World Screen

TORONTO: The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is providing C$2.5 million ($1.9 million) in funding to ten projects in languages other than English, French or Aboriginal languages. Of the ten projects, two are children’s and youth productions, four are documentaries and four are dramas. One is in Cantonese, one is Italian, …

TORONTO: Shaftesbury has named Ted Biggs VP of convergent and technology for Smokebomb Entertainment, the company’s digital and technology arm. In the first technology post for the company, Biggs will spearhead the funding, research and development, as well as the production and deployment, of Smokebomb’s slate of convergent and technology …

CALGARY: International Media Distribution (IMD) and Shaw Communications in Canada have agreed on a deal to add Beijing TV and Hunan TV to Shaw’s selection of Mandarin-language TV channels. The carriage deal will give Shaw Cable subscribers access to lifestyle and entertainment programming from two of China’s most popular networks. …

TORONTO: Breakthrough Entertainment and 5’7 Films have completed production on their teen horror feature film The Haunted House on Kirby Road. Written by Adam Rodness and Stu Stone, who head up 5’7 Films, the movie follows six teenagers who set out to debunk an urban legend about a local haunted …

TORONTO: The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has awarded C$14.3 million ($10.3 million) to 24 interactive digital media projects as part of the second round of production support from the 2015-2016 Experimental Stream. The Experimental Stream is meant to encourage the creation of innovative, interactive digital media content and software applications. …

MONTREAL: Stingray Digital Group, which offers business-to-business multiplatform music and in-store media solutions for companies and individuals alike, has acquired Swiss-based iConcerts, a TV channel dedicated to live music. After the transaction is completed, Stingray will become the largest broadcaster of live-music concerts on TV, with access to an extensive …

OTTAWA: Canadian public broadcaster CBC has unveiled a new strategy to take it to 2020 and beyond, announcing headcount cuts, a reduction in in-house productions and a greater emphasis on digital and mobile distribution services. “A space for us all is a strategy to make CBC/Radio-Canada the public space at …

TORONTO: 9 Story Entertainment has confirmed a new round of deals for the prime-time animated comedy Fugget About It, which has moved into production on its third season. 9 Story secured a home entertainment agreement with Entertainment One (eOne) for the show. eOne will be releasing the first season of …

MONTREAL: Game and software startups receiving funding through the Canada Media Fund (CMF) could be eligible to receive additional capital for their projects through a new partnership between CMF and BDC Capital, a subsidiary of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). As part of the new collaboration, BDC Capital …

TORONTO: Corus Entertainment has invested in the U.S. digital lifestyle outfit KIN, with the partnership intended to bring the offerings to Canada. The pact brings the company’s multichannel network (MCN), KIN Community, as well as KIN’s lifestyle creators, programming and advertising opportunities to the Canadian marketplace. As part of this …