Telefilm has just released this year’s guidelines for its Talent to Watch first feature film program and I believe your best strategy to secure this $250,000 has changed.
Previously I’ve blogged about this excellent program and suggested you join your local media cooperative to apply. That was when that was the only way. Now things have changed! (Of course, there are a myriad of other reasons to join your local media cooperative!)
Last year was the first year people from underrepresented groups could apply directly to Telefilm, bypassing the Industry Partner stream. And they were rewarded with half of the sixteen projects.
This, then, emerges as the best strategy for Talent to Watch: pull your team (Producer, Writer and Director) together from underrepresented groups and apply directly between April 17 and May 1, 2023.
Telefilm considers people from these groups as underrepresented:
- Indigenous
- Black
- People of Colour
- Women
- Gender-diverse individuals
- 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals
- Persons with disabilities
- Members of an Official Language Minority Community
For instance, Indigenous filmmakers should review Telefilm’s Indigenous initiatives.
My take: still the best odds for getting your first feature financed! I predict this may be the last year for the Industry Stream. Certainly, if your full team qualifies, you should definitely apply directly to Telefilm Talent to Watch.