Recipients of IP BC Pilot Program Announced by Creative BC and CMPA-BC

Vancouver, B.C. (April 13, 2023) – Today, Creative BC and the Canadian Media Producers Association, BC Producers Branch (CMPA-BC) are proud to announce 18 recipients of a new pilot initiative funding B.C. producers to option pre-existing intellectual property (IP). The IP BC Pilot Program (the Pilot) will deliver $200K in grants of up to $25K each, enabling recipient producers to adapt existing creative and cultural properties into film and television content.  

Qualifying formats include fiction, documentary and animated series, as well as feature films for theatrical distribution and one-off programs for television and streamer platform networks. 

The Pilot is a partnership between Creative BC and the CMPA-BC with the cost of IP acquisition as the only eligible program expense. Examples of pre-existing creative and cultural IP properties include but are not limited to novels, creative non-fiction books, comics, podcasts, songs, magazine articles, video games and stage plays.

B.C.-based production companies will leverage the Pilot’s support to improve their competitive position in securing high potential properties, whether B.C.-owned or out-of-province, they can move forward without market trigger to develop, produce, and then sell as Canadian-owned screen-based content at domestic and international markets.

The following is the list of successful recipients. Where noted*, 13 of the 18 projects’ IP was optioned from a B.C.-owned company or individual B.C. creator:

1. Project: StarRunner*
Production Company: Relish Productions
Amount/Type: $25,000, Feature Film

2. Project: Running Through Sprinklers*
Production Company: Goodbye Productions
Amount/Type: $13,500, Television Series

3. Project: Where is Lisa?*
Production Company: Rogue River Films
Amount/Type: $6,750, Television Series

4. Project: Middle of Nowhere*
Production Company: Shotglass Productions
Amount/Type: $8,550, Feature Film

5. Project: Rocket Saves the Day
Production Company: Atomic Cartoons
Amount/Type: $12,000, TV Series Pilot

6. Project: Mindful of Murder*
Production Company: Reality Distortion Field
Amount/Type: 4,500, Television Series

7. Project: Little Wing
Production Company: Screen Siren Pictures
Amount/Type: $3,398, Television Mini-Series

8. Project: Project Souvenir*
Production Company: Ceroma Films
Amount/Type: $13,500, Television Mini-Series

9. Project: Rescue Me*
Production Company: Falcon Features
Amount/Type: $900, Television Series

10. Project: Junie*
Production Company: Akilla Express
Amount/Type: $2,700, Television Series

11. Project: A New Leash on Death
Production Company: Patrick Street Pictures
Amount/Type: $5,333, Movie of the Week

12. Project: Second Sight
Production Company: Independent Edge Films
Amount/Type: $8,000, Television Series

13. Project: The Rescue of Annette Poitras*
Production Company: Goonworks Films
Amount/Type: $13,500, Feature Film

14. Project: Tidal: A Story for Global Hope
Production Company: Portraits from a Fire Productions
Amount/Type: $16,000, Short Film

15. Project: Cranked*
Production Company: Tilt 9 Entertainment
Amount/Type: $25,000, Feature Film

16. Project: Tuesdays and Sundays*
Production Company: Studio BRB
Amount/Type: $3,150, Television Series

17. Project: Wire Wings*
Production Company: Trembling Void Studios
Amount/Type: $4,500, Television Series

18. Project: Wolfcop3*
Production Company: Arcana Studio Inc.
Amount/Type: $20,000, Feature Film 

To learn more about the Pilot, visit: https://creativebc.com/services/funding-programs/domestic-motion-picture-programs/reel-focus-bc/ip-bc-pilot-program/  

QUOTES:
Honorable Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
“Congratulations to the recipients! It’s important to support local talent by lifting up people from B.C. as they showcase beautiful British Columbia to the world through their art. I look forward to seeing the projects come to life!”  

Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC
“Creative BC is proud to partner with the CMPA-BC and announce the first recipients of the IP BC Pilot Program. Securing rights to exciting new stories is an essential step for B.C. producers–recognizing how competitive it can be to bid for those titles, we want to give our local creators a strong advantage.”

Tracey Friesen, Managing VP, Canadian Media Producers Association, BC Producer Branch
“It’s about getting your foot in the door, and the IP BC Pilot will help do that. When a pitch is built around a pre-existing creative work with an established audience, buyers perk up. CMPA-BC knows our province’s producers are strategic and entrepreneurial, and will leverage this support into strong business opportunities.” 

Praneet Akilla, IP BC Pilot Program Recipient
“Like many emerging producers in B.C., not having the financial means to invest and develop IP has been a barrier of entry into the Canadian film and television landscape. Our small, independent companies cannot get into competitive bidding wars with major studios or production companies. This is an incredible program that helps us with that first big step.” 

Media Contact:
Creative BC
Lisa Escudero
media@creativebc.com
604-730-2235 

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About Creative BC
Creative BC is an independent society created and supported by the Province to sustain and help grow British Columbia’s creative industries: motion picture, interactive and digital media, music and sound recording, and magazine and book publishing. The society delivers a wide range of programs and services with a mandate to expand B.C.’s creative economy. These activities include: administration of the provincial government’s motion picture tax credit programs; delivery of program funding and export marketing support for the sector; and provincial film commission services. Combined, these activities serve to attract inward investment and market B.C. as a partner and destination of choice for domestic and international content creation. The society acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help B.C.’s creative sector reach its economic, social, environmental and creative potential both at home, and globally. Website: www.creativebc.com 

About the Canadian Media Producers Association, BC Producer Branch
The BC Producers Branch of the CMPA works on behalf of more than 100 British Columbia companies engaged in the production and distribution of television, feature film, and digital media content. It promotes the interests of its members with all levels of government; negotiates and manages labour agreements with the provinces guilds and unions; and undertakes a variety of member, industry and export development initiatives to build the capacity of B.C. based production companies.  CMPA-BC is a provincial branch of the Canadian Media Producers Association.