– The 13-month program will provide resources for
the business development of BIPOC-owned production companies
–
TORONTO, Oct. 23,
2023 /CNW/ -- Paramount+ in Canada, BIPOC TV & Film, and the
National Screen Institute announce today a joint partnership
that brings to life the all-new ELEVATE program, providing
business development mentorship, as well as strategies for growth
and stability to BIPOC-owned production companies. Applications are
now open until November 30 and
eligible participants can apply HERE. The ELEVATE program runs from
January 2024 to March 2025.
"The ELEVATE program is an important initiative that will
dovetail with specific project-based funding already available for
BIPOC-owned production companies, offering the tools and resources
to elevate their businesses beyond individual projects," said
Doug Smith, SVP Streaming &
Content Licensing Paramount Global, Canada. "We're honoured to support the growth
of BIPOC production companies in Canada that will leave a legacy of diverse
storytelling for generations to follow."
"ELEVATE is a vital branch of BIPOC TV & Film's three-year
strategic plan to build, fortify and sustain BIPOC entrepreneurs
and businesses in the screen sector," said Executive Director
Kadon Douglas. "Sustainable and
thriving production companies are critical to building power and
autonomy for BIPOC creators, and transforming the stories we tell
and legacies we build for the future of Canadian content."
"ELEVATE is our response to requests from BIPOC producers who
seek business development support," said National Screen Institute
CEO Joy Loewen. "We're thrilled to
collaborate with Paramount+ and BIPOC TV & Film to deliver a
groundbreaking initiative designed to address existing disparities
and barriers faced by BIPOC producers. We believe ELEVATE will
accelerate the growth of BIPOC production companies in both the
domestic and international markets."
About ELEVATE
Through the ELEVATE program, participants will be provided with
tailored mentorship and coaching, expert financial and business
guidance, access to industry decision-makers and networks and
critical resources to help bridge the gap and accelerate their
growth trajectory. The program aims to foster long-term
sustainability, economic empowerment and representation within the
industry and encourage greater export of Canadian creative
content.
The program is designed through a trauma-informed lens to
consider the socioeconomic impacts of systemic oppression and
barriers these communities have experienced. In a 2021 Canada Media
Fund survey of over 150 companies owned by Black and racialized
producers, four in 10 companies operated with less than
$50,000 annually and relied on six or
more funding sources. ELEVATE will inject flexible funding into
BIPOC production companies and facilitate connections with funding
opportunities, financial institutions, and potential investors to
enable BIPOC producers to access the necessary capital for business
growth.
This initiative is the second partnership Paramount+ in
Canada has announced that
reinforces Paramount's long-standing commitment to diversity,
equity, and inclusion. Earlier this month, the company announced a
collaboration with the Black Screen Office for the Black
Creators Festival Initiative.
These programs are intricately connected to the mission of
Paramount Global's Content for Change initiative, which seeks to
counteract narratives that enable bias, stereotypes, and hate using
the power of our content, the creative supply chain
that powers it, and the culture that underpins everything we
do.
About Paramount+
Paramount+ is a global digital
subscription video streaming service from Paramount that features a
mountain of premium entertainment for audiences of all ages.
Internationally, the streaming service features an expansive
library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across
every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios,
including SHOWTIME®, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon,
Paramount Pictures, and the Smithsonian Channel™, in addition to a
robust offering of premier local content. The service is currently
live in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Latin
America, the Caribbean,
Australia, Italy, Ireland, and South Korea.
About BIPOC TV & Film
Founded in 2012 as a
grassroots movement and community-building initiative—creating new
networks of support, care, and knowledge sharing, and challenging
discriminatory policies and practices in the industry—BIPOC TV
& Film has evolved into a national not-for-profit organization
building power and opportunities for Black, Indigenous and
Racialized people in Canada. BIPOC
TV & Film demonstrates what is possible when a group of
determined, visionary, and creative people come together for good.
Through investments in professional development training,
mentorship, wellness support and community engagement initiatives,
we ensure that BIPOC media professionals have the necessary
resources, access, and opportunities to fully participate in the
film and television industry—at all levels in front of and behind
the camera. In 2020, the organization launched HireBIPOC, a
workforce development initiative to facilitate connections between
employers and above and below-the-line crew and creative
professionals in Canada.
About the National Screen Institute
Propelled
by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations,
board members and staff, the National Screen Institute supports
creators from across Canada to
tell unforgettable stