Bell Fund

The Bell Fund
Industry Television, Digital Media
Founded 1997
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario,
Montreal, Quebec
Area served
 Canada
Key people

Nancy Chapelle, Executive Director

Claire Dion, Associate Director
Website bellfund.ca

The Bell Fund (formerly the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund) is an independent private Canadian fund that finances interactive digital content associated with Canadian television programs.[1][2] These digital extensions can include things such as: web games, mobile apps, mobile games, websites, iTV apps, eBooks and webisodes.[3] Established in 1997, the fund has supported over 1,400 projects with the total amount granted exceeding $150,000,000 as of December 2014.[4]

History

The fund was established in 1997 by Bell Canada and receives annual contributions from Bell TV and Bell Aliant.[5] It was certified by the CRTC as an independent private fund.[6] The fund was mandated by Bell Canada “To encourage the production of world-class Canadian content for the new media and broadcasting marketplace and to stimulate partnerships between new media and broadcast producers.”[7] More specifically, the Fund’s mandate has been to help support Canadian companies that create web content that complements Canadian television programs [8] The original funding program provided a grant of up to $250,000 for the digital media project and up to $75,000 for the television component of each project. In 1998 17 projects received funding and a total of $3,288,181 was given out.[9] By 2013 that number had grown significantly with the fund supporting 188 individual projects with grants over $16,500,000.[10] Originally the fund just had one funding program, it now has nine.[11]

Mandate

The purpose of the Bell Fund is to “advance the Canadian broadcasting system.”[12] It does this by encouraging relationships between broadcasters, producers and digital media companies. The fund also supports mentorship programs [13] industry research studies [14] and conferences [15] as well as creation of policies and a framework for funding and international co-productions.[16][17] Additionally, the Bell Fund organizes missions for digital media producers to meet potential co-production companies and international broadcasters including to Australia (2005),[18] Power to the Pixel in London (2013)[19] and Forum Blanc (2014).[20]

Awards

Over the years, projects supported by the Bell Fund have been recognized by many different award organizations including the International Digital Emmy Awards[21] and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.[22] Shane Kinnear, Shaftesbury VP sales and marketing (ReGenesis Extended Reality Game), on being awarded their International Emmy, was quoted saying that support from the Bell Fund allowed Regenesistv.com to be more innovative than other sites being developed at the time. "Site developers and series writers worked together to make the site more than just a promotional tool. For example, elements of the script are created specifically to provide clues for playing the online game."[23]

International Digital Emmy Awards

Project Award Year

Murdoch Mysteries: Curse of the Lost Pharoah Digital Series

Digital Program: Fiction (nominee)

2012

Endgame Interactive: Facebook Episode

Digital Program: Fiction

2012

ReGenesis Extended Reality Game

Interactive Program

2007

Gemini Awards

Project Award Year

Storming Juno Interactive

Best Cross-Platform Project - Non-Fiction

2011

DatingGuy.com

Best Cross-Platform Project - Fiction

2011

Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive

Best Cross-Platform Project - Children’s and Youth

2011

Taste Buds

Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth

2010

Canadian Screen Awards

Project Award Year

Grojband – the Show Must Go On!

Best Cross-Platform - Children's and Youth

2015

Played – Interference

Best Cross-Platform Project – Fiction

2015

Big Brother Canada Digital

Best Cross-Platform Project – Non-Fiction

2015

My Babysitter's a Vampire Interactive: Humans vs Vampires

Best Cross-Platform - Children's and Youth

2013

Drunk and on Drugs the Happy Fun Time Hour - Digital

Best Cross-Platform Project - Fiction

2013

Projects

Since its creation in 1997, the fund has supported more than 1,400 Canadian television shows and their digital extensions.[24][25] This includes factual television shows such as The Amazing Race Canada, Eat St.[26] and Big Brother Canada.[27] Additionally, a number of Canadian dramas have received funding [28] including Being Erica, Degrassi: The Next Generation,[29] Murdoch Mysteries,[30] Heartland[31] and Primeval: New World[32]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bell Fund: Mission and History". Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  2. ↑ "CMPA: Business Affairs & Production Tools". Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  3. ↑ "Bell Fund: Production Program Guidelines" (PDF).
  4. ↑ Vlessing, Etan. "Bell Fund names Nancy Chapelle as new exec director". Playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  5. ↑ "Bell's new media fund". Bce.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  6. ↑ "List of Certified Independent Production Funds". Crtc.gc.ca. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  7. ↑ "Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund: Annual Report 1998" (PDF). Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  8. ↑ Steve Tilley, Sun Media (“Spotlight on Canuck Sites” October 3, 2007)
  9. ↑ "Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund: Annual Report 1998" (PDF). Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  10. ↑ Cummins, Julianna. "Bell Fund invested over $16.5M in 2013: report". Playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  11. ↑ "Bell Fund Program Comparison". Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  12. ↑ "Arts BC: Corporate Grantors". Artsbc.org. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  13. ↑ Twiss, Jordan. "Bell Fund and CMPA team up for digital media mentorship program". Playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  14. ↑ "New directions for the financing of Interactive Digital Media in Canada" (PDF). Cmf-fmc.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  15. ↑ "Banff World Media Festival Partners". Banffmediafestival.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  16. ↑ "Canadian funders adopt a framework to facilitate international digital media co-production". Cmf-fmc.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  17. ↑ "Bell Fund Professional Development rogram".
  18. ↑ Hay, Rob. "'You reap what you sow' - New models for Australian media". Screenhub.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  19. ↑ "Power to the Pixel: London Forum 2013".
  20. ↑ "Forum Blanc Territory Focus - Canada". Forumblanc.org. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  21. ↑ "2013 International Digital Emmy Awards Nominees Announced". Iemmys.tv. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  22. ↑ "Inaugural Canadian Screen Awards presented in Film, TV and Digital Media". Mediacaster Magazine. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  23. ↑ Bracken, Laura (October 15, 2007). "Industry catching up to Bell Fund". Playbackonline.ca.
  24. ↑ Cummings, Juliana. "Andra Sheffer resigns from Bell Fund". Playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  25. ↑ "IMDB: Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  26. ↑ Christie, Brendan. "Paperny Lands $300K from Bell Fund for Eat St.".
  27. ↑ "Big Brother Canada Gives Fans the Biggest Multiplatform Entertainment Experience". Newswire.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  28. ↑ "Funded Projects: Drama". Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  29. ↑ "'The N' Takes on Tween Issues With 'Degrassi: The Next Generation'". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  30. ↑ "Prime Minister Harper Steps Back In Time With Murdoch". Villagegamer.net. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  31. ↑ Richards, Erin. "CBC Announces The Heartland Social Game on Facebook". Veritascanada.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  32. ↑ "Omnifilm Entertainment to Release Primeval: New World Dinosaur App Games". Omnifilm.com. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
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