On Screen Manitoba

(La version française suit le texte anglais)

You can become a supplier registered with the Government of Canada in the Supplier Registration Information Service (SRI) by clicking this link: http://www.contractscanada.gc.ca/inscr-rgstr-eng.html

As part of the commodity management process, the Government of Canada is reviewing the way in which it buys civilian audio visual equipment and is seeking information from suppliers. The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME), Public Works and Government Services (PWGSC), is facilitating input from suppliers through an initial consultation process. Based on feedback from these consultations, as well as research and market analysis, PWGSC will be developing a national strategy that will be in place for five years.

You are invited to provide feedback from now until August 16. You can complete the feedback form located at: http://tpsgc-pwgsc1.sondages-surveys.ca/s/AV/langen/. By providing your contact details as part of your feedback, we can notify you of the additional steps in this process or, if necessary, follow-up with you individually.

Comments received will be taken into consideration when developing the national strategy for civilian audio visual equipment. Once the strategy has been drafted, it will be posted on GETS/MERXTM (http://www.merx.com) as a Request for Information (RFI) for more specific feedback. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated.

About OSME:
OSME, as part of PWGSC, supports the government agenda to provide value for Canadians by:
Encouraging and assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to participate in the federal government procurement process by providing seminars;

Improving the links between supply and demand and influencing change within government acquisitions; and
Conducting economic analysis of Government of Canada procurement and the private sector.

OSME maintains a toll-free information line and offers free seminars to explain the federal purchasing process and how to sell goods and services to the Government of Canada. For more information, visit: http://contractscanada.gc.ca/ or call the national toll free line 1-800-811-1148 or the Vancouver toll free line at 1-866-602-0403.

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Ce message vous est envoyé puisque vous êtes inscrits comme fournisseur du Gouvernement du Canada dans le registre de données d'inscription des fournisseurs (DIF) - http://www.contractscanada.gc.ca/inscr-rgstr-fra.html

Dans le cadre du processus de gestion des biens et des services, le gouvernement du Canada revoit actuellement la manière dont il acquière l'équipement audiovisuel civil et souhaite obtenir les commentaires des fournisseurs. Le Bureau des petites et moyennes entreprises (BPME) aide l’équipe des biens et des services à recueillir les commentaires de fournisseurs dans le cadre d’un processus de consultation initiale. Grâce aux commentaires recueillis pendant cette consultation, et à la lumière de recherches et d’analyses de marché, Travaux publics et services gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC) élaborera une stratégie nationale, laquelle sera en place pour les 5 prochaines années.

Veuillez prendre le temps de remplir de questionnaire disponible au http://tpsgc-pwgsc1.sondages-surveys.ca/s/AV/langfr/ avant le 16 août.

Lorsque nous élaborerons la stratégie nationale d'acquisition d'équipement audiovisuel civil nous tiendrons compte des commentaires reçus. Une fois terminée, l’ébauche de la stratégie sera diffusée sur le Service électronique d’appels d’offres du gouvernement (SEAOG), MERXTM (http://www.merx.com), en tant que demande de renseignements (DDR) pour obtenir une rétroaction plus précise.

Nous vous encourageons à participer aux deux activités de consultation soit le questionnaire actuel et la demande de renseignement (DDR) lorsque celle-ci sera disponible. Nous vous remercions de prendre le temps de nous transmettre vos commentaires.

Renseignements supplémentaires
Le BPME assure la gestion de ce processus au nom de l’équipe responsable de la gestion des biens et des services, afin que les commentaires ne soient pas directement transmis à l’autorité contractante. Lorsque vous consignerez vos commentaires, vous pourrez inscrire vos coordonnées. De cette façon, le BPME pourra vous informer des étapes subséquentes ou, si nécessaire, communiquer avec vous directement pour effectuer un suivi.

Au sujet du BPME :
BPME en tant que TPSGC, appuie le gouvernement afin d’offrir le meilleur rapport qualité-prix à la population canadienne en :
Encourageant et en aidant les petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) à participer au processus d’approvisionnement du gouvernement fédéral.

Améliorant les liens entre l’offre et la demande et influençant les changements dans les approvisionnements gouvernementaux.
Faisant les analyses économiques des approvisionnements du gouvernement du Canada et du secteur privé.

Le BPME a mis en place une ligne d’information sans frais et offre des séminaires gratuits visant à décrire le processus d’achat du gouvernement fédéral et expliquer aux petites et moyennes entreprises comment vendre leurs biens et leurs services au gouvernement du Canada. Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le site Internet de Contrats Canada à l’adresse suivante : http://contractscanada.gc.ca/index-fra.html, ou téléphonez au 1-800-811-1148.

Dear Members,

Our discussions on May 28th with Minister of Labour Jennifer Howard and Deputy Ministers of CHT (Sandra Hardy) and Labour (Jeff Parr), followed by a meeting with top executives at WCB resulted in a workable solution that will remove the risks we alerted you to last week.

