Toronto, January 16, 2024 – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and the Independent Production Fund (IPF) today announced the renewal of the IPF-CMF Short Form Series Development Program (formerly known as the Development Packaging Program: Short Form Scripted Series). With a total budget of $900,000, the program encourages the creation of high-quality, original, Canadian scripted short-form series. The maximum funding available for each successful project is $30,000.

The program supports new and outstanding story-driven content by providing critical funding for creative and business development. With these tools, the creators and their projects will be in a better position to attract partners, financing, and distribution, and move into production.

The program may support costs associated with the following roles or activities:

• Screenwriter(s)
• Story editor/development executive
• Production manager
• Marketing/promotion or audience engagement professional
• Printing and graphic designer for concept or pitch materials
• Professional fees (research, legal, accounting)
• Travel
• Producer fees
• Production expenses for proof-of-concept content

To be eligible for funding, projects must, among other criteria, be new and original, and be conceived as scripted, episodic short-form dramatic content with episodic running times that are less than 20 minutes.

Applicants must apply for funding before March 1, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee overseen by the IPF with final decisions made by representatives from the IPF and the CMF. Funding recipients will be notified in April 2024.

About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances, and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voice, and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite, and IPTV distributors.

About the Independent Production Fund
Established in 1991, the Independent Production Fund supports Canadian creators, writers, and producers of narrative television series. In 2010, the IPF expanded its mandate to include production financing for narrative short form series. In 2020, the IPF expanded again with funding and support for the development of narrative short form series. Since its inception, the IPF has invested more than $80 million in more than 500 projects.