The Board of Directors of the Bell Fund has announced its decisions for the July 15, 2015 round of applications. Over $3.5M in grants has been approved for 27 of the 50 (English and French) applications received, as follows:
The following English language projects received Production Grants under the Bell Fund’s Production Program:
BROADCAST
DIGITAL MEDIA
Atomic Puppet
Mercury Filmworks
Executive Producers: Clint Eland, Steven Wendland, Peter Balaisch
Producers: Chantal Ling, Travis Williams, Thierry Rivard, Heath KennyCorus – Teletoon, 26 x 22 mins
Atomic Puppet Games – Crisis in Mega City and Captain Atomic Fight!
Mercury Filmworks
Executive Producer: Clint Eland
Producers: Chantal Ling, Travis WilliamsDM Service Co: Gamerizon Studios
A comedic series about a young, superhero-loving boy and the dynamic relationship he has with Captain Atomic, the independent super-powered puppet that only he can activate.
Two web games about being superheroes and fighting crime. In Crisis in Mega City, players experience being the hero and move through over 50 levels of gameplay. Captain Atomic Fight is a game styled after 2D arcade fighting games.
The Bagel and Becky Show
Radical Sheep Productions Inc.
Executive Producers: John Leitch, Michelle Melanson Cuperus
Producer: Heather WilsonCorus – Teletoon, 52 x 11 mins
Bagel and Becky: Unleashed!
Relish Interactive Inc.
Producers: Heather Wilson, Paul Pattison, Ben McEvoy
Executive Producers: John Leitch, Michelle Melanson-Cuperus
An animated comedy for kids about the chaotic adventures of a dog and cat. Despite having the best of intentions, the pair regularly end up wreaking havoc in the most wild and unpredictable of places.
Bagel and Becky: Unleashed! consists of two games available on web and as mobile apps. Manhattan Pancakes is a fun swipe game where players must quickly feed pancakes to characters. Bizarro Hills is a split screen endless runner game that allows for competitive play between two players.
Bugs on the Menu
Bugs Productions Inc.
Producers: Mark Bradley, Ian ToewsCBC Doc, 1 x 90 mins
Bugs on the Menu Interactive
Bugs Productions Inc.
Producers: James Milward, Noora Abu Eitah
Executive Producers: Mark Bradley, Ian ToewsDM Service Co : Secret Location
A documentary on the past, present, and future of eating insects. The film will observe insect harvests and markets in countries where eating insects is common, and follow the start-ups and scientists looking to bring the practice to Western society.
A website for people looking to learn more about eating bugs. It features short videos about insect farming and preparation, mini-documentaries of chefs discussing insect-based recipes, and a cookbook for users to try bug dishes for themselves.
Degrassi: Next Class
Epitome Pictures Inc.
Executive Producer: Linda Schuyler
Producer: Stephen StohnDHX – Family Channel, 20 x 30 mins
Degrassi: Next Class Digital
Epitome Pictures
Executive Producer: Stephen Stohn
Producer: Stephanie Cohen
A drama series discussing the issues that teens face in their world of school, family, and friends. The show looks at high school students as they experience the highs and lows of romance, heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, and other challenges.
A collection of web series including an after show, a lifestyle web series covering news and issues significant to teens, a series created from users’ own submitted videos, a post-episode show hosted by Snake (the principal), and a collection of behind-the-scenes footage.
George of the Jungle Season 2
Switch Animation
Executive Producers: Pete Denomme, Richard Elliott, Simon Racioppa, Jyotirmoy Saha, Heather Walker, Tiffany Ward
Producers: Heather Walker, Sung Lin GunCorus – Teletoon, 26 x 22 mins
George of the Jungle – Owie Owie
Moonray Studios Inc.
Producer: Dan Clark
This animated children’s series centers on George, a treehouse-dwelling, accident-prone man raised by apes. The stories follow George’s exploits as he defends his friends and jungle home against threats
An “endless climber” game for mobile where users tap, flick, and collect power-ups to propel George of the Jungle up tall trees. Elements of slapstick comedy are present in George’s falls and collisions along the way.
Lost & Found Music Studios
Temple Street Productions
Executive Producers: David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg & Frank van Keeken
Producers: Laurie McLarty, Laura Harbin & Amy ColeDHX – Family Channel, 26 x 30 mins
Lost and Found Music Booth
Temple Street Productions
Executive Producers: Ivan Schneeberg, David Fortier, Frank Van Keeken
Producers: Laurie McLarty, Laura Harbin, Amy Cole
A series about the ups and downs of tween members of an after-school music program and the established music producer they learn from.
An interactive online experience for audience members to become musicians themselves. The web portal features song covers from cast members, music lesson videos, a rhythm game, and an interactive program allowing users to re-write lyrics of songs featured on the show.
