Quebecor Fund announces list of funded production companies and programs

More than $74 million for 240 projects over 18 years

Main Television Production Assistance Program (MPAP) adds

TV format and concept development component

MONTRÉAL, June 21, 2017 – The Quebecor Fund Board of Directors is pleased to announce the names of the Canadian production companies that will receive funding in the 34th-round of the Main Television Production Assistance Program (MPAP) following April 3, 2017 submissions. In this round, Quebecor Fund will disburse a total of $2,800,912. Of that amount, $1,810,000 has been granted under the convergent production component to the following producers: Attraction Images Productions IV Inc., Echo Media Charlie Inc., La Voix Télévision Inc. (Productions Déferlantes Inc.), Tshinanu Inc., Production Lustitia Inc., Les Productions Carpediem (Snowsnaps) inc., and Les Productions Passez Go III Inc. The seven selected productions will air on the Canadian broadcasters ICI Radio-Canada, TVO, TFO, Knowledge Network, TVA, APTN, Bell Media (Z Télé, RDS) and Corus (French Télétoon, English Teletoon and Treehouse). Under the TV format and concept development component, four projects have been selected to receive $990,912 in funding. The producers are Entourage Télévision Inc., Groupe PVP Inc., Productions Pixcom Inc. and Le Grand jeu Inc. The broadcasters supporting the development of the projects are TVA, ICI Radio-Canada and Bell Media (Canal D).

Since its inception in 1999, Quebecor Fund’s MPAP program has supported 240 projects involving 74 production companies, 41 Canadian broadcasters and 32 foreign broadcasters. During that period, the Fund has distributed more than $66 million to support the multiplatform components of the funded projects (amounting to 71% of the total sums invested in multimedia by the participating production companies) and more than $7.5 million to support the television components of the same projects, for a total of more than $74 million.

Of the funding granted to date by Quebecor Fund to support television and multiplatform production, 26% has gone to programs for children/youth, 24% to documentaries, 40% to variety/performing arts, and 10% to drama.

On March 3, 2017, the Quebecor Fund launched the new TV format and concept development component of its Main Television Production Assistance Program (MPAP). It provides repayable grants to support TV format and concept development projects in all genres that have received a financial commitment from a recognized French-language broadcasting programming undertaking (BPU). At the same time, the MPAP’s convergent production component, which supports projects that include multiplatform content to accompany television productions airing on recognized BPUs, also began accepting applications for repayable grants, although applications for non-repayable grants are still eligible.

Quebecor Fund, a major source of financing for Canadian television, event and film production and for digital media content, is an independent fund with a mission to support the development, production and marketing of high-quality content and its exploitation on various interactive platforms that use new information and communication technologies, such as video on demand (VoD), mobile devices and high-speed Internet. Its Export Assistance Program (EXAP) supports export initiatives by funding the development of audiovisual content adapted for non-Québec and international markets, as well as marketing efforts. Since its inception in March 2014, more than $5 million has been invested in 18 export business models with 14 partner companies.

Quebecor Fund was established through Videotron, which provides more than $7 million annually in broadcasting distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the Canadian industry.

PROJECTS FUNDED UNDER THE CONVERGENT PRODUCTION COMPONENT:

Silence on joue!

• Attraction Images Productions IV Inc. – Canadian broadcaster: ICI Radio-Canada

Two teams of two celebrities plus one other contestant compete in a variety of fun games of skill and wit that test their mental alertness, logic and general knowledge. The challenges are simple, educational and entertaining (playing charades against the clock, 20 questions, etc.). For season 3, a mobile version of the game has been added in which players can replay the fun as many times as they like. The website, social networks and multiplayer experience will add up to a multifaceted entertainment experience.

