ennemis et pour construire un nouveau monde fantaisiste hautement stylisé.
Peace Point Entertainment Group Inc.	Olson Anytime Anywhere Recipe Maker	Application	Mobile	English	TO	$260,138
	Olson Anytime Anywhere Recipe Maker users, under the tutelage of Anna and Michael Olson, will generate recipes based on specific ingredients available to them in their kitchen.
Phéromone	Générateur d'applications mobiles multiplateformes reliées aux événements culturels	Software	Mobile	French	MTL	$120,000
	The Multi-platform Mobile Application Generator for Cultural Events is a tool that enables the rapid creation of mobile applications with the goal of promoting social interactions around cultural events.
Silicon Sisters Interactive Inc.	Caseworker Kate	Game	Mobile, Game console, PC	Bilingual	BC	$222,821
	Caseworker Kate players will tap into their intuition, problem solving skills, networking, and empathy, as well as "secret healing powers" to help students in a fictional school deal with realistic and relevant teenage challenges.
Smokebomb Entertainment Inc.	Big Break	Application	Mobile	English	TO	$639,044
	Big Break will is an original 13-part live-action series "appisodes" featuring entertainment, music, celebrity and performance themes where tweens are can engage and create their own content that is shared within a fully moderated community.
Télé-Québec	Outil de suivi parental et générateur de jeux	Online application, Game	Internet	French	MTL	$108,240
	Outil de suivi parental et générateur de jeux est un outil permettant de produire rapidement des jeux spécialement adaptés pour les jeunes en bas âge accompagné d'un tableau de bord qui fournit aux parents une mesure de leurs apprentissages.
Tungsten Visuel Inc.	Fréquences	Interactive web series	Internet	French	MTL	$221,055
	Fréquences, une série de fiction proposant une expérience sensorielle unique, raconte l'histoire troublante d'un groupe de cobayes enfermés et soumis à l'influence d'un étrange dispositif.
Zone3 Inc.	Le Guide de votre Vie	Interactive web series	Internet, Mobile	French	MTL	$511,973
	Le guide de votre vie, sur le Web et sur iPhone/iPod, est une série de web-capsules à l'humour absurde basée sur les différentes situations qu'apporte la vie quotidienne.

In addition, eleven projects were approved for development funding for a total of $1.6 million. The average commitment is $149,000. Four projects are in English, four in French, and three bilingual. Total English commitments are $1.1 million and total French are $540,000. Two of the successful development applicants are based in BC, six in Montréal, two in Quebec excluding Montreal, and one in Toronto. The types of projects include websites, games, and applications.

As well, seven projects were approved for marketing funding for a total of $1.6 million. The average commitment is $234,000. Five projects are in English, one in French, and one bilingual. Total English commitments are $1.1 million and total French are $540,000. Three projects are based in BC, one in Montréal, one in Quebec excluding Montreal, and two in Toronto. Projects to be marketed include games, websites, and an application.

Projects were assessed on the following factors: innovation (40%), production team (15%), business plan (30%), and distribution strategy (15%). For production projects, the innovation and production team factors, comprising a total of 55% of the assessment, were evaluated by a jury of Canadian and international industry experts (bios provided below). All remaining factors for production applications, plus all development and marketing applications, were assessed by CMF Program Administration analysts. Projects were assessed within categories based on the stage of the project, i.e. development, production, or marketing, to ensure similar projects competed against each other.

Of the $27 million in funding available through this stream, 60% is being disbursed in the first round and 40% in the second. Applications submitted for the first round vastly exceeded the $16.2 million available at this round. Over 250 applicants requested almost $90 million to support 120 production ($57 million requested), 112 development ($25 million requested), and 21 marketing ($8 million requested) projects. As a result of the high demand experienced in the first round, the second and final deadline for applications has been extended from October 4 to November 12, 2010. All decisions made by the CMF are considered final.

Experimental Stream Jury:

Wendy L. Bernfeld (Amsterdam)

Wendy Bernfeld is founder and Managing Director of Rights Stuff, an international content consulting group. She specializes in content acquisition and distribution, licensing negotiations, and related strategy and rights advice for traditional and digital new media platforms, Rights Stuff also specializes in advising producers/distributors regarding licensing to or being commissioned for original (transmedia) production by such new media platforms. Originally from Montréal, Wendy has over 25 years experience in Europe and North America in film, pay TV, and program buying, as well as production, distribution, and program channel startup. Prior to founding Rights Stuff in 1999, she was CEO Canal+ International Acquisitions and M.D. of Alliance-Atlantis International in Europe, after her earlier years in pay tv with The Movie Network (Toronto). Wendy has a Bachelor of Law Degree from Queens University after one year of BA/MBA courses at McGill University and the University of Toronto. She is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada and is on the Roll of Solicitors in the UK.

