Independent Production Fund
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Independent Production Fund
| logo = Independent Production Fund logo.svg
| logo_size = 150px
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| foundation = 1991
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| location = Toronto, Ontario
Montreal, Quebec
| origins =
| key_people = Andra Sheffer, CEO
Claire Dion, Associate Director
| area_served = Canada
| industry = Original online series, Digital Media, television
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| homepage = [http://ipf.ca ipf.ca]
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}}
The Independent Production Fund (IPF) is a Canadian private independent foundation that supports the production of Canadian dramatic digital media entertainment content and television series. It also provides professional development services and training to digital media producers and creators, in English and in French. See also Fonds indépendant de production entry (in French).
History
In 1990 Maclean Hunter Limited, a former Canadian communications company, created the Maclean Hunter Television Fund{{cite web|title=Maclean Hunter Television Fund 5th Anniversary: A Boost To Canadian Television|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1996/06/03/5354-19960603/}} with a capital endowment of $29.2 M restricted in perpetuity, as a result of a Decision by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).{{cite web|title=Decision CRTC 89-766|date=September 28, 1989 |url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1989/DB89-766.HTM}} The Fund was incorporated federally as a corporation without share capital and was granted charitable status. Its mandate was to fund television drama series and undertake industry training with the interest generated by the endowment and return on investments.{{cite news|last1=Adilman|first1=Sid|title=Where's The TV Drama?|publisher=Toronto Star|date=May 17, 2002}}
The Fund mandate was extended to undertake the administration of other independent private funds supporting the Canadian film, television and digital media industry: the Cogeco Program Development Fund{{cite web|title=Cogeco Fund: About|url=http://cogecofund.ca/about/}} launched in 1993, the Bell Fund (1997){{cite web|title=New Digital Content Grants and Co-Production Support Underscore Bell Fund Vision|url=http://onscreenmanitoba.com/new-digital-content-grants-and-co-production-support-underscore-bell-fund-vision-and-2014/}} and a series of other short-term industry Funds.
In 1994 Maclean Hunter was acquired by Rogers Communications,{{cite web|title=Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Rogers Communications Inc.|url=http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/45/Rogers-Communications-Inc.html}} and the Fund was renamed the Independent Production Fund. A five-member board of directors representing different sectors of the production industry governed the Fund's activities.{{cite web|title=Independent Production Fund Guide to Web Series Best Practices|url=http://onscreenmanitoba.com/independent-production-fund-guide-to-web-series-best-practices/|website=OnScreen Manitoba|access-date=May 12, 2015|archive-date=May 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518095730/http://onscreenmanitoba.com/independent-production-fund-guide-to-web-series-best-practices/|url-status=dead}}
In 1999 the CRTC approved the IPF as a "Canadian Independent Production Fund"{{cite web|title=CRTC: List of Certified Independent Production Funds|date=December 4, 2013 |url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/GENERAL/CIPFund.htm}} eligible to receive contributions from Broadcast Distribution Undertakings (BDU's). In 2017, Cogeco Communications directed its annual Broadcast Distribution Undertaking (BDU) contributions to the IPF to establish the Cogeco TV Production Program.{{Cite web|url=https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/independent-production-fund-assume-production-181800467.html|title=Independent Production Fund to Assume Production Funding Activities of Cogeco Program Development Fund and Receive Annual Financial Contributions From Cogeco Communications Inc.|date=May 23, 2018|website=Yahoo! Finance}}
From 1991 to 2010 the IPF invested over $47M in 251 Canadian television drama series.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ipf.ca/AnnualReports/IPF-REPORT-2010.pdf|title=IPF Annual Report 2010|date=May 23, 2018|website=IPF Website}} In 2010, the IPF's mandate was revised to focus funding on drama series created for new digital platforms.{{cite web|title=15 Canadian web series get funding from the Independent Production Fund|url=http://www.nsi-canada.ca/2011/06/15-canadian-web-series-get-funding-from-the-independent-production-fund/}}{{cite web|title=Financing for Web Drama|url=http://www.jillgolick.com/2010/01/financing-for-web-drama/|website=Running with My Eyes Closed|date=January 19, 2010 }}{{cite web|last1=Krewen|first1=Nick|title=IPF renews web series funding indefinitely|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2013/12/03/ipf-renews-web-series-funding-indefinitely/|website=Playback}} It allocates nearly $2M per year from the interest generated by the endowment and recoupment of its funding investments, to original digital drama series.{{cite web|last1=Cummins|first1=Julianna|title=IPF invests nearly $2M across 17 web series|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2014/06/23/ipf-invests-nearly-2m-across-17-web-series/|website=Playback}} From 2010–2017 the IPF invested $12.8M in 114 short form scripted digital series.{{Cite web|url=http://ipf.ca/AR2017/statistics/|title=IPF Annual Report 2017|date=May 23, 2018|website=IPF Website}}
