Hot Docs and the Rogers Foundation founded the $1-million Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund to support Canadian documentary projects.
The Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund will provide successful applicants with a grant of up to 20 per cent of the total production costs to a maximum of $20,000. Eligible costs include those that are standard in the industry during production.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be a Canadian-controlled corporation based in Canada and unaffiliated with any licensed Canadian network or programming undertaking (broadcasters and broadcaster-affiliated production companies are ineligible).
- Have previously produced one of the following: a documentary or fiction film commercially released in Canada; a documentary or fiction film and/or series broadcast on Canadian television.
- Key applicants to the Funds must be in good standing with Hot Docs by application date.
The Funds will occasionally consider an applicant that does not meet these requirements, provided a senior producer is meaningfully attached to the project as confirmed in writing.
Projects must:
- be majority owned by the applicant*
- have commitment from an eligible market partner**
- be a one-off (i.e., series are not eligible)
- have a minimum running time of one television hour
- be of high quality and suitable for theatrical release and/or broadcast to Canadian audiences
* Official treaty co-productions are eligible. Preliminary approval from Telefilm Canada’s Co-Production Office will be required at time of application. Co-ventures/Co-productions with a foreign country are eligible even though the Canadian production company may not own 100 per cent of the project as long as they are certifiable by the CRTC.
** Proof of commitment from an eligible, third-party, market partner must be included in the application. The commitment should demonstrate financial commitment. This can be in the form of a signed letter of commitment or, ideally, an executed long-form agreement with the market partner. Examples of market partners are: licensed broadcasters, theatrical distributors, and new media platforms.
Funding is not granted for projects in development, completed projects, or projects that have been screened or broadcast publicly, including at festivals. The Fund encourages projects to apply as early as the development stage is complete with a confirmed market partner in place. It is acceptable if the project has not officially begun principle photography. The ideal project is at a stage of production, whether it is prepping or shooting.
Please note: A producer can apply with one project within a six month period in which the company is majority producer.
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