Lynda Brown-Ganzert (Vancouver)

Lynda Brown-Ganzert is currently CEO of zuluMe. For 20 years, she has provided strategic planning, sector analysis, business development, and product marketing expertise to private and public sector clients. As President of New Media BC, she founded the Vancouver International Digital Festival. She published the first national study of Canada's videogame industry, supported development of a federal roadmap for the digital media sector, and was founding President of the Canadian Interactive Alliance. Previously, she was CEO of GoBe Media, produced over 35 interactive and broadcast television titles, and conducted research in digital media. She sits on the boards of Simon Fraser University and the Vancouver International Film Festival and participated in United Nations cultural missions. Lynda has a B.A. in Communications and M.Ed. in Educational Technology. She has been recognized as 2004 Volunteer of the Year and the 2005 Industry Advocate of the Year (Canadian New Media Awards), Wondrous Woman (Wired Woman Society), Top 40 under 40 (Vancouver), and a finalist for Women of Distinction.

Patrick Cohendet (Montréal/Strasbourg)

Patrick Cohendet is Professor of Economics at the University of Strasbourg, France. He is presently a visiting professor at HEC Montréal business school and belongs to the International Business Department, for which he has served as director. His research interests include the economics of innovation, technology management, knowledge management, theory of the firm, and the economics of creativity. Patrick has written 15 books and over 50 articles, and has conducted studies on innovation (measurement of spin-offs, evaluation of the economic benefits of R&D projects, evaluation of technology transfer, etc.) for the European Commission, the EU, OECD, Council of Europe, and the Canadian Space Agency. He recently published "The architectures of knowledge: firms, capabilities and communities" with Ash Amin.

Jean-Pierre Faucher (Montréal)

Jean-Pierre Faucher is Senior Business Advisor at Inno-centre Montréal and an international business development consultant in interactive media (video game sector). Over the past decade, Jean-Pierre's accomplishments include Partnership Development Manager at Alliance Numérique (notably organizing and managing the Montréal International Game Summit); co-founder of the Canadian Interactive Alliance; member of the IGDA (International Game Developer's Association); and jury member at the prestigious OCTAS Gala of the Quebec IT Federation. Previously, he was Publisher and Product Manager at Quebecor and coproduced a user-friendly TV show on micro-computer hardware and software. He was named Personality of the Month in December 2007 by the Quebec IT Federation.

Lucie Lalumière (Toronto)

A digital media pioneer with over 15 years of experience, Lucie Lalumière has held a number of strategic positions, including VP & GM, Interactive at Corus Television; Executive Director, New Media at Radio-Canada; and General Manager, French Services at Sympatico. An environmentalist at heart, she was VP, Digital Content & Giving at Earth Rangers until recently. Lucie is Vice-Chair of Interactive Ontario and sits on the OMDC Interactive Digital Media Committee. Previously, she chaired the International Multimedia Committee of the Communauté des Télévisions Francophones, served on the board of the Bell Broadcast & New Media Fund, and was a juror for the International Digital Emmys. Lucie has an MIS degree from Université de Sherbrooke and an MBA from McGill University completed at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. Over the years, she has shared numerous awards with her teams, including a prestigious Prix Italia. 

Gavin McGarry (New York)

Before founding Jumpwire Media in 2009, Gavin McGarry worked for online video start up Joost and was the Head of Cross Platform Business Development at global television production company Endemol, working closely with the UK's largest mobile operator O2 to develop leading edge content for multiple platform release. His 15 years of experience in the global digital media content market place (Canada, UK, Japan, Africa, Europe, China) includes positions at major television networks (CHUM, CBC, Corus), as well as owning and operating a television production company and a boutique advertising agency, which created some of the first cross-media TV content for major networks (NBC, Discovery, CTV, Global Television). Gavin is regularly invited to speak at industry conferences, including the Banff World Television Festival, MIPCOM, and LATVfest.

Catherine Warren (Vancouver) - Chair of the Jury

Catherine Warren is President of FanTrust Entertainment Strategies, an international management consultancy for digital distribution and media production industries. A digital media veteran with 25 years of experience, Catherine leads due diligence on M&A for major game and animation companies; creates fan strategies for television franchises, such as CSI; and advises mobile leaders, including Nokia and Orange Telecom, on premium content. Working in North America, the UK, and Europe, Catherine has served as a senior manager for both publicly-traded and private media companies. She has published more than 25 titles for adults and children on science and computing and produced numerous award-winning websites and interactive broadcasts. Catherine serves on various boards, including the Bell Broadcast & New Media Fund, is the North American executive board member of the United Nation's flagship World Summit Award for digital media, and is a judge for the international Digital Emmy Awards and the Rose d'Or. Catherine has a degree in physics from Reed College and a master's from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Connect.Create.Innovate.
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) champions the creation and promotion of successful, innovative, Canadian content and software applications for current and emerging digital platforms through financial support and industry research. Created by Canada's cable and satellite distributors and the Government of Canada, the CMF aspires to connect Canadians to our creative expressions, to each other, and to the world. www.cmf-fmc.ca

For further information:

Media contact:
Betsy Chaly
Director, Marketing & Communications
416-214-4441