FAQ – English
Q: Is there a cut-off time to submit applications on the deadline date?
A: Applications must be received by midnight (EST) on the deadline date.
Q: Can I apply for both the Rogers Documentary Fund and the Rogers Series Fund?
A: No. The Rogers Documentary Fund allows for a maximum of 5 episodes. The Rogers Series Fund requires a minimum of 6 episodes.
Q: Can I apply with a Letter of Intent in order to meet the deadline, stating that the commitment letter is to follow?
A: No. Licence commitment letter(s)/agreement(s) must accompany your application. Your Canadian broadcast commitment and your streaming commitment are two essential requirements for access to the Rogers Series Fund. If they are being provided by the same entity, the broadcast and streaming licence fees do not need to be broken out in separate amounts, however the letter/agreement must acknowledge that (1) the licence fee covers both the linear and the online streaming rights; and (2) the entity intends to exploit both sets of rights.
Similarly, a platform commitment is an essential requirement for the Rogers Documentary Fund, and your application must be accompanied by a platform commitment letter/agreement.
Q: What is an acceptable online/streaming platform for the Rogers Documentary Fund?
A: Eligible applicants must have a commitment from a platform (streaming, broadcast or specialty cable) that is available to Canadian audiences. The platform must pay a licence fee of fair market value in exchange for the rights to that content, which must be at least 30 minutes in length. Eligible streaming platforms include: Netflix, CBC.ca, Amazon Prime, CuriosityStream, Sundance Now, and Citytv.com. We accept the online services that are listed in CAVCO’s Public Notice 2017-01 at https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/cavco-tax-credits/notices-bulletins/public-notice-2017-01/acceptable-online-services.html. We will consider other streaming services on a case-by-case basis.
Q: What is an acceptable broadcaster for the Rogers Series Fund?
A: The broadcaster must be an English-language, private (i.e. not government-owned) Canadian licensed television service with national reach. This can be a conventional or discretionary service.
Q: What will qualify as an Eligible Streaming Service for the Rogers Series Fund’s June 2024 Application Deadline?
A: The streaming service must be an online undertaking that is (1) private (i.e. not government-owned); and (2) operated by a broadcasting ownership group that appears on the CRTC’s Registration List, available online: List of online streaming services – Ownership groups | CRTC. As explained in Section B.4(3) of the Guidelines, for the June 2024 Fund deadline, we will not limit Eligible Streaming Services to those platforms that are already making financial contributions under the CRTC’s contribution regime.
Q: My series has a commitment from an eligible streaming service and from an eligible private Canadian broadcaster. But there’s also a commitment from a public Canadian broadcaster. Will the public broadcaster’s involvement make the project ineligible for the Rogers Series Fund?
A: If that private broadcaster holds the Canadian first-window broadcast rights, this is not an issue. A public broadcaster cannot be the broadcast trigger for the Rogers Series Fund and cannot hold the Canadian first-window broadcast rights.
Q: Are co-ventures and treaty co-productions eligible for the Rogers Documentary Fund and the Rogers Series Fund?
A: Yes, treaty co-productions (certified by Telefilm Canada) and co-ventures are eligible for both Funds.
Q: Why does the Rogers Documentary Fund only accept limited series up to five episodes?
A: The fund was designed for single or POV documentaries, rather than series. Limited series allow us to stay within our mandate.
Q: How are Canadian content points determined for key creative personnel?
A: For both the Rogers Documentary Fund and the Rogers Series Fund, productions must achieve Canadian content status. This requires a minimum of 6 out of 10 points in accordance with the Canadian content rules as administered by CAVCO/CRTC. CAVCO’s guidelines for the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit provide a helpful summary of how these points are determined: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/cavco-tax-credits/canadian-film-video-production/application-guidelines.html#a6
Q: Why do I need a legal opinion on the “chain of title” for my documentary?
A: We must ensure that the producer has all necessary rights to produce and market the documentary. Please note that the opinion must be addressed to: Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Fund.
Q: What is a fair market value licence fee?
A: The licence fee you receive from your broadcaster/platform/online streaming service should be in line with what the broadcaster/platform would normally pay for a similar project – given length, budget, and other factors .
Q: My project’s financing structure includes tax credits. Do I have to provide a tax credits opinion letter from an accounting firm?
A: Successful applicants to the Rogers Documentary Fund need to provide the project’s tax credit certificates or an opinion letter from an accounting firm. Successful applicants to the Rogers Series Fund need to provide the project’s tax credit certificates, or an opinion letter from an accounting firm and the submitted tax credit applications.
Q: Why do I need a formal completion bond or producer holdback?
A: This ensures funds are available to cover unforeseen production or post-production expenses which could prevent the successful delivery of your project to the broadcaster/platform.
Q: What is the payment schedule for the Rogers Documentary Fund?
A: Successful applicants are sent a list of deliverables. The grant is paid out in a single Electronic Funds Transfer once all deliverables have been received and our agreement has been executed.
Q: What is the payment schedule for the Rogers Series Fund?
A: Successful applicants are sent a list of deliverables so that the Equity investment Agreement can be prepared. Drawdowns are paid via Electronic Funds Transfer. There are exceptions, but the standard drawdown schedule is:
- 20% upon execution of the Equity Investment Agreement
- 30% upon commencement of principal photography
- 25% upon completion of principal photography, submission of a progress report and an up-to-date cost report
- 20% upon delivery to and acceptance by the trigger broadcaster, proof of E&O insurance in effect with all exclusions removed, and submission of an up-to-date cost report
- 5% upon submission of a Vimeo link to the final version of the production, a copy of the final detailed cost report and audit, and any required amendments to the financing agreements.
Q: Does Rogers Telefund finance tax credits?
A: Rogers Telefund will consider banking tax credits under certain circumstances. We must have a working relationship with a producer and/or production company, and require a “tax credit history” (a list of recent federal and provincial tax filings).
Q: Can Rogers Telefund estimate the legal fees that will be charged to the borrower in order to setup an interim loan?
A: The legal fees incurred by a borrower relate directly to the availability of final documentation as well as the size of the loan and how many contracts are being financed. It´s not possible for us to determine what your legal fees will be.
Q: Where can I go to get development funding?
A: Broadcasters, some other CIPFs, and the Canada Media Fund have development funding available. We do not.
For any additional information, please refer to our guidelines or email us at RogersGroupofFunds@rci.rogers.com
