NOHFC Film & Television Stream

The Film and Television Stream is designed to increase film and television industry jobs and investment and to increase quality, original film and television productions produced in Northern Ontario, while showcasing its culture, geography, stories and talent.

Who is Eligible?

The Film and Television Stream is open to production companies who are passionate about growing and supporting the industry in Northern Ontario.

• The production company must be a Canadian corporation which is Canadian controlled
• The production company must own all, or a majority of the rights necessary to exploit and produce the production.
• Applicants must receive a producer credit on the project.

There are four application intake rounds:

• Round 1: Application intake period: February 1 - April 30
• Round 2: Application intake period: May1 - July 31
• Round 3: Application intake period: August 1 - October 31
• Round 4: Application intake period: November 1 - January 31

What Projects are Eligible?

Types of eligible projects include:

• Theatrical feature films
• Scripted television series
• Made-for-television movies
• Documentaries

Evaluation Criteria

The NOHFC Film and Television Stream is designed to encourage quality media productions that will raise the profile of Northern Ontario. Priority will be given to productions featuring Northern Ontario culture and stories, Northern Ontario talent, and which are set in Northern Ontario.

Funding decisions are based on the project’s Northern Ontario Benefits and Production Strength.

The Northern Benefits assessment is important to determine the economic aspects of the project that will directly impact the Northern Ontario Industry, such as:

• Projected expenditures in Northern Ontario, including employment potential;
• Length of shoot;
• Post-production sourced from northern Ontario;
• Training with northern post-secondary institutions;
• Key creative positions from northern Ontario;
• Previous history of working in northern Ontario;
• Cultural significance of the project to Northern Ontario;
• The story showcasing northern Ontario; and
• Other significant benefits as presented.

The Production Strength assessment is important to determine the applicant’s level of sophistication and ability to produce and deliver the project including:

• The feasibility of the project with respect to budget, financing, scope, experience of key project leads, and distribution plan.
• The marquee value of the budgeted cast and level of creative content
• The credibility of the marketing plan and the distributor’s capacity and commitment to the project and track record of success

Productions must meet appropriate quality-acceptance standards for broadcast and distribution. Documentaries must strive for journalistic integrity.

The NOHFC Board of Directors reserves the right to apply its final judgement in these regards. Funding for each project is determined by the NOHFC Board of Directors, and limited funding is available. Not all projects meeting the criteria will necessarily receive funding.

Funding

NOHFC funding is based on the project’s total level of spending in Northern Ontario. NOHFC provides assistance in the form of a conditional contribution up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum capped on a tiered basis according to the total northern spend:

Total Production BudgetPotential Level of SupportUp to $5 millionUp to $500,000$5 million - $10 millionUp to $1,000,000$10 million and aboveUp to $2,000,000

Project costs that are eligible for NOHFC funding include all costs of production that are spent in Northern Ontario, including labour costs, production goods and services, and post-production costs.

What is Not Eligible?

Types of ineligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• Unscripted media content, such as reality TV, live sports, news or improvisational comedy
• Advertisements, partisan content, fundraising videos, or industry videos not meant for broader consumption
• Productions containing excessive violence or sexually explicit content, that encourage hatred, intolerance, violence or criminal activity.

The following costs are ineligible for NOHFC support:

• Costs spent outside of Northern Ontario
• Brokerage of goods and services from outside of Northern Ontario by intermediaries
• Operational expenses for a media company

Program Requirements

The NOHFC holds four application intake rounds during the year for the Film and Television Stream.

Applicants must provide evidence of the availability of all other project financing with terms and conditions satisfactory to the NOHFC, at the time of application.

The project must have secured a written commitment letter from a qualified and experienced distributor or broadcaster, satisfactory to the NOHFC, at the time of application.

Applications will be reviewed by NOHFC staff for completeness and eligibility.