Allo Charlie / Hello Charlie

• Echo Media Charlie Inc. – Canadian broadcasters: TVO, TFO, ICI Radio-Canada, Knowledge Network

Meet Charlie, as if you could miss her! Hello Charlie! follows the adventures of a four-and-a-half-year-old whale with a personality as big as the great wide ocean in which she swims. Loving, enthusiastic, creative, and wildly energetic; she is determined to get her way. The project, created by Marie-Sissi Labrèche and Didier Loubat, encompasses the animated TV series across all platforms as well as a fun interactive mobile game. Following our hero Charlie’s lead, children get to explore and play in Charlie’s Neighbourhood by visiting all of her most beloved places and learning about the emotions they feel in their daily lives, what they mean and how to recognize them.

La Voix Junior 2

• La Voix Télévision Inc. (Productions Déferlantes Inc.) – Canadian broadcaster: TVA

La Voix Junior premiered in Canada in 2016 to tremendous public acclaim, drawing more than 2 million viewers per week. The smash hit is returning for a second season, again featuring kids aged 7 to 14 competing in a format based on the Voice franchise, the Québec version of which has been a resounding success since 2013. Charles Lafortune will be back as the host, accompanied by Maripier Morin. With coaches Marc Dupré, Marie-Mai and Alex Nevsky also staying on, season 2 of La Voix Junior promises to be a repeat success with young and old alike. For the new season, La Voix Junior will boast an enriched interactive component to reach millennials. A team of young influencers will produce content geared to young people, there will be a space dedicated to exclusive interactive content, and the mobile experience will be improved.

Tshakapesh

• Tshinanu Inc. – Canadian broadcasters: APTN / ICI Radio-Canada

The animated series Tshakapesh is an updated version of the adventures of the legendary Aboriginal superhero. In this sequel, Tshakapesh returns to Mother Earth after living on the Moon to protect the planet and its inhabitants. Tshakapesh – The Elder’s Land is a collaborative educational digital experience in which kids aged 9 to 12 accompany the superhero on a great adventure that introduces them to ancestral Innu knowledge.

Expédition extrême

• Production Lustitia Inc. – Canadian broadcasters: Bell Media (Z Télé and RDS)

In the reality television show Expédition extrême, former Montréal Canadiens defenceman Francis Bouillon leads celebrities through survival challenges based on true stories. The decisions they make will be critical. Expédition extrême’s digital component features immersive interactive experiences that will induce the heart-thumping sensations felt by the show’s guests, including a 360^o video that plunges users into the thick of the adventure. The digital component will provide a complement to the TV program aimed at both fans of the series who want to see more of the show by exploring exclusive content and Internet users interested in survival in the wild.

Les Mini-tuques / Snowsnaps

• Les Productions Carpediem (Snowsnaps) Inc. – Canadian broadcasters: Corus (French Télétoon / English Teletoon / Treehouse)

Four kids, each special in his or her way, put the fun back into winter. In each episode, Violet, Kiki, Tomas and Sami face a challenge that makes them draw on their wits, imagination and strength of character. In the process, they transform the test into an exciting game and discover the pleasures of joint endeavour. To complement and extend the fan experience, six 360º VR music videos will be produced. On a smartphone (with or without a Google Cardboard headset), tablet or computer, kids will enter into the world of our heroes to the beat of the music and will be able to sing along with their adventures.

L’Académie

• Les Productions Passez Go III Inc. – Canadian broadcaster: TVA

In the teen romantic comedy L’Académie, Agathe, Marie and Wendy make a pact to swear off guys during their senior year after a summer of romantic disappointments. Their plan is thrown into disarray when their all-girls school decides to go coed. The digital component offers users an immersive experience fully adapted to mobile that fosters engagement with the characters. It features a wealth of exclusive content, including interviews, behind-the-scenes videos, and a social strategy on Facebook and Instagram.

Quebecor Fund

Quebecor Fund, a non-profit organization, is a private fund incorporated under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. The Board of Directors is responsible for all decisions pertaining to the Fund, including its priorities, and is entirely and exclusively responsible for its funding decisions. The date of the next round of funding under the Main Television Production Assistance Program (MPAP) is Monday, October 2, 2017. For more information, please visit the Quebecor Fund website at www.quebecorfund.ca.

For further information: Information: Serge Thibaudeau, CEO, Quebecor Fund, 514-842-2497 / info@fondsquebecor.ca

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