Please see the attached letter from WCB President & CEO Doug Sexsmith outlining their new process for covering performers and assuring our industry of their willingness to work with us now and in the future. They will provide more information in a facts sheet soon.

Tara Walker
Executive Director
On Screen Manitoba

We'd like to alert you to a serious issue with WCB and their coverage that is putting Manitoba productions and production companies at significant risk and has a high potential to damage the Manitoba industry’s ability to secure out-of-province productions. This risk is related to WCB’s new application of coverage for performers (actors), specifically those earning more than $150,000 a year.

Background:
In January 2009 the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) added the film and tv production industry to their list of compulsory industries.

On Screen Manitoba organized a number of meetings with WCB staff working through a few areas of confusion during the spring of 2009. These key issues, related mainly to coverage for independent contractors especially performers, appeared to have been worked out to our mutual satisfaction.

WCB considers actors to be 'Entertainers' and Entertainers are not covered under WCB's compulsory coverage requirement. As a threshold, the definition of “entertainer” was discussed. We believe that “entertainer” should refer to on-stage variety performers, singers and stand-up comedians etc – anyone who has a promoter, books shows (at theatres, concert halls) and performs their own show program, a performance which they own. Entertainers often earn their income based on door receipts and by and large, entertainers work for themselves. We are of the opinion that actors who are engaged by a production company are not entertainers because: they are contracted to report to work on a certain day and are scheduled to work a certain number of days with call times, they recite lines from a script owned (licensed) to a production company, they are paid by the production company to perform that work and the result of their work is owned by the production company. If an actor does not report to work or misses a scheduled day then the actor has breached their engagement agreement, not unlike an employee who does not report to work. We provided WCB with a performers contract template for their consideration. However, WCB maintained their position that performers are “entertainers.”

From our follow up meetings with WCB representatives, it was our understanding that even though WCB considers performers to be “entertainers,” most performers would meet criteria set by WCB to be considered workers (those performers earning $150K or less on a production) and would be covered under voluntary WCB coverage purchased by the production company. WCB determined that performers who earn greater than $150,000 a year would not be considered workers by WCB, but independent contractors. It is WCB's position that independent contractors may voluntarily self-insure and pay for the premiums themselves. Our understanding was that WCB recognized that production companies are not privy to an actor’s annual earnings and it would not be possible for them to determine who would meet the worker definition and who would not. It was assumed from our discussions with WCB that the $150,000 cap would be applied to earnings on a single production and not annual earnings thus allowing producers to determine when they could use voluntary WCB coverage and when they would have to make arrangements for alterative AoS insurance.

Current situation:
Our assumption was proven wrong. A recent production that purchased WCB insurance to cover their crew and actors. One of the actors who was earning $150,000 on the production was injured and was then subsequently denied coverage by WCB on the claim dating back to fall 2009. WCB has denied the claim on the basis that the production had purchased the wrong WCB insurance. They state that the actor, and not the production company, should have purchased the insurance. It should be noted that whether purchased under production company or as an independent contractor the fee and the caps are the same. This has caused a significant amount of negative attention to Manitoba.

This case exposes the risk a number of productions may be facing.

This has an impact on the perceived ‘safety’ of Manitoba as a production centre. Uncertainty is very unappealing to our industry - the financial and legal risks are far too high.

Risks:
It is WCB’s position that actors earning over $150,000 a year can not be covered under voluntary WCB coverage purchased by the production. These actors can be covered separately under WCB’s voluntary coverage for independent contractors’ but the actor must purchase this coverage for him or herself. It can not be purchased by the production. However, this is offside the labour agreements (ACTRA and SAG) which require that productions provide insurance coverage for their performers. If performers are required to obtain their own voluntary coverage as independent contractors, the productions are exposed to potential legal issues from the labour organizations and the performers themselves. Privacy rights pose another challenge – actors will not want to disclose their yearly earnings to any production nor do the productions have any right or responsibility to request this information yet, this is currently the only way to determine a performer’s annual earnings often over multiple productions and multiple employers.

There is much confusion and inconsistency with WCB’s policy that must be resolved. We will work with the Province and WCB to rectify these issues.

What you should do:
Until this WCB issue is finally determined, purchase coverage for your performers through an alternative AoS insurer, an example is ACTRA Fraternal Benefits ( http://www.actrafrat.com/ )

What OSM is doing:
We are informing Ministers and Deputy Ministers and senior executives at WCB of the issues. A meeting with Ministers Howard (Labour) and Marcelino (CHT) is set up for Friday afternoon.

We’ll update you on any action coming out of these meetings.

Tara Walker
Executive Director
On Screen Manitoba

Members and friends!

A little more than a week ago Phyllis Laing (our Board Chair) and I got our first chance to sit down with Minister Flor Marcelino of Culture, Heritage & Tourism, her Deputy Minister Sandra Hardy and Assistant Deputy Minister Veronica Dyck. It was a friendly meeting and it didn’t hurt that it was all women sitting around the table.

