Originally posted Oct 28 on Kidscreen
Twenty-four small and mid-sized Canadian studios have rallied together to raise about US$93,000 (CAD$131,000) as a gift to support the country’s kids content investor Rocket Fund Canada. They also sent a letter to the government “urgently” calling on it to secure the org’s future, says Ken Faier, president of Epic Story Media.
The studios were inspired by Shaftesbury’s US$142,000 (CAD$200,000) gift to the Rocket Fund, announced in September, to support the org after it lost its key revenue source amid a decreased investment in Canadian kids content.
Some of the studios that raised the money, and put their names on the letter to the government, include Epic Story Media, Vérité Films, Guru Studios, Apartment 11 Productions, Sinking Ship Entertainment, Lopii Productions, Fresh TV, 9 Story Media Group, Happy Camper Media and Wind Sun Sky Entertainment.
The producers have sent a letter to Marc Miller, Canada’s minister of Canadian identity and culture, calling for Canada to allocate “a meaningful, ongoing contribution directly to Rocket Fund from the [CAD] $600 million in annual support for Canada’s audio and audiovisual sectors.” The government pledged the US$432 million amount after it rejected rules that would have forced global streamers to contribute more to the Canadian media industry.
This “completely grassroots” initiative is the total opposite of how studios typically interact with the Rocket Fund. The businesses that have raised the money are typically the ones that are competing with each other for the funding that the org provides. But after more than a year of lobbying the government to protect the Rocket Fund, it became clear that these small businesses had to step up to keep the doors open at the org.
The studios united behind the shared goal of “protecting and preserving” the critical institution, Virginia Thompson, president of Vérité Films, tells Kidscreen. Thompson and Faier came up with the idea at MIPCOM, and have been building the “side of our desk” initiative by reaching out to other producers—and anyone who can make a donation is invited to pitch in. (Others who want to contribute to the gift can reach out to Faier and Thompson at ken.faier@epicstorymedia.com and virginia@veritefilms.ca.)
“When Shaftesbury made the gift to Rocket Fund Canada, we hoped others might follow. Seeing more than 20 small and medium sized companies step up, demonstrates that the industry knows what’s at stake,” Christina Jennings, president and chairman of Shaftesbury, tells Kidscreen. “They understand the significance of Rocket Fund Canada as the glue that keeps the children’s industry together in our country. Now, it is up to the government to make kids’ content a priority.”
The companies that raised the money aren’t going to get any special treatment when it comes to accessing the Rocket Fund’s financing, Thompson emphasizes. The money is aimed at covering “salaries, rent, overhead and other expenses,” helping the Rocket Fund keep the doors open and its mission alive, which has a mandate of supporting the entire industry—and that’s what’s at stake if the government doesn’t support Rocket Fund, Thompson says.
“The spirit and intent here is for the Rocket Fund to continue operations, so they can find new sources of funding to continue,” says Thompson. “When those sources of funding are secured…the fund will be in a position to do its work, to continue, and award funding to Canadian producers who apply for it, following their strict guidelines.”
The producers shared the letter and news of the gift with Rocket Fund president and CEO Agnes Augustin today.
“We are overwhelmed by this generous show of support for Rocket Fund,” Augustin said. “So many of these companies are facing their own challenges, yet they have come together to help. It speaks volumes about the spirit of our community and how deeply we all care about making sure Canadian kids have stories of their own. I’m incredibly grateful, and we will continue to do all we can to support this amazing community!”