Executives
- CEO 1991–present: Andra Sheffer{{cite web|title=Primetime in Ottawa Panelists|url=http://www.primetimeinottawa.ca/panelists-and-speakers/andra-sheffer/|access-date=May 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083820/http://www.primetimeinottawa.ca/panelists-and-speakers/andra-sheffer/|archive-date=May 18, 2015|url-status=dead}}
- Associate Director (Quebec) 1991 – present: Claire Dion{{cite web|title=Banff Centre Faculty: Claire Dion|url=http://www.banffcentre.ca/faculty/faculty-member/3040/claire-dion/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518081029/http://www.banffcentre.ca/faculty/faculty-member/3040/claire-dion/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 18, 2015}}
- Chair 1991–1995: Bernard Montigny
- Chair 1996–2008: Peter Mortimer{{cite web|title=Peter Mortimer: 1937–2009|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2009/09/09/mortimer-20090909/|website=Playback}}
- Chair 2009–2017: Charles Ohayon{{cite web|title=RFAVQ: Charles Ohayon|url=https://www.rfavq.qc.ca/charles-ohayon|access-date=May 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518112258/https://www.rfavq.qc.ca/charles-ohayon|archive-date=May 18, 2015|url-status=dead}}
- Chair 2018–present: Jon Taylor{{Cite web|url=https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jontaylorexec|title=Jon Taylor LinkedIn Profile|date=May 23, 2018|website=LinkedIn}}
Fund Recipients
As of 2017, the IPF has supported 251 television projects, 422 professional development activities and 114 original online series which represents nearly $65M in funding.{{Cite web|url=http://ipf.ca/AR2017/statistics/|title=IPF Annual Report 2017|date=May 23, 2018|website=IPF website}}
= Selection of funded original online series =
| style="border-spacing: 2px; border: 1px solid darkgray;"
! style="width:20%" | Series ! style="width:50%" | Description and Awards |
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| style="border: 1px solid darkgray;;"| [http://gaylpile.com/ The Amazing Gayl Pile] | style="border: 1px solid darkgray; text-align: left;"| A man gives his all to conquer the world of home shopping from a channel in Hamilton, Ontario Canadian Screen Award – Best Original Program or Series produced for Digital Media – Fiction, Best Direction in a Program or Series Produced for Digital Media (2017) (Nominee) International Emmy Award – Best Short-Form Series (2017){{Cite web|url=http://gaylpile.com/the-amazing-gayl-pile-receives-international-emmy-award-nomination/|title=The Amazing Gayl Pile receives International Emmy Award nomination!|date=May 23, 2018|website=Gaylpile.com}} |
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| style="border: 1px solid darkgray;;"| [https://guidestones.org/ Guidestones] | style="border: 1px solid darkgray; text-align: left;"| Two journalism students uncover a global conspiracy while investigating an unsolved murder International Emmy Award – Best Digital Program: Fiction (2013) Canadian Screen Award – Best Original Series Produced for Digital Media (2013) |
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| style="border: 1px solid darkgray;;"|[https://watch.cbc.ca/season/my-90-year-old-roommate/season-2/935433f2-a65a-4caf-8d6e-8c9c14d7ffcd My 90 Year Old Roommate] | style="border: 1px solid darkgray; text-align: left;"| Ethan, a 31-year-old single man, moves in with his 90-year-old grandfather and the pair quickly realize that they have a lot to learn from each other Canadian Screen Award – Best Performance by an Actor in a Web Series or Program: Paul Soles (2017) |
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| style="border: 1px solid darkgray;;"|[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEtHkTVHB-o_QABPoC2854Q peopleWatching] | style="border: 1px solid darkgray; text-align: left;"|Humorous and heartfelt short stories about people trying to find acceptance, romance and sanity, and how you can watch people all day long... Banff World Media Festival Rockie Award – Best Web Series Fiction (2017){{Cite web|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2017/06/12/banff-17-nfb-spin-master-win-rockie-awards/|title=Banff '17: NFB, Spin Master win Rockie Awards|date=May 23, 2018|website=Playback Magazine}} |
| style="text-align: center"
| style="border: 1px solid darkgray;;"|[http://versusvalerie.com Versus Valerie] | style="border: 1px solid darkgray; text-align: left;"|{{anchor|Versus Valerie}}Versus Valerie follows Valerie Lapomme, YouTube's Sexy Nerd Girl, as she navigates her chaotic life, sliding between reality and her video-game and genre-bending imagination. Canadian Comedy Awards – Best Web Series, Best Female Performance in a Web Series, Best Direction in a Web Series, and Best Writing in a Web Series (2014).{{cite web |url=https://www.canadiancomedyawards.org/archives.php?year=2014 |title=Nominations & Awards Archives |publisher=Canadian Comedy Awards |access-date=21 October 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180802163734/https://www.canadiancomedyawards.org/archives.php?year=2014 |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |url-status=dead }} |
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| style="border: 1px solid darkgray;;"|[https://vimeo.com/112440642 Whatever, Linda] | style="border: 1px solid darkgray; text-align: left;"|A Woman in the 1970s gets a job as a secretary for financier Barney Lahnar (inspired by Bernie Madoff) and becomes the real brains behind the Ponzi scheme that will eventually bring him down Vancouver Web Fest – Best Canadian Series, Best Drama Series (2015){{Cite web|url=https://ipf.ca/series/whatever-linda/|title=Whatever, Linda|date=May 23, 2018|website=IPF Website}} |