The Minister is both highly interested and supportive of our industry. Her background as a newspaper editor shows as she asks excellent and often difficult to answer questions. We also discovered that she has a son that worked on SHALL WE DANCE and NEW IN TOWN (funny having the producer sitting right there and she hadn’t a clue she’d hired the Minister’s son!) We are eager to get her on to set so she can see for herself how well organized and hard working our film crews are.

We had the chance to share some of what we see as obstacles to our growth such as a weakened international market and skilled crew shortages. We also introduced her to our sustainability plan and suggested that although so many factors are out of our control we can lead our community in building a competitive industry that will be nimble in adapting to industry changes. Our very busy summer is a good sign of how aggressive we can be in creating opportunity when the right incentive is there. However, we stressed that the tax credit is only one part of a more comprehensive approach to sustaining the industry.

We stressed that Manitoba needs to be more competitive in the digital media sphere… we let her know about the public educational broadcaster we’re championing and we raised the issue of the cancelled MIDMF program at IEM and suggested that digital media as creative content creation should fall under CHT’s umbrella.

The Minister’s Special Assistant recommended we follow up with the Legislative Speakers Office to register to speak to the budget bill which includes the new tax credit enhancement – we are awaiting a committee meeting date.

We definitely have a friend in Minister Marcelino and we’re looking forward to finding more ways for her to get to know you – our members and your productions. If you are having a special screening of your work or can accommodate a set visit please let us know and we’ll extend an invite to the Minister.

-Tara

Award-winning Television Series Less Than Kind To Benefit from New Production Tax Credit: Ministers

A new 30 per cent film and video production tax credit announced in Budget 2010 will assist in the production of a third season of the award-winning HBO television series Less Than Kind, produced by Manitoba’s own Buffalo Gal Pictures, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Flor Marcelino and Finance Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today.

“The introduction of a Manitoba production credit is a clear signal to the film and television industry that our province is committed to maintaining its place as one of Canada’s key production centres,” said Marcelino. “Our province can offer producers everything they need to make a great television show or movie: skilled people, expertise, facilities, sites and generous financial incentives.”

“We are proud to support Manitoba’s thriving film and television industries,” said Wowchuk. “By expanding this tax credit program that was already considered to be the best in the country, Manitoba is now even more attractive to film and television producers as a great place to do business.”

While Budget 2010 introduced a new 30 per cent production tax credit, the labour-based tax credit is still available as an alternative. Manitoba maintains a maximum labour-based tax credit of up to 65 per cent. The province now has the highest tax credits available to film and television producers in Canada.

Production companies may choose to claim either the labour-based credit or the production-based credit on all eligible local expenditures including labour. These credits are now in place until March 2014.

The strength of the film industry in Manitoba is a tribute to the deep talent pool of the province’s writers, actors and directors; the creative excellence of Manitoba producers and crews; the combination of tax credits, equity supports and training infrastructure; and a good relationship with municipalities regarding film locations, the ministers said.

PROVINCE BUILDS

“Manitoba was the first in Canada to introduce a frequent-filming bonus, along with a labour tax credit that is the best in Canada,” noted Carole Vivier, CEO of Manitoba Film & Music. “We have to be readily competitive with other jurisdictions that have amended or added all spend incentives as the world’s economic situation continues to shift. It’s been proven in the past that this new spend incentive will stimulate further growth in Manitoba’s film industry and infrastructure. We are very excited of what’s to come as a result and very thankful for the continued support from the province.”

“I’m so proud that Manitoba will be able to continue the momentum it has built up in the film and television sector,” said Phyllis Laing, chair of On Screen Manitoba. “The improved tax credit scenario shouts out to the world that this is the place to do business. Our creative and technical talent is second to none and these incentives will open up exciting opportunities to attract projects that will grow our industry and take us to the next level.”

The ministers congratulated Buffalo Gal productions for its work in film and television along with plans to begin producing a third season of Less than Kind.
 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

MANITOBA FILM AND VIDEO PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT

Budget 2010 announced the following changes:

• The Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit is being extended to March 1, 2014.
• Starting with productions which commence filming after March 2010, producers will be able to elect to claim either the maximum 65 per cent film tax credit based on eligible labour costs or a new 30 per cent tax credit based on production costs incurred and paid for labour, goods and services provided in Manitoba that are directly attributable to the production of an eligible film.

The following changes were also announced:

• production companies may extend their tax credit application deadline by 18 months if they file a waiver,
• greater flexibility will be provided to allow the Manitoba government to amend the tax credit in response to external changes affecting film producers, and
• provincial filing requirements will be aligned with federal film tax credit filing requirements in order to simplify producer’s compliance obligations.

Including the new measures, the annual total cost of the Manitoba film tax credit is estimated at $16 million.

The film tax credit was introduced in 1997 at 35 per cent of labour costs for work on an eligible film.

