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Bell Fund

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Bell Fund
IndustryTelevision, Digital Media
FoundedAugust 1997
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario,
Montreal, Quebec
Area served
Canada
Key people
Nancy Chapelle, Executive Director Claire Dion, Associate Director
OwnerBell
Websitebellfund.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 owned by Bell.[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

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The fund was established in 1997 by Bell Canada and receives annual contributions from Bell Satellite 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

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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

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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
Endgame Interactive: Facebook Episode 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
The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour - Digital Best Cross-Platform Project - Fiction 2013

Projects

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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

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References

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  1. ^ "Bell Fund: Mission and History". Bellfund.ca. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  2. ^ "CMPA: Business Affairs & Production Tools". Bellfund.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. 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. Archived from the original on 2015-06-11. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  12. ^ "Arts BC: Corporate Grantors". Artsbc.org. Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-13. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  15. ^ "Banff World Media Festival Partners". Banffmediafestival.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  16. ^ "Canadian funders adopt a framework to facilitate international digital media co-production". Cmf-fmc.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  17. ^ "Bell Fund Professional Development rogram". Archived from the original on 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  18. ^ Hay, Rob. "'You reap what you sow' - New models for Australian media". Screenhub.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-05-21.[permanent dead link‍]
  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. Archived from the original on 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  22. ^ "Inaugural Canadian Screen Awards presented in Film, TV and Digital Media". Mediacaster Magazine. Archived from the original on 2013-05-07. 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. Archived from the original on 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
  28. ^ "Funded Projects: Drama". Bellfund.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-06-10. 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. Archived from the original on 2015-06-10. 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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