Predevelopment Program for Documentary Productions

Companies looking to develop one or more documentary projects this program offers funds to encourage the development and production of your project.

Canada Media Fund

Overview of the Predevelopment Program for Documentary Productions program:

This program allows companies to pre-develop one or more projects that have not yet received support from a broadcaster, distributor, or development financing, with the intent to encourage broadcaster or distributor financial support in the subsequent stages of development and production.

Benefits of the Predevelopment Program for Documentary Productions program:

Up to $25,000 per project not to exceed 75% of the eligible predevelopment budget

Eligibility criteria of the Predevelopment Program for Documentary Productions program:

To be eligible for this program you must:
Be incorporated in Manitoba or federally
Be Canadian-owned - as defined in the Investment Canada Act Canada) and is Canadian-controlled as determined by sections 26 to 28 of the Investment Canada Act
Be in good standing with MFM and the CMF at the time of application submission
Be a resident Manitoba producer, defined as a producer who operates a production company in Manitoba that is majority-owned and controlled by Manitoba residents.
Have a minimum of two years of production experience as a producer and have previously produced at least one project (minimum 30 minutes in broadcast length), which has been either screened by a major network or distributed by a recognized distributor
Producers who do not meet this requirement but are judged to have equivalent experience (including experience in interactive digital media) may be deemed eligible at MFM and the CMFs joint discretion. The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate this
Have proof of ownership in the underlying property and the necessary, corresponding current rights or options to develop, produce, and exploit the production worldwide.
To be eligible for financial support, the project must:
Be a documentary production as defined by the CMFs Appendix A Definitions & Essential Requirements
Be either a feature film, one-off (min. 30-minute length), series or miniseries
Be in the early concept/development stages without the financial participation of a broadcaster or distributor
Be a new project that has not previously received funding from MFM or the CMF
Be primarily intended for broadcast or distribution
An eligible company can submit a maximum of two projects per deadline.