Canvas Media Studios & MarVista Entertainment Ink Deal

Canvas Media Studios and MarVista Entertainment have signed a six-film deal focused on identifying diverse first-time and up-and-coming writers and directors.

The deal will represent a new low-budget indie film model built on a co-financing model between Canvas, MarVista and other investors. It will involve fully financed completed titles with a pre-buy distribution commitment from MarVista.

Canvas just completed production on the first film under the deal, Don’t Let It In. The thriller is written and directed by Jay Henric based on her short film of the same name. It stars an entirely Native American lead cast, filmed with the cooperation of the Florida Seminole Tribe and shot partially on the Big Cypress reservation in the Everglades.

“Canvas is focusing on the creation of new premium video franchises from up-and-coming creators to provide for new programming brands for the highly competitive premium video market,” said Canvas’s lead investor, Allen DeBevoise (Third Wave Digital Fund).

David Tochterman, CEO of Canvas Media Studios, said, “By providing young filmmakers with financing and distribution and bringing our production expertise, we want to empower diverse creative entrepreneurs. We are very excited that MarVista believes in our model, and with this partnership, we have an opportunity to aggressively target both domestic and international distribution with completed films.”

“Canvas’s dedication to discovering, developing and producing films alongside the next generation of creators and storytellers is very much aligned with MarVista’s ongoing commitment to support filmmakers with unique voices and diverse perspectives,” added MarVista CEO Fernando Szew. “We look forward to partnering further with David and the team at Canvas to deliver this premium content to our multiplatform partners worldwide.”