Since 1999, the labour-based tax credit has been significantly enhanced:

• the basic credit was increased from 35 to 45 per cent to make the credit more competitive with other provinces offering film tax credits,
• a five per cent rural and northern Manitoba incentive was introduced to promote filming outside of Winnipeg,
• a five per cent frequent-filming incentive was added and subsequently increased to 10 per cent to encourage non-local production companies to return to Manitoba with new film projects, and
• a five per cent Manitoba producer bonus was created to encourage non-local production companies to partner with local film producers.

The Saskatchewan Motion Picture Industry Association has assembled a small steering committee to collaborate with the Provincial Government and other interested and affected parties looking at the short-term and long-term effects of the decision to shut down SCN as a broadcasting entity.

Our first step in dealing with this situation is to compile information on the roles that SCN has played, and their impact. The committee’s view is that SCN fulfilled a number of roles in the province that include: contributions to our culture through story-telling; the development, production and distribution of originally produced Saskatchewan productions; the training and development of artists, technicians, directors, writers and producers involved in telling Saskatchewan stories; community development, through the networking of far-flung village, towns and cities by way of the “market square” that broadcasting provides to the entire community, amongst others.

The following survey will help us to assess the importance of those roles as we look at ways they can be carried forward into the future. We are distributing this survey to all SMPIA members, but also are looking at ways to have it circulated by other arts and cultural organizations that had direct or indirect relationships with SCN.

The results of the survey will be compiled, and all of those who contribute will remain anonymous. No one’s name or email information will be circulated or published in any manner.

If you have not yet had a chance to participate, please do so by visiting http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/smpiascnsurvey by Friday April 23rd.

We urge you to be as frank, honest, open, and above all, accurate as you possibly can in answering our questions. We also need you to be fairly swift in your response, since the opportunity to affect the transition of SCN’s roles and functions will come and go quite quickly.

MANITOBA ANNOUNCES 30% MANITOBA SPEND FILM TAX CREDIT – HIGHEST SPEND CREDIT IN CANADA
(Voir message en français ci-dessous)

Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Manitoba Provincial Government announced that it has introduced a new tax credit that will give producers the option to go for either a 30% tax credit on all eligible local expenditures, including labour, or use the existing up to 65%* labour tax credit. This new option will be available for productions that start principal photography after March 2010. In addition to the introduction of Manitoba’s new tax credit, which is the highest all spend credit in Canada, the Province also renewed the existing labour credit which was set to expire March 1, 2011 for another three years until March 1, 2014.

The introduction of a Manitoba-spend credit is a clear signal to the film and television industry that Manitoba is committed to maintaining its place as one of Canada’s key production centres. The labour based tax credit led the way in the development of a strong indigenous industry, infrastructure and skilled crews and attracted production from around the world, and now, with the option of a 30% credit on all eligible local expenditures, an incentive exists to support and grow local infrastructure. Productions will assess whether the *up to 65% labour credit or the 30% all-spend credit, which includes labour, will be more beneficial, and this will depend on the nature of each particular production.

Carole Vivier, CEO of Manitoba Film & Music stated, “Manitoba was the first in Canada to introduce a Frequent Filming Bonus, along with a labour tax credit that is the best in Canada. As the world’s economic situation continues to shift; we have to be readily competitive with other jurisdictions that have amended or added all spend incentives. As proven in the past, this new spend incentive will stimulate further growth in Manitoba’s film industry and infrastructure. With this increase, the provincial government has demonstrated that the film and television sectors are worth continued investment. We are very excited of what’s to come as a result and very thankful for the continued support from the Province.”

Tara Walker, Executive Director of On Screen Manitoba added, “The film and television industry is important both to the economic and cultural well-being of our province. It contributed $365 million to the economy from 2003/04 to 2007/08, employing thousands of Manitobans and helping showcase Manitoba to the world.”

We thank the Province for continuing to recognize the value of the screen-based media industry in Manitoba's growing knowledge-based economy. This innovative Manitoba Spend incentive will provide a much needed boost to our competitive advantages and is designed to support our indigenous industry and attract productions from outside the province, which will save jobs and protect our industry infrastructure.”

Jamie Brown, CEO of Frantic Films commented, “We are very pleased that the government has taken steps to ensure that Manitoba remains competitive in the multi-billion dollar Canadian film and television industry. Their decision today will maintain and create new jobs and opportunities for Manitobans.”

Full details of the amended Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit when available.