Slasher
Shaftesbury Films Inc.
Executive Producers: Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Aaron Martin
Producer: Julie LaceySuper Channel, 8 x 60 mins
Slasher – Nightwalker Experience
Shaftesbury Films Inc.
Executive Producers: Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie
Producers: Ted Biggs, Jay Bennett
An eight-part series combining the slasher genre with the whodunit murder mystery. A woman returns to her small hometown only to find it besieged by a spate of horrific murders. As she hunts down the serial killer (or killers), the town’s secrets are gradually revealed.
A horror experience for mobile devices, desktops, and the Oculus Rift where the user, as a character in the fictional world, will navigate through the small town in the television series. To survive, users will have to explore CG environments, follow clues from characters, and choose the right paths to take.
The Water Brothers Season 4
SK Films Inc.
Executive Producer: Jonathan Barker
Producers: Wendy MacKeigan, Tyler MifflinTVO, 6 x 25 mins
Dive Deeper 2
SK Films Inc.
Producers : Jonathan Barker, Wendy MacKeigan, Tyler MifflinDM Service Co : Thought Café
A documentary series following two brothers as they travel around the world to explore global water issues. This season, the brothers will look at water stories in Brazil, the U.S., and Canada.
3-5 minute visual experiences on web that will dive deeper into the most compelling information from each episode. The issues explored in the show will be broken down into macro, meso, and micro levels of analyses for users to explore at their own depth and pace.
The following French language projects received Production Grants under the Bell Fund’s Production Program:
BROADCAST
DIGITAL MEDIA
Justice
Picbois productions
Producer: Karine DuboisTélé-Québec, Canal Savoir, 3 x 52 minutes
Justice
Picbois productions
Producer: Karine DuboisDM Service Co.: PLIAB
Justice est une mini-série documentaire de trois épisodes qui propose un portrait percutant de la justice telle que vécue par trois archétypes du système de justice : un jeune contrevenant, un détenu et une victime d’acte criminel. Chaque épisode de 52 minutes offre une incursion dans l’univers d’un de ces archétypes du système.
Ancrée dans l’intimité de ces personnages et en parcourant leur histoire, la série documentaire invite le spectateur à faire l’expérience du système de justice de l’intérieur, aux côtés de ceux et celles qui le vivent.
Justice propose une expérience documentaire interactive qui viendra ébranler les connaissances et opinions du public en matière de justice. Grâce à un procédé d’entrevue interactive innovant, l’utilisateur est convié à un face-à-face avec des victimes ou des délinquant(e)s ayant fait l’expérience du système de justice. Un accès inédit à un sujet qui intrigue et captive. Dans ce webdocumentaire, la navigation est fluide et place l’utilisateur au coeur même de l’expérience. Sondage d’opinion, choix de questions d’entrevue, vulgarisation du système de justice par des vidéos d’animation, entrevues de spécialistes, contenus complémentaires sont autant d’éléments qui lui permettront de se bâtir une vision éclairée du sujet.
Les Appendices saison 8
Productions KOTV
Producer: Marie BrissetteTélé-Québec, 14 x 30 minutes
L’application mobile L’App/endice – Saison 8
Productions KOTV
Producer: Louis-Philippe Drolet, Louis Morissette, Alain ChicoineDM Service Co.: Version 10
Depuis 2009, la série propose des sketchs humoristiques décalés joués par les sept membres du groupe. En plus de leurs fonctions d’acteurs, les Appendices signent les textes, la réalisation, le montage, la musique et les infographies. Regarder Les Appendices c’est comme visionner un DVD sur un mode aléatoire. Un DVD qui serait devenu incontrôlable, fragmentaire. On passe d’un sketch, aux coulisses, à un commentaire audio, à un director’s cut, un blooper, etc. générique de la série.
Une application iOS et Android permettant de côtoyer l’univers des Appendices au quotidien. Conçue pour les téléphones intelligents et consultable sur tablettes numériques, L’App/endice est en quelque sorte un générateur de sketchs et de primeurs proposant une expérience de consommation de contenus personnalisée. 365 jours par année, l’usager se fait suggérer un sketch des Appendices choisi en fonction des circonstances particulières du jour et de ses préférences personnelles préalablement paramétrées. Il peut en tout temps explorer la banque de quelque 1 000 sketchs en utilisant un des trois modes de recherche, et enregistrer ses sketchs favoris au même endroit. L’application récompense ses usagers offrant chaque semaine en primeur 24 heures à l’avance la diffusion de l’épisode hebdomadaire, et en lui proposant une série de sketchs inédits, dont 8 tournés exclusivement pour la plateforme.
