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U.S. focus at Canuck film financing forum

TORONTO — Looking to promote co-ventures with Hollywood, Strategic Partners has chosen the United States as the first focus country at the Canadian co-production conference, to run from Sept. 16-19 in Halifax.

The other spotlight country this year is Germany, which had top billing in 2009 and returns to Halifax this year due to popular demand by coin-starved indie producers, conference organizers said.

The U.S. has no official co-production treaty, so Canadian and other international producers, broadcasters and financiers will be exploring co-ventures with potential American investors.

But the principle remains the same: partner up with global producers to secure additional project financing for indie film and TV projects.

U.S. and European producers traditionally attend the Strategic Partners film financing forum on a stop-over between the Toronto International Film Festival and IFP in New York City.

Canadian producers in recent years have looked to international co-productions and co-ventures with American partners to encourage new markets for film and TV projects in a depressed indie landscape.

Also new this year to Strategic Partners will be the presence in Halifax of multiplatform producers as traditional film and TV producers possibly partner up with new media producers on next-generation content and distribution platforms.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter