This fan activity may be your own, for example, if you have a website with respectable traffic stats; but you can also get great, relevant stats by pilfering fan data from show, film or game properties similar to your own.

I recently introduced 42 Entertainment’s executive team at VIDFEST 2008 (read VIDFEST’s “liveblog” of the session here). 42 Entertainment bills itself as an original content production company – media agnostic, focused on “monetized entertainment experiences” for distribution partners of all stripes – including broadcasters, broadband, telcos and publishers. Their work is legend, earning them a feature in a recent issue of Wired magazine for their ARG for Nine Inch Nails.

42 Entertainment lives (and pitches) by the mantra: “Experience is King”, “Content is Queen”, and “All the world is our stage”. With this resonating, content producers will hold court when pitching to a broadcaster, studio or game publisher.

Above: The Nine Inch Nails Resistance Meeting, part of the experience created by 42 Entertainment on the request of band frontman Trent Reznor, outlined at length in the December 2007 Wired article.

Think of digital fan communities as focus groups waiting to be mined.

• Count your fans
• Use fan reviews
• Cite fan forums
• Use fan art/fan productions

Package this up in a colourful pitch that demonstrates your depth of knowledge about your key audience, its demographics and psychographics. Show your buyer that you are ahead of the game when it comes to supporting publicity, promotion and sales efforts.

Ultimately, many buyers such as broadcasters and publishers, want to see your whole multiplatform plan built into your pitch. If your fan data and your multiplatform thinking does nothing more than help you land that traditional TV or game deal, then it proved to be your competitive advantage.

Sci Fi Channel has greenlighted “Sanctuary,” the first television series to use live-action actors against virtual sets in the style of the features “300″ and “Sin City.”

Sci Fi has ordered a full 13-episode season of the new scripted drama series, which originated online as the first high-definition sci-fi Web series.

“Sanctuary” hails from the “Stargate SG-1″ trio of star Amanda Tapping, writer-producer Damian Kindler and producer-director Martin Wood, who are executive producing the series with Sam Egan …

Sci Fi’s decision to forgo a pilot and go for a straight 13-episode series order for “Sanctuary” dovetails recent statements by NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker that the company’s new mandate is to order more projects straight to series. [Sci Fi Exec VP Original Programming Mark Stern] called that a coincidence, noting that the network’s decision was based on the fact that execs already had seen material from the Web series.

Read the full article about FanTrust client Stage 3 Media, its multiplatform approach to “Sanctuary” and its broadcast deal with Sci Fi Channel.

TORONTO, ON The Bell Fund is thrilled to congratulate the Canadian nominees and award recipients at the second International Interactive Emmy Awards held in Cannes, France earlier today at the 2007 MIPTV featuring MILIA event. The Bell Fund is particularly pleased to announce that two Bell Fund supported projects, Zimmer Twins by zinc Roe design and ReGenesis Extended Reality Game produced by Toronto-based Xenophile Media with ReGenesis TV series production company Shaftesbury Films, won the top prize in the Interactive Program category.

“We thank the International Interactive Emmy’s for this award and we are proud to be in the company of such truly impressive Canadian talents this year,” said Patrick Crowe, Producer at Xenophile Media. “With organizations like the Bell Fund committed to investing in the development and production of new media projects, Canada is the best place to work on innovative new media projects. We are extremely grateful for its support in helping us to realize this project.”

“We are thrilled to be the recipients of such an award and to be in the company of so many outstanding Canadians at this year’s event,” said Jason Krogh, Producer at zinc Roe design. “Canada is truly the envy of the world when it comes to leading edge work in the field of new media. With the Bell Fund’s ongoing support of company’s like ours, Canada will continue to gain international recognition and acclaim for furthering excellence in the field.”

By encouraging the development of convergent new media projects, Canada is at the forefront as a world leader in the field of new media. Three of the four nominees in this year’s Interactive Program category were Canadian. In addition to this year’s winners, multiple Bell Fund recipient marblemedia was nominated for Shorts in Motion: The Art of Seduction, produced in partnership with BravoFACT! and the NFB.