For more information please contact:

Carole Vivier
CEO and Film Commissioner
MANITOBA FILM & MUSIC
carole@mbfilmmusic.ca
Office: 204-947-2040
www.mbfilmmusic.ca

or

Tara Walker
Executive Director
On Screen Manitoba
tara@onscreenmanitoba.com
Cell: 204-290-8537
Office: 204-927-5893
www.onscreenmanitoba.com

______________________________________________________________________

LE MANITOBA ANNONCE UN CRÉDIT D’IMPÔT DE 30 % SUR TOUTES LES DÉPENSES LOCALES ADMISSIBLES – LE CRÉDIT D’IMPÔT LE PLUS ÉLEVÉ DE SON GENRE AU CANADA

Winnipeg (Manitoba) – Le gouvernement provincial du Manitoba a annoncé qu’il présente un nouveau crédit d’impôt qui permettra aux réalisateurs de prendre soit le crédit d’impôt de 30 % sur toutes les dépenses locales admissibles, y compris la main-d’œuvre, soit le crédit d’impôt sur la main-d’œuvre de *jusqu’à 65 %. Cette nouvelle option sera à la disposition des réalisateurs qui commenceront les principaux travaux de prise de vues après le mois de mars 2010. Outre la présentation de ce nouveau crédit d’impôt du Manitoba, le plus élevé de son genre au Canada, la Province a aussi prolongé jusqu’au 1 mars 2014 le crédit existant sur la main-d’œuvre, qui devait arriver à échéance le 1 mars 2011.

Le Manitoba, grâce à ce nouveau crédit sur toutes les dépenses locales admissibles, affirme clairement à l’industrie cinématographique et télévisuelle qu’il tient à maintenir sa position à titre de l’un des centres de production essentiels au Canada. Le crédit d’impôt sur la main-d’œuvre a frayé le chemin pour l’essor d’une industrie indigène forte, de l’infrastructure et des équipes qualifiées, et a attiré des réalisateurs de partout dans le monde. Et aujourd’hui, la possibilité d’obtenir un crédit d’impôt de 30 % sur toutes les dépenses locales admissibles est l’incitatif qui vient soutenir et faire développer l’infrastructure locale. Les sociétés de production devront déterminer si le crédit d’impôt sur la main-d’œuvre de *jusqu’à 65 % ou le crédit d’impôt de 30 % sur toutes les dépenses locales admissibles, incluant la main-d’œuvre, leur conviendrait le mieux. Cette décision sera prise en fonction de la nature de la production.

Carole Vivier, la présidente-directrice générale de Musique & Film Manitoba, dit : « Le Manitoba a été la première province à offrir une prime pour la production fréquente, ainsi qu’un crédit d’impôt sur la main-d’œuvre, le meilleur au pays. La situation économique du monde continue à changer; par conséquent, nous devons faire concurrence aux autres communautés qui ont modifié ou ajouté des incitatifs aux dépenses. Comme nous l’avons vu par le passé, ce nouvel incitatif aux dépenses stimulera davantage le développement de l’industrie et l’infrastructure cinématographiques du Manitoba. Cette augmentation démontre que la Province du Manitoba considère qu’il vaut la peine de continuer d’investir dans les secteurs du cinéma et de la télévision. Nous nous réjouissons d’avance des résultats. Par ailleurs, nous sommes très reconnaissants de l’appui continu de la Province. »

Tara Walker, directrice générale de l’organisme On Screen Manitoba, ajoute : « L’industrie du cinéma et de la télévision joue un rôle important dans le bien-être économique et culturel de notre province. Elle a contribué 365 millions de dollars à l’économie entre 2003 et 2008 et a employé des milliers de Manitobains et de Manitobaines mettant ainsi en vedette le Manitoba à l’échelle internationale.

Nous tenons à remercier la Province qui continue de reconnaître la valeur de l’industrie des médias télévisuels au sein de l’économie du savoir du Manitoba. L’incitatif aux dépenses que propose le Manitoba est novateur et il fournira un beau coup de pouce à nos capacités concurrentielles. Il est conçu pour soutenir notre industrie indigène et attirer des réalisateurs de l’extérieur de la province, ce qui maintiendra des emplois et protégera l’infrastructure de notre industrie. »

Jamie Brown, président-directeur général de la société Frantic Films, fait le commentaire suivant : « Nous sommes ravis que le gouvernement ait pris des mesures pour assurer que le Manitoba demeure compétitif dans l’industrie canadienne du cinéma et de la télévision qui vaut des milliards de dollars. La décision qu’a prise aujourd’hui la Province permettra de maintenir des emplois et d’en créer de nouveaux. Cela représente de belles possibilités pour les Manitobains et les Manitobaines. »

Nous publierons, au moment où ils seront disponibles, tous les détails relatifs au crédit d’impôt modifié sur la production cinématographique et vidéographique du Manitoba.

Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec :

Carole Vivier
Présidente-directrice générale et commissaire à la cinématographie
MUSIQUE & FILM MANITOBA
carole@mbfilmmusic.ca
Bureau : 204-947-2040
www.mbfilmmusic.ca

ou

Tara Walker
Directrice générale
On Screen Manitoba
tara@onscreenmanitoba.com
Cell. : 204-290-8537
Bureau : 204-927-5893
www.onscreenmanitoba.com

Check out Breakfast Television Friday morning (March 19) for a story about the state of the industry featuring interviews with On Screen Manitoba's Chair Phyllis Laing and Executive Director Tara Walker.