PaparaGilles saison 2
Zone3
Producer: Richard GohierICI ARTV, 13 x 30 minutes
PaparaGilles II
Zone3
Producer: Geneviève ProvostDM Service Co.: Version 10
Animée par le seul et unique MC Gilles, PaparaGilles est une émission de variétés qui ausculte avec humour le monde artistique et ses multiples visages. Avec beaucoup de fantaisie et de dérision, l’émission déploie chaque semaine un éventail de numéros et de sketchs qui font appel à divers humoristes et performeurs triés sur le volet, dont Jean-René Dufort, Katherine Levac, Fabien Cloutier, Mariana Mazza et Olivier Morin.
Un site repensé et une offre numérique humoristique sur 38 semaines adaptée aux nouvelles réalités de l’émission. Publicités Kijiji, suggestions de sorties culturelles, citations tirées de magazines et des médias sociaux, looks soumis au vote, quizs sur les potins… MC Gilles et ses collaborateurs reconstituent des scènes amusantes d’émissions de variétés lors de sept rendez-vous virtuels tournés sur webcam. Le PaparaJeu, un jeu de type « endless runner », met en vedette un personnage d’MC Gilles. De retour pour 38 éditions, le Journal PaparaGilles présente les publications les plus amusantes des vedettes sur Twitter, Facebook et Instagram.
Transformatruc
Attractions images
Producer: Marie-Élaine NadeauICI Radio-Canada, 65 x 15 minutes
Transformatruc
Attractions images
Producer: Micho Marquis-RoseDM Service Co.: Tobo
Dans chaque épisode, Tristan Demers nous présente une école et ses assistants d’un jour. Avec la complicité de la direction et des professeurs, Tristan et son escouade vont modifier sous nos yeux un local, une classe, un coin de la bibliothèque, un corridor ou tout autre endroit qui a besoin d’un petit peu d’amour, dans l’école. À la fin des travaux, les autres élèves du groupe, de la classe ou du niveau scolaire se joignent aux assistants du jour de Tristan pour découvrir l’œuvre et la compléter au besoin.
À chaque nouvel épisode, Tristan propose une transformation unique et adaptée aux besoins de ses assistants du jour. Ainsi, un coin lecture évoquera un château médiéval, un mur beige se métamorphosera en murale, mais aussi, des éléments de classe ou d’école seront personnalisés: chaises, fenêtres, pupitres, portes, clôtures, cour d’école, poubelles, etc.
Le site web propose aux jeunes des tutoriels pour réaliser à la maison les créations de l’émission et invite les plus hardis à tenter des projets créatifs plus complexes. L’application met à la disposition des jeunes utilisateurs un atelier qui comporte une multitude d’outils, de fonctionnalités, de couleurs et de matières : tout ce qu’il faut pour transformer leur environnement à leur image! Armés de leur tablette ou de leur iPod, ils peuvent modifier virtuellement les objets qui les entourent au gré de leurs envies. Ils peuvent aussi créer de toutes pièces l’objet de leurs rêves et l’intégrer à leur décor grâce à la réalité augmentée.
The following English language projects received Production Grants under the Bell Fund’s Low Budget Production Program:
BROADCAST
DIGITAL MEDIA
Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool
Aircraft Pictures
Executive Producers/Producers: Anthony Leo, Andrew RosenCorus – YTV, 1 x 90 mins
Macdonald Hall Diaries
Aircraft Pictures
Executive Producers/Producers: Anthony Leo, Andrew Rosen
Two perennial pranksters at a prestigious boarding school for boys hatch a series of schemes in order to raise money to save their school. The movie is based on the MacDonald Hall book series by Gordon Korman.
A six-episode comedic mockumentary web series in which the actors from the movie play heightened versions of themselves. Each episode follows a lead actor and will feature a combination of scripted interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and actual footage from the movie.
Delmer & Marta
Mosaic Entertainment
Producers: Eric Rebalkin, Camille Beaudoin, Jesse LipscombeAPTN, 4 x 22 mins
The Delmer and Marta Transmedia Experience
Mosaic Entertainment
Producers: Eric Rebalkin, Camille Beaudoin, Jesse LipscombeDM Service Co.: Innovate By Day, Switch United
A comedy about a couple who moves to a close knit prairie community in Alberta. When one of them finds her calling as a morning show host, the lovable couple find themselves immersed in a world that includes an eccentric producer, a quirky news team, and a variety of oddball locals.
A fun and immersive experience on the show’s website consisting of a digital companion series, a web-based app where fans can ask the characters questions and get responses, and a mini-site for the morning show within the show.
Look Kool Season 2
Apartment 11 Productions
Executive Producer: Jonathan Finkelstein
Producer: Jean-Louis CotéTVO, 13 x 22 mins
Look Kool Interactive Season 2
Apartment 11 Productions
Producer: Jonathan Finkelstein
Executive Producer: Jonathan Finkelstein
In the children’s series Look Kool, solving mathematical mysteries is made fun with the addition of songs, skits, and challenges. Real kids help host Hamza and his robot cat solve math puzzles by doing hands-on experiments.
