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INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1- THE PRODUCTION COMPANY
Types of Business Formations............................................................................................................ 1
Managing a Business....................................................................................................................... 4
The Business Plan............................................................................................................................ 6
Recommended Business Plan Format................................................................................................ 7
Financing a Company..................................................................................................................... 11
Love and Other Dilemmas............................................................................................................... 11
GST and the Producer.................................................................................................................... 12
A Guide to Reading a Contract........................................................................................................ 14
Associations and Professional Development....................................................................................... 16
Film and Media Co-operatives.......................................................................................................... 30
Like Building a House...................................................................................................................... 31
CHAPTER 2- THE SCRIPT & DEVELOPMENT
The Process of Development........................................................................................................... 33
About Writer Agreements................................................................................................................ 34
A Good Script Shines...................................................................................................................... 37
Writer Agreement Checklist............................................................................................................. 38
Sample WGC Forms and Agreements...............................................................................................
The Writers Guild of Canada (Producer’s Checklist).......................................................................... 40
Writers Guild of Canada Voluntary Recognition Agreement............................................................... 42
Notice of Engagement................................................................................................................. 45
Story Editors Agreement.............................................................................................................. 46
Option Agreement....................................................................................................................... 49
Standard WGC Writer Agreement................................................................................................. 51
WGC Remittance Form............................................................................................................... 56
The Option Agreement for a Screenplay............................................................................................ 57
Opinion Letter for a Performance Documentary.................................................................................. 55
About Life Story Rights Agreements.................................................................................................. 55
Grant of Rights in Literary Property................................................................................................... 58
Certificate of Authorship.................................................................................................................. 59
Pitching the Story........................................................................................................................... 61
Story Bibles ................................................................................................................................. 62
Written Proposals to Broadcasters.................................................................................................... 62
Lifestyle, Factual and Documentary Productions ................................................................................ 62
Dramatic Productions..................................................................................................................... 63
The Nightmare Pitch....................................................................................................................... 64
Sample Submission Form............................................................................................................. 65
Sample Development Budget....................................................................................................... 67
Sample Development Agreement from a Broadcaster...................................................................... 69
Thoughts on Development............................................................................................................... 73
Telefilm Canada Script Development Agreement ............................................................................ 74
Telefilm Canada Affidavit for Final Costs Under $200,000.................................................................. 83
CHAPTER 3- FINANCING
Financing for Film, Television & New Media Certifying Canadian Content......................................... 87
Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO)
Canadian Radio-television Commission (CRTC)
National and Provincial Film & Television Tax Credits
International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN)............................................................................... 90
Canadian Independent Production Incentive Programme
Public Funding—National
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)................................................................................ 90
Canadian Television Fund (CTF)..................................................................................................... 90
Canada Council for the Arts.......................................................................................................... 91
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)......................................................................... 92
Export Development Canada........................................................................................................ 93
Industry Canada.......................................................................................................................... 93
Canadian Studies Programme....................................................................................................... 94
National Film Board of Canada (NFB)............................................................................................. 94
Telefilm Canada.......................................................................................................................... 98
Canada New Media Fund........................................................................................................... 100
Private Funds and Public Private Partnerships
Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund........................................................................................... 101
Cogeco Programme Development Fund....................................................................................... 101
Independent Production Fund..................................................................................................... 102
Quebecor Fund......................................................................................................................... 102
The Harold Greenberg Fund........................................................................................................ 103
MaxFACT Programme................................................................................................................ 103
Rogers Group of Funds.............................................................................................................. 103
Shaw Rocket Fund.................................................................................................................... 104
Small Market Local Programming Fund........................................................................................ 104
Broadcaster, Pay TV, Specialty Channel...................................................................................... 110
It Takes a Village.......................................................................................................................... 140
Official Treaty Co-Productions & Co-Ventures................................................................................... 141
Interim Financing.......................................................................................................................... 154
Gap Financing.............................................................................................................................. 154
Deferral Agreements..................................................................................................................... 155
The Completion Guarantee............................................................................................................ 156
Completion Bond Checklist............................................................................................................ 157
Telefilm Canada Production Agreement & Standard Terms................................................................. 160
Content is Queen......................................................................................................................... 182
CHAPTER 4- PRODUCTION
The Heart of the Matter................................................................................................................. 185
Film Industry Unions and Guilds...................................................................................................... 186
Key Department Heads................................................................................................................. 193
Roles on the Set.......................................................................................................................... 195
Working in Canada....................................................................................................................... 196
Filming Outside Canada................................................................................................................. 198
The Director Contract................................................................................................................... 198
Non-Union Director Agreements..................................................................................................... 199
Directors Guild of Canada Agreements............................................................................................ 204
Staff/Crew Deal Memos................................................................................................................ 209
Sample Deal Memos
DGC Director Deal Memo........................................................................................................... 216
