On Screen Manitoba

ACCESS is On Screen Manitoba’s industry development program.

Manitoba's screen-based media community is facing a fast-paced and unrelenting wave of industry change. In addition to a global economic downturn and the fluctuating dollar, Manitoba’s production industry was hit in 2009 by a precipitous drop in Canadian broadcaster orders that reduced our indigenous production. The appearance of lucrative incentives in states from Louisiana to Michigan has lured off-shore production away. Ontario, Quebec and Alberta followed suit, increasing their incentives to regain their competitive positions.

In 2007/08 production volumes in Manitoba were $133 million. In 2008/09 production volumes fell to $62 million. Drama production dropped from $113 million to $45.9 million. Feature film production declined from $86.4 million to $11.5 million in 2008/09. This downward trend continues into 2009 and threatens to irreparably erode our infrastructure and crew base.

ACCESS is a key building block of the industry’s three-year plan to regain our competitive advantage and build sustainability. These initiatives are On Screen Manitoba’s response to the need to support our industry through a technological evolution that is rapidly drawing together tradition and digital media and changing our existing business models. It commits resources to helping traditional media producers make the leap into convergent media and expand their relationships in the international markets where increasingly they must find their financing.

This project also addresses the opportunity to leverage the strengths of key markets – the aboriginal and francophone production communities. ACCESS initiatives will help meet our industry’s workforce challenges through a comprehensive study and strategy.

Finally, it includes economic research that will produce data to measure our impact and the success of our strategies.

Download applications, guidelines and reporting forms here.

If you have any outstanding Programs Reports, please read the OSM ACCESS PROGRAMS DEFAULT POLICY (PDF) before applying again.
 
If you have questions regarding the eligibility of an event or opportunity, please contact Laurence Véron, Membership and Francophone Initiative Coordinator/Coordonnatrice des services aux membres et du volet francophone at 927-5899 or laurence@onscreenmanitoba.com.