A website with a series of mini-games, each one highlighting a specific math concept. Stamp collections and high score records, as well as the incentive of unlocking further mini-games, encourages kids to play and replay the games.
Michael Shannon Michael Shannon John
One Thousand and One Productions
Executive Producers: Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier
Producer: Nadia TavazzaniSuper Channel, 1 x 80 mins
The Legendary Phra Aphai Mani
One Thousand and One Productions
Executive Producers: Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier
Producers: Nadia Tavazzani and Chelsea McMullan
A documentary about John Hammer, who lived a double life. The film follows his four adult children, Michael and Shannon of Hamilton, Ontario, and Michael and Shannon of Thailand, as they seek to find the truth about their father.
A digital comic-style eBook and online short film exploring the parallels between the extraordinary double life of John Hammer and the mythical Thai prince Aphai Mani, who had families with both a mermaid and a sea ogress.
Star*Men
Inigo Films
Executive Producers: Moses Znaimer, Alison Rose, Jez Lewis, Richard Hanet
Producers : Alison RoseZoomer Media – VisionTV, Bell Media – CanalD, 2 x 45 mins
Star*Men Interactive
Inigo Films
Producer: Alison RoseDM Service Co: Helios Design Labs
Four of the world’s leading astronomers reunite on a road trip to celebrate 50 years of friendship and exploration. As they travel together, they reflect on how their work has influenced both the field of astronomy and their own selves.
A website of five guided, interactive tours of the universe featuring footage from space, stories from astronomers, and overviews of some of the most revolutionary astronomical discoveries so far. The tours focus on the work of the Star*Men astronomers and looks at how it could transform our lives.
The following French language project received Production Grants under the Bell Fund’s Low Budget Production Program:
BROADCAST
DIGITAL MEDIA
Les moments magiques avec Père Noël portable
UGROUPMEDIA
Producer: Alexandre BérardGroupe TVA – Yoopa, 24 x 2 minutes
Les moments magiques avec Père Noël interactif
UGROUPMEDIA
Producer: Alexandre BérardDM Service Co.: Tobo
Des moments magiques avec le Père Noël portable est une évolution naturelle de la marque PNP en développant encore plus loin la riche mythologie entourant le père Noël. L’expérience PNP est rendue encore plus divertissante grâce à une mini-série télé présentant des moments du quotidien du Père Noël et de ses lutins qui débordent d’énergie à mesure qu’approche la grande livraison de cadeaux du 24 décembre. Du 1er au 24 décembre, à tous les jours, une capsule de 1 minutes 30 sera diffusée.
Des moments magiques avec le Père Noël interactif est une application web/mobile interactive sous forme de calendrier de l’avent. Chaque jour entre le 1er et le 24 décembre, en complément du mini-épisode, l’application débloque de nouveaux jeux pour enchanter et divertir les enfants.
The following projects received Development funding:
Gift-It-Forward
Intuitive Pictures Inc.
Ina Fichman, Robin McKenna
Super Channel
Jenny
Productions Avenida
Chantal Lafleur
TV5
The following projects received Performance Accelerator funding:
Splatalot Accelerator
Marblemedia Interactive Inc.
Mark Bishop
Corus – YTV
Toupie et Binou – Refonte et mise-à-jour
Écho Média Toopy & Binoo Inc.
Luc Châtelain, Dominique Mendel
ICI Radio-Canada
The following organizations received Professional Development funding:
Digital Media Boot Camp
Women in Film & Television – Toronto
Cartoon Connection & Pixel Animation 2015
Pixel Québec
FNC Pro – Les tendances du transmedia
Festival du nouveau cinéma 2015
The following projects received TV Development Online funding:
Make Me Read
Creative Anarchy Inc.
Robert Sandler, Allen Booth
CBC
Inspector Bronco
Inspector Bronco Inc.
Visant Le-Guennec, Renaud Gauthier
Télétoon
The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian independent producers who develop and produce engaging, interactive cross-platform digital content for Canadian broadcasters to complement and enhance associated television programs. Since 1997, the Bell Fund has invested over $155M in over 1,600 Canadian digital media projects, television programs, development grants, co-productions and support for research and professional development. The Bell Fund also undertakes training, research, business development and promotion for the digital media industry.
The Bell Fund receives annual contributions of approximately $16 M from Bell TV as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry. In addition, the Development Program is supported by the interest generated by a $10M endowment, and contributions from Aliant. The Bell Fund is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, governed by an independent Board of Directors representing various sectors of the television and digital media industry.
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For further information:
416-977-8154
info@bellfund.ca
www.bellfund.ca
514-845-4418
info@fondsbell.ca
www.fondsbell.ca