Prime Time Anytime

Canadians have stories to tell, and global companies are recognizing the great opportunities that can come from these projects. How can you partner with a broadcaster or studio to develop content that can be sold globally? Hear from our panel of experts who are producing and monetizing Canadians’ stories, and about the global opportunities that exist for Canadian producers

Independent producers with a great story to tell know that one of the biggest challenges to getting a project completed is securing the funding. In today’s evolving industry, how have finance models changed? What strategies are available that have proven results? This panel of experts will provide real world solutions to the challenge of production finance, and outline novel approaches to the funding puzzle that will get your project rolling, and content made. Moderated by Lon Hall.

Great animation can come from anywhere and watched everywhere on Netflix. It’s an opportunity for Canada’s exceptional animation talent to create stories for the global stage. In this session, Netflix manager of original animation Jane Lee will break down how Netflix animation works with local creators. She’ll be joined on stage by Greg Sullivan, the creator of the Netflix original animated series The Hollow, which was made in British Columbia and watched by fans all over the world. They’ll present a case study of howThe Hollow came to Netflix, before and after the greenlight. This session is moderated by Kidscreen news and social media editor, Alexandra Whyte.

In their first public appearance following the release of the long-awaited Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR) report, the Chair of the government-appointed BTLR expert panel, Janet Yale, and panel member Monique Simard will discuss their recommendations to the government.

Joined by the CMPA’s President and CEO Reynolds Mastin, the pair will discuss the current state of the screen-based industries and Minister Guilbeault’s vision for the future of Canadian content creation.

If Gen Zers have proved anything, it’s that if you want to reach the next generation of consumers, you’re going to have to invest in video. This reality is giving media companies incentive to create more targeted content as Gen Z shuns traditional media. Content creators are adapting to Gen Z’s consumption habits and bringing content to them where they live – on mobile devices. Join our panel of experts as they discuss and provide key insights about how to successfully target and reach the Gen Z audience from every angle. Moderated by Agnes Augustin.

What if consuming content meant being together in 2020? This is one of the questions explored in the Canada Media Fund’s 2020 Trends Report, entitled Closer, Wider, Faster. Join Catherine Mathys for an in-depth analysis of the current trends affecting the screen industry.

The Prime Time Throwdown is back for 2020! This year, three finalists will be selected to take the stage and pitch their projects for chance to win up to $35,000 in in-kind post-production and marketing services from Stamp Audio and Innovate by Day for their project.

The rapidly evolving rights market has led to major changes in how distribution deals are getting done, causing producers to re-evaluate their strategies for optimizing the value of their content. What are the key negotiating points that make or break profitability in our constantly changing reality, and how can producers leverage this knowledge to make the best possible deal?

Five experts. Five verticals. Three questions. Ten minutes each. Five leaders in feature film, documentary, short form, lifestyle/unscripted, and scripted will each have ten minutes to present up-to-the-minute market intel by answering three questions: what’s working in your marketplace, what’s not, and where are the gaps and the opportunities?

In Dragon’s Den style, three producers will each pitch their projects, with their marketing strategies, to our audience building experts with $10,000 in in-kind services from Innovate By Day at stake. Through the pitches and our experts’ responses, we’ll do a deep dive into the latest and best approaches to innovative and immersive cross-platform strategies for audience engagement.

The OTT landscape, often characterized by its biggest brands, offers many highly varied opportunities for content owners and creators. This panel will explore everything from new platforms developed by broadcasters, to the evolution of early-entry niche OTTs, to creator-driven channels, and more. In a constantly evolving environment, these leaders will explore the possibilities most relevant to content makers and owners.

One of the most challenging decisions entrepreneurs confront is whether to diversify their business. The risks and rewards can be extraordinary. We will explore this topic with a corporate finance advisor, and with three leaders who have successfully diversified across platforms, technologies and markets. They will discuss key questions that will help you cut through the issues and build your best business.

Offering a glimpse ‘behind the curtain’, this panel will explore the process of pitching, developing, and producing a property with Netflix. How does it differ from working with broadcasters? And what lessons can be learned from the experiences of those who have successfully produced with this digital juggernaut?

Producers and their partners are increasingly confronted by the challenge of talent scarcity as top names migrate towards players with deep pockets and unlimited shelf-space. This panel will focus on ways independent companies can compete. What are innovative strategies for attaching or incubating talent, and what roles do diversity and new voices play in this?

Keynote: The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

The Broadcasting and Telecommunications Acts have not been updated since before the internet entered our homes. In many ways, they are the bedrock of our industry, and the government’s current initiative to review these acts could set a new course for the future. Canada’s key leaders are assembled for the first time to debate the critical issues at the heart of this review.

Opening address by CMPA President and CEO Reynolds Mastin

INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY DIRECTOR OF THE INDIGENOUS SCREEN OFFICE

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