ShareFilm Fund: Marketing and Distribution Initiative
The Marketing and Distribution Initiative (MDI) is intended to assist producers of Ontario Creates Film Fund supported projects to make a meaningful contribution to the domestic marketing and distribution of their projects leading up to and during their release.
Available during fiscal 2020-21', this time-limited initiative is intended to support strategies and tactics that are an extension of traditional marketing and distribution activities and/or innovative exploitation strategies that enhance and build audience and revenue. These strategies and tactics can work independently and/or in conjunction with pre-existing distribution and licensor strategies.
Deadline:
Continuous, closes January 29, 2021
Applicants are encouraged to apply for Marketing Support at minimum eight weeks prior to the planned official release date of the film.
Funding Available:
Successful applicants are eligible to receive up to $25,000, capped at 75% of the total costs for all activities.
Note: Full eligibility requirements and details can be found in the Marketing & Distribution Guidelines located here. Please read the guidelines completely before submitting your proposal. Ontario Creates reserves the right to revise Guidelines.
Application Process
All applications must be submitted via email to Kelly Payne, Program Consultant at kpayne@ontariocreates.ca.
Eligible Applicants, Activities and Costs
Applicants must be recent, successful recipients of the Ontario Creates Film Fund through the Drama or Documentary production stream. Eligible projects must be completed, delivered or close to delivery and undertaking domestic release. Projects that have been commercially released are not eligible for this initiative.
To be eligible the project’s release date must be slated to occur between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
Eligible activities are those that build awareness of the title and enhance its value in domestic sales channels including theatrical, broadcast, digital and non-theatrical across all platforms. The activities should complement and leverage the functions of a distributor when a distribution agreement is in place. Activities must be detailed in a Marketing and Distribution Plan that outlines the overall strategy for the film across all platforms and identifies the respective roles of the Producer and the Distributor (if there is one).
Eligible costs are those incurred by the Producer that are integral to the Marketing and Distribution Plan for the release. These can be internal costs allocated to staff time, expenses directly in support of marketing activities, direct costs of goods and services, and costs related to hiring a third party contractor. Activities and associated costs must be within a defined 6 month window surrounding the commercial release.
Guidelines and Application Form:
Ontario Creates MDI Guidelines 
Ontario Creates MDI Application Form 
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Payne
Program Consultant, Industry Initiatives
Phone: 416-642-8521
kpayne@ontariocreates.ca
To receive notifications of upcoming deadlines and program updates, please email programs@ontariocreates.ca with your complete contact information, including your full name, company name and telephone number, as well as the name of the program that you are interested in.