Sample Contractor Deal Memo................................................................................................... 217
Sample Performer Contract Form................................................................................................ 219
Sample Performer’s Time Report................................................................................................. 220
About Releases............................................................................................................................ 221
Sample Release Forms
Subject Release........................................................................................................................ 225
Parental Consent Release.......................................................................................................... 226
Extras Release.......................................................................................................................... 227
Location Contract...................................................................................................................... 228
Notice to Residences and Businesses.......................................................................................... 230
Artwork/Image Release.............................................................................................................. 231
NFB Materials Release
Product Placement....................................................................................................................... 224
Product Placement Agreement................................................................................................... 232
Archives and Stock Footage.......................................................................................................... 233
Sample Production Forms
Day out of Days........................................................................................................................ 237
Telefilm Canada Standard Production Budget Template-Summary Pages......................................... 238
Telefilm Canada Feature Film Fund Budgets & Production Financing Requirements
Cash Flow Form........................................................................................................................ 240
Call Sheet ............................................................................................................................... 243
Daily Production Report.............................................................................................................. 245
Petty Cash Envelope.................................................................................................................. 247
Production Cost Report.............................................................................................................. 248
Cheque Requisition.................................................................................................................... 251
Petty Cash Voucher................................................................................................................... 252
Crew List ............................................................................................................................... 253
Contact List.............................................................................................................................. 257
Cast List ............................................................................................................................... 259
Travel Memo............................................................................................................................. 260
Thoughts on Production Design................................................................................................... 261
Production Insurance.................................................................................................................... 262
Sample Motion Picture/Television Production Insurance Application.................................................. 272
A Guide to Obtaining E & O Insurance............................................................................................ 264
Sample Errors & Omissions Policy Application................................................................................ 278
Sample Supplemental Questionnaire............................................................................................ 286
CHAPTER 5- POST-PRODUCTION
Roles in Post-Production............................................................................................................... 289
Post Considerations during Preproduction........................................................................................ 290
Shooting Formats......................................................................................................................... 291
Aspect Ratios.............................................................................................................................. 291
Broadcast ............................................................................................................................... 291
Shooting Ratios............................................................................................................................ 292
Post Considerations during Principal Photography............................................................................. 292
Visual Effects ............................................................................................................................... 295
Titles and Credits.......................................................................................................................... 296
Sound Design.............................................................................................................................. 297
Delivery Formats........................................................................................................................... 298
The Approval Process................................................................................................................... 299
Rough Cut Screenings.................................................................................................................. 300
Test Screenings........................................................................................................................... 300
Pickups ............................................................................................................................... 301
Versioning ............................................................................................................................... 301
Archiving Implications.................................................................................................................... 302
Music Licensing for Films............................................................................................................... 302
Music Guilds and Associations........................................................................................................ 305
Sample Forms
Sample SOCAN Music Cue Sheet............................................................................................... 307
Sample SOCAN Work Notification Form....................................................................................... 308
Standard Delivery Items.............................................................................................................. 309
Sample Lab Access Letter.......................................................................................................... 310
Sample NFB Lab Access Letter.................................................................................................. 311
To Be or Not To Be...................................................................................................................... 312
CHAPTER 6- DISTRIBUTION
Feature Film Distribution................................................................................................................ 316
About Distribution & Licensing Agreements...................................................................................... 322
Distribution Company List.............................................................................................................. 327
Developing Curriculum Materials to Accompany Your Production........................................................ 333
Sample Distribution Acquisition Deal Memo...................................................................................... 334
The Distribution Agreement............................................................................................................ 336
What’s a nice woman like you…?................................................................................................... 338
Sample Distribution Agreement.................................................................................................... 339
Sample Domestic Quarterly Distribution Report.............................................................................. 358
Sample Distribution Report (by a Foreign Agent)............................................................................. 359
Sample Quarterly Report............................................................................................................ 360
Telefilm Canada Feature Film Fund Distribution Terms & Contract Requirements
Telefilm Canada Accounting & Reporting Requirements.......................................................................
CHAPTER 7- MARKETING
Publicity and the Producer............................................................................................................. 363
The Press Kit ............................................................................................................................... 369
Sample Press Release............................................................................................................... 372
Sample Launch Release............................................................................................................. 373
Role of the Producer in TV Publicity................................................................................................. 374
Ideas to Audience......................................................................................................................... 376
Website Promotion....................................................................................................................... 377
Social Media Marketing................................................................................................................. 378
Film Festivals ............................................................................................................................... 378
Film Markets ............................................................................................................................... 380
On Being a Successful Producer.................................................................................................... 381
RECOMMENDED FILM REFERENCE MATERIALS............................................................. 383
LEGISLATION......................................................................................................................... 385
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED WEBSITES........................................................................ 386
GLOSSARY & ACRONYMS.................................................................................................. 389