They address the factors impacting the growth of the industry, our key strengths including our skilled technicians and talented performers, the proposal to adjust the Manitoba tax credit to provide further competitive advantage and the importance of the industry's partnership with the Province.

For the early risers, the spot airs at 7:20 and then again at 8:45 for those who need a little more sleep! Please note that these times are just approximations as Breakfast Television is aired Live!

If you haven't done so yet, it may not be too late to show support for the enhancement of the Manitoba Film & Video Production Tax Credit (Download the BACKGROUNDER). Please contact your MLA and let them know that your career and/or business depend on the sustainability of the screen-based media industry and that you support enhancing the tax credit to make Manitoba more competitive!

We know it’s not the easiest thing to pick up the phone and call your MLA so we’ve created a cheat sheet for you.

Click here to download the cheat sheet
Click here for the MLA directory listing

Thank you all for your support!

On Tuesday, March 9th, On Screen Manitoba Chairperson Phyllis Laing (President, Buffalo Gal Pictures), Claude Forest (President, Multimedia Risk), Steve Morrisson (General Manager, William F. White), Dave Brown (IATSE Local 856), Kim Todd (President, Original Pictures), and Executive Director Tara Walker met with Minister Wowchuk and Minister Flor Marcelino to discuss the importance of the proposed enhancement to the Manitoba Film & Video Production Tax Credit (introducing a Manitoba spend option).

The group used this time to inform the ministers of the current challenges our industry is facing, the importance of having a strong screen-based media industry in Manitoba and its positive effects on the Province.

Important key points that were covered:

- An enhancement to the tax credit is the next step, after the Jump Start Program (expires Mar. 31/10), needed to help maintain the industry’s infrastructure and keep production steady in Manitoba.

- Under the current competitive environment, and with other provinces like Ontario introducing spend credits, an enhancement to our tax credit is the best solution to help us keep our competitive advantage. It is necessary for Manitoba's credit to be comparable to others to be considered.

- An incentive to stimulate more spending in Manitoba would benefit more suppliers, encourage new businesses and create more jobs.

- Manitoba's screen-based industry helps build international PR for our province, through films such as, My Winnipeg. This creates a pride of place for Manitobans.

- Our industry holds a strong place in the future of the creative economy; a space where Manitoba needs to be competitive.

- And finally, inaction is not an option.

While the Ministers provided no indication of their support for our request, Minister Marcelino agreed that this is an industry that provides creative jobs for Manitoba's young people and Minister Wowchuk made note of the positive economic impact our industry has on the province.

As you know, many in the industry have been working very hard to advocate for the enhancement of the Manitoba Film & Video Production Tax Credit (Download the BACKGROUNDER). But our work is not done yet! There is still time for you to contact your MLA and let them know how important the enhanced tax credit is to your business and the screen-based industry here in Manitoba.

We know it’s not the easiest thing to pick up the phone and call your MLA so we’ve created a cheat sheet for you.

Click here to download the cheat sheet

Click here for the MLA directory listing

Thank you for all your hard work!

Tara Walker
Executive Director
On Screen Manitoba
Phone: (204) 927-5893
Fax: (204) 943-4007
tara@onscreenmanitoba.com
www.onscreenmanitoba.com

By: Bruce Owen
Winnipeg Free Press

MANITOBA'S film and TV production industry is appealing to the Selinger government to help them prevent their work from fading to black.

On Screen Manitoba chairwoman Phyllis Laing said Monday the group is meeting with Finance Minister Rosann Wowchuk next week to lobby the province to change its film and video production tax credit to help lure American productions back to the province.

On Screen Manitoba, which represents the industry, is also encouraging its members to lobby MLAs and cabinet ministers about why the change is needed in advance of the March 23 budget. Laing, president of Buffalo Gal Pictures, said over the past year the industry here has lost potential work as larger productions have picked Ontario, which last year started offering a 25 per cent rebate on every dollar spent on film production. Manitoba's tax credit only rebates 35 per cent of approved Manitoba labour expenditures up to a maximum of 22.5 per cent of eligible production costs.

MEMBERS OF MANITOBA'S FILM COMMUNITY,

As the newly elected Chair of OSM and past Chair we are writing to ask for your action on the request we've made to enhance the tax credit. This change will ensure the future of our industry and it affects everyone involved even indirectly in the industry.

We need you to call your MLA, talk to your friends and neighbours and write letters to the Ministers who will make budget decisions in the next two weeks. Tell everyone about how the industry is a important to you and tell them what you and your businesses give back to Manitoba.

It is time to stand up and make some noise for the industry in Manitoba. We have proven we can make great shows but if we cannot marshal political and financial support we will lose everything we have all worked so hard to build. It is a critical economic time and to deal with that we need the enhanced tax credit that has been proposed. It is a critical political time as we cannot count on the new premier and his new cabinet understanding or supporting our industry. We have to let them know all over again what we bring to the province.