“The awards represent a premier platform for the interactive television community to celebrate their achievements and we are pleased to see so many Canadian producers being recognized on a global stage,” said Catherine Warren, Bell Fund Board Member and President of FanTrust Entertainment Strategies. “With the assistance of the Bell Fund, Canadians continue to set a high standard of excellence for new media innovation.”

In her capacity as a Bell Fund Board Member, Catherine Warren was invited to be on the selection jury for the Interactive Channel nominees at this year’s International Interactive Emmy’s. She also sat on the National Film Board’s jury for the Content 360 pitching session, a competition calling for creative ideas that explore the potential of digital platforms, also taking place at MIPTV featuring MILIA 2007.

Presented by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the annual International Interactive Emmy Awards is a key event for television, broadband, mobile and Internet professionals. The event recognizes outstanding achievement and excellence in new media and interactive television programming produced outside of the United States.

About The International Academy
Founded in 1969, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is the largest organization of broadcasters in the world, with over 500 members from nearly 70 countries and over 400 companies. The Academy was chartered with a mission to recognize excellence in television programming produced outside of the United States, and it presents the International Emmy Award to programs in fourteen categories: Arts Programming; Best Performance by an Actress; Best Performance by an Actor; Breaking News; Children & Young People; Comedy; Continuing News Coverage; Documentary; Drama Series; Interactive Channel; Interactive Program; Interactive TV Service; Non-Scripted Entertainment; TV Movie/Mini-Series.

About The Bell Fund
The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian independent producers who develop and produce outstanding television content complemented and enhanced by innovative, interactive content designed for digital delivery. These new media projects reflect state-of-the-art technology and are helping traditional television producers and broadcasters to discover the value added benefit of a web presence.

The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund receives annual contributions of approximately $8M from Bell ExpressVU as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry. In addition, the Development Program is supported by the interest generated by a $10M endowment resulting from BCE-CTV benefits. The Bell Fund is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, governed by an independent Board of Directors representing various sectors of the television and new media industry. The Fund is administered by the Independent Production Fund.

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For more information please contact:

David Gollom
High Road Communications
Tel: 416-644-2267
Email: dgollom@highroad.com

“Emerging sectors such as digital and new media technologies are key to strengthening Canada’s competitiveness in the global marketplace,” said James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics on behalf of the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. “These investments will build British Columbia as a world leader in new media technology.”

New Media B.C. will design and develop a “Digital Coast”, to increase collaboration and research within the industry. The University of British Columbia’s New Media Interdisciplinary Research Centre will develop a two-year pilot program to accelerate technology commercialization. The Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design will establish a new media Industry Liaison Office for research, development and commercialization. Finally, Western Economic Diversification Canada is supporting the 2006 Vancouver International Digital Festival, a global event for new media representatives to meet and develop new strategies to further the industry.

Western Economic Diversification Canada is the federal department mandated to support economic diversification in communities across Western Canada.

For a private Fund which started off in 1997 with a limited two and a half year lifespan and a mandate no one could understand, the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund has proven to be the largest single influence on the production of innovative interactive content associated with television programming in Canada.
Five years later, the Bell Fund has supported 214 new media and television productions and invested $20.5 million into the Canadian new media and television industries. It invests nearly $6 million a year into the industry. It has published two training manuals for new media producers. It has organized a series of landmark Roundtable Discussions with new media and television producers and their broadcasters. It has organized an industry workshop about website marketing. It has produced a “Top Tips” list of lessons learned. It has undertaken and shared the results of various research reports. The Bell Fund supported the promotion and launch events for several high profile websites. It has sponsored several training initiatives and encouraged development opportunities through CyberPitch awards. It has designed generic new media documents and a budget template which have become industry standards. And it has made the existence of some of Canada’s leading interactive production companies possible.

The results have been impressive. Canadian new media projects associated with television programs have sold to an estimated 40 broadcasters worldwide. Twenty-three different Canadian broadcasters have benefited from enhanced television with interactive components. Bell Fund projects have won acclamation and dozens of awards around the world, and at home. The Gemini and Prix Gemeaux Awards for Most Innovative and Most Popular Websites have been awarded to Bell Fund projects for the past two years. International standards for new media licensing and revenue models have been pioneered by recipients of Bell Fund support. Traffic numbers are soaring on many of the successful websites.

