Message From the President

It was  enthusiasm for new platforms and a commitment to the next generation of upcoming talent that helped the IPF Board of Directors, back in 2010, to make the decision to dive into the exciting world of webseries by creating a financing Program specifically designed for webseries. It is also their determination that has helped ensure the Program’s continued viability. The Program went from being a pilot experiment to what is now a permanent Program, one that has been extended to 2014. This is good news for all: creators will have more time to develop their ideas properly, and the IPF now has the freedom to plan additional activities in order to help promote the visibility of their webseries, such as the WIP showcase, for example (www.wipwebseries.ca), as well as being able to create training workshops intended to better equip creators/producers with tools that will help them deal with the new realities required by this type of production.

Back in 2010, as it still is today, the challenges are significant. Problems identified by the IPF and by the community at large didn’t simply vanish into thin air over time. Financial resources today continue to be scarce, production challenges are ever present, distribution channels difficult to grasp, and supporters hard to attract.

The IPF Program has been a learning experience for all involved. But in spite of these challenges, over the course of the last 3 years the IPF has managed to provide invaluable support to 41 different webseries. Covering a wide range of subjects and geared towards a variety of audiences, these series are now available on both independent portals and Canadian broadcasters’ portals alike. Some of these series have garnered awards, others have managed to maintain their appeal with their fanbase beyond the first season, and others still are currently experimenting with various monetization models that we are keeping a close watch on. We have yet to identify a miraculous recipe that would propel the IPF’s webseries to the top of the YouTube charts every single time, but we are sure working hard on it!

We are confident that the values we use to guide us during our decision-making process will garner positive results. Through its webseries, the IPF supports the emergence and promotion of new talent, while also helping Canadian fiction to flourish on new platforms. The objectives, as considerable as they are, are definitely worth the effort.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues on the Board. We extend special thoughts to Roman Melnyk, whose death this year profoundly saddened us all. Our industry held a special place in Roman’s heart, as did the next generation of upcoming talent.

Lastly, I would like to take the time to thank the Montreal and Toronto teams for all of their diligent work.

Charles Ohayon

President