This is an industry with a future - it adds jobs and economic benefit to Manitoba. It's also a building block for Manitoba's creative industries - a core component of our provinces innovation strategy. Reality is, with a highly competive tax credit our industry will grow and unfortunately without the ALL SPEND option we've recommended, a further decline is likely.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T WAIT - WE HAVE ONLY A SHORT WINDOW OF TIME TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT THERE.

Sincerely,

Phyllis Laing, new Chair of the Board of On Screen Manitoba and President of
Buffalo Gal Pictures

Kim Todd, past Chair of On Screen Manitoba and President of Original
Pictures Inc.

HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION:

CALL your Member of the Legislative Assemby (MLA)
Click here for the MLA Directory Listing

Get your personalized letter in to Minister Wowchuk and Marcelino (their contact info is listed below)
Download the LETTER TEMPLATE

Hon. Rosann Wowchuk
Minister of Finance
Room 103, Legislative Building
450 Broadway
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8
Fax: 204-945-6057
E-mail: minfin@leg.gov.mb.ca

Hon. Flor Marcelino
Minister of Culture, Heritage and Tourism
Room 118, Legislative Building
450 Broadway
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8
Fax: 204-945-5223
E-mail: mincht@leg.gov.mb.ca

Please make sure to copy letters to:

Tara Walker
tara@onscreenmanitoba.com
(sorry - no fax at the moment)

Carole Vivier
Manitoba Film & Music
carole@mbfilmmusic.ca
Fax: 204.956.5261

Last month, as most of you know, the National Film Board of Canada announced that the long held Winnipeg office would be undergoing a massive downsizing. All current employees except for the Marketing Manager were let go. According to a statement by Cindy Witten, Director General of the NFB’s English Program, the shake-up is intended to “broaden the reach of the NFB in the Prairies and to develop expertise in multi-platform digital production in the West."

The Winnipeg office will effectively close its doors to the public at the end of next week. When it re-opens, whether it’s still at the Market Avenue location or somewhere else, the office will be considerably smaller. The NFB has stated that the staff will include two digital media producers and a marketing manager. The office will be run by the NFB’s North West Centre in Edmonton under Executive Producer David Christensen. In addition, a small office will open in Saskatchewan, which will also fall under this new jurisdiction.

Yesterday, On Screen Manitoba’s Executive Director Tara Walker sent the following letter to Tom Perlmutter, the NFB’s Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson:
 

Tom Perlmutter
Government Film Commissioner
Chairperson
National Film Board of Canada
3155 Cote de Liesse Road
St. Laurent, PQ H4N 2N4
via email t.perlmutter@nfb.ca

February 17, 2010

Dear Mr. Perlmutter.

On behalf of On Screen Manitoba members, I’d like to express our concerns around the re-structuring and downsizing of the National Film Board’s Winnipeg office.

We fully recognize the budgetary constraints the NFB is under and we appreciate the move to put more money into actual production as opposed to operating costs. In fact, we applaud it.

A few weeks ago On Screen Manitoba’s Programs Manager and the Chair of our Board, Phyllis Laing were invited to speak with the newly appointed Executive Producer, David Christensen. It was a positive meeting. Mr. Christensen is a professional in every sense of the word and it is clear that he is committed to filmmaking and to the NFB.

However, a few concerns arose for us.

We are worried about how much time Mr. Christensen will be able to commit to Manitoba projects given his workload and his regular commute from Calgary to Edmonton and now to Winnipeg and possibly Saskatchewan. Although we realize that Bonnie Thompson will also be commuting, it is natural to question how long they can keep going at this pace and at what cost to all the NFB offices, let alone Winnipeg.

While we are very excited to have digital producers be part of the new Winnipeg office, we wonder if this comes at the expense of linear production.

Mr. Christensen expressed to our Board Chair that the NFB felt it was easier to train digital producers in linear production then the other way around. There are many within the Manitoba community that would argue that.

We respectfully recommend that the NFB consider creating one digital producer and one linear producer position for the Winnipeg region. This would certainly lessen the stress on Edmonton having to provide producers.

Manitoba has a thriving Francophone production community that is growing every day. Companies like Productions Rivard and Media Rendezvous are just a few of the superstars we have. It has always been frustrating that French language productions have had to deal with producers outside of Winnipeg.

We ask you to also consider making one of the producer positions bi-lingual and qualified to act on behalf of French language production for the NFB.

We’d also like to address the Aboriginal production the NFB has historically nurtured, especially through its First Stories Program. No one has communicated what will happen to this program or future Aboriginal programs. Along with a thriving Francophone production community, the Aboriginal community is also a force to be reckoned with and a priority for our industry.