The History
Five years ago, in order to satisfy CRTC requirements and obtain their own trial broadcast licences, Bell Canada was inspired with a radical idea: establish a private fund specifically for the support of interactive new media content linked to television programs. Twelve million dollars was allocated in 1997 to support this new Fund for two and a half years. An independent Board of Directors representing the television and new media industry and operating at arm’s length from Bell Canada was established to fund projects originating in Ontario and Quebec.
As a result of the Bell Fund’s impact and success, in 1999, Bell ExpressVu ensured the long-term existence of the Bell Fund. It undertook to make annual contributions of 1% of its revenues to the Bell Fund, satisfying CRTC requirements that broadcast distribution undertakings (BDU’s) support the Canadian television industry. Producers across Canada were now eligible to apply to the Bell Fund.
The Mandate

The Bell Fund’s objective is to encourage the development and production of Canadian content for digital media and television, and to stimulate partnerships and learning among members of the new media and television industries.
The focus has been on creating innovative content, using state-of-the-art technology and developing new approaches to financing, business and marketing. The ultimate goal is to enhance the viewer’s television experience by driving audiences back and forth between the new media project and associated television program.
The focus has been on creating innovative content, using state-of-the-art technology and developing new approaches to financing, business and marketing. The ultimate goal is to enhance the viewer’s television experience by driving audiences back and forth between the new media project and associated television program.
The Programs and the statistics
All projects eligible for Bell Fund support must have at least two components: a television component and an accompanying online interactive component, such as a website, iTV or wireless application.
The Bell Fund’s Production Program awards grants to fund 50% of the costs of new media project to a maximum of $250,000, and matches 50% of the Canadian broadcast licence fees up to a maximum of $75,000.
One hundred and four (104) new media projects have received $15,150,525 of funding from the Bell Fund in the past 5 years, and 75 television programs have been awarded grants of $4,794,775. Sixty percent of funding has been allocated to English-language projects, and 40% to French-language projects. Fifteen percent of all projects are bilingual. Successful applications have originated in all regions of the country.
A Development Program was launched in 2001 thanks to a $10 million endowment established as a result of the BCE/CTV benefits. This program supports new media projects in the planning stages, design, research, testing and prototypes. Projects are eligible for up to 75% of their development costs to a maximum of $25,000. Twenty-one projects have been funded to date with grants totaling $483,830.
The Development Program also provides professional development grants to non-profit industry organizations to provide training and educational services that reflect the mandate of the Fund. Fourteen such projects have been sponsored for a total of $105,500 including CyberPitch Awards, New Media Awards and workshops.
Training Activities
In 1999, recognizing that step-by-step guidance was needed by new media producers who were learning how to convince various funders to invest in their projects, the Bell Fund’s first book was published: Create a Winning Proposal: The Handbook for New Media Producers. This became the industry bible for everyone developing new media properties and funding proposals. This was followed in 2001 with the publication of New Media, New Business: The Producer’s Guide, which is a complete “how-to” business resource for producers of new media content.
Responding to needs identified by the industry, the Bell Fund organized a Producers and Broadcasters Roundtable Discussion in 2002. For the first time, both parties shared their concerns and frustrations and learned to understand the constraints and issues which face their partners.
DRIVING TRAFFIC: Website Marketing, Online and Offline Strategies was a workshop organized by the Bell Fund in the fall of 2002 to encourage stronger promotion and marketing of websites to attract higher traffic.
Conclusion
The private Funds in Canada make significant contributions to the health and survival of Canada’s television, film and new media industries. The Bell Fund was visionary in its mandate, but has proven to be a key to the success of our new media interactive content industry. It has helped to develop business tools and strategies to support and encourage the growth of this nascent sector of the communications industry. Much of what has been accomplished by Canadian new media producers and their television and broadcast partners would not have been possible without the financial support, the flexibility, the foresight and the enthusiasm of the Bell Fund.
The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund is administered by the Independent Production Fund.
For further information:

Andra Sheffer
Executive Director
Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund
416-977-8154
bellfund@ipf.ca
www.bellfund.ca
Claire Dion
Associate Director
Fonds Bell
514-845-4418
fondsbell@ipf.ca
www.fondsbell.ca