And finally, we would ask you to consider keeping the 3D animation equipment, an editing suite and a basic screening/meeting room for training purposes in the Winnipeg office. Without a basic production facility it would be difficult to produce content, either linear or digital, or to do any type of training. The availability of these resources adds valuable assets to our infrastructure in Manitoba and we’d like to see the NFB continue to provide access to our creators - emerging to established.

Although we are saddened by the NFB’s decision to downsize the Winnipeg office, an office that has a very long history of film production excellence, we understand the present climate of budget restraints and technological changes. We look forward to helping shape your evolution. We ask however, that the NFB keep in mind that history and when looking forward, that it does not come at the expense of a thriving, culturally diverse and talent-filled region like the prairies.

Thank you for your time. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss anything further. My direct line is 204.927.5893 or you can email me at tara@onscreenmanitoba.com 

Tara Walker
Executive Director

cc: Phyllis Laing, Board Chair
Merit Jensen-Carr, DOC Winnipeg Chair
Carole Vivier, CEO, Manitoba Film & Music


Claudia Garcia de la Huerta
Programs Manager, On Screen Manitoba

Special Shout out to OSM member Guy Maddin, who places number five on the list with his film My Winnipeg.

Veteran directors at the top of their game, a brilliant new talent from the North, and an accomplished actor moving behind the camera lens: This decade has been an exciting one for Canadian film.

It's tough to pick favourites, but below are CTV.ca's top 10 films of the 2000s.

There are a couple box office smashes that didn't quite make it, including Paul Gross's Passchendaele. And maybe you really, really liked Bon Cop, Bad Cop. If you think we missed something, please include it in the comments.

And now, here we are, in descending order:

10. Ginger Snaps (2000)

Yeah, it's yet another horror film that uses monsters as an allegory for teenage hormones and angst. But rarely has it been done better. The film makes great use of the encroachment of urban sprawl on Canada's wilderness, and clueless, suburban parents who are almost as damaging as the werewolves. Be afraid.

9. FUBAR (2002)

Just imagine, all those intellectuals in the 1960s, fretting about Canadian identity and trying to see what made us tick. Yawn. If only we could build a time-machine and send them F.U.B.A.R., they would know the answer: Heavy metal, hockey, beer, roadside camping, mullets, and more beer.

8. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)

A young man comes to terms with his homosexuality in 1970s Quebec, when the province was immersed in Catholic and separatist ideals, while trying to stay close to his strict father. It's a tough life, but one beautifully told by director Jean-Marc Vallee, whose psychedelic imagery captures the era.

7. Water (2006)

In this final film from Deepa Mehta's Elements Trilogy, she continues her damning exploration of societal barriers in India. This time, she examines the lives of Hindu widows in the late 1930s. Under religious law they were forced to live in institutions, cut off from society like prisoners. Mehta struggled against fundamentalists to get the film made, and she makes every shot count.

6. Pontypool (2008)

The author Tony Burgess and director Bruce McDonald, critics' favourites but mainstream outlaws, team up like Butch and Sundance for this wonderfully weird zombie film. The action takes place in a tiny Ontario town's radio station, where a grizzled Stephen McHattie gets strange reports of violent activity. McDonald places heavy restrictions on himself: He uses few camera angles, mostly fixed in place, that boost the film's claustrophobia.

5. My Winnipeg (2007)

Guy Maddin always shoots through a filter of expressionistic films, Scandinavian imagery and a droll sense of humour to find the essence of life in Manitoba. In "My Winnipeg," he uses his bag of tricks to examine his own childhood, fusing his personal history with that of the city. The result is a hilarious, and mesmerizing, tribute to his hometown.

4. A History of Violence (2005)

A reformed criminal's dark past infects his present life, splitting apart his peaceful, small-town existence. It's a simple tale, but David Cronenberg takes the audience on a gripping ride of sharp-angle turns. And as the title implies, there's plenty of violence; it has such a sickening, visceral impact that even those desensitized by horror films will flinch.

3. The Barbarian Invasions / Les invasions barbares (2003)

It's Denys Arcand at his meditative best, tackling the Big Questions and revisiting the intellectuals from his 1986 comedy "Decline of the American Empire." At the heart of his film is the relationship between a dying history professor and his polar opposite: his finance-wizard son. This was a rare critical and commercial box office hit in Canada, and deservedly won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

2. Away from Her (2006)

For Sarah Polley's feature debut as a director, she chose a love story by Alice Munro, one of the greatest English-language writers on the planet -- or the greatest -- and cast the brilliant Gordon Pinsent and Julie Christie as a couple dealing with Alzheimer's disease. But her work behind the camera is equally impressive and it's a solid performance all around.

1. Atanarjuat (2001)

Early reviews declared Atanarjuat an "instant classic" -- a game of Russian roulette for critics. But at the other end of the decade, it rings true. The film brings alive an Inuit folk tale about the nature of evil, passed down through oral tradition for hundreds of years. Director Zacharias Kunuk tells the story with as much realism as possible, shooting everything in a documentary style, and letting the Arctic's sublime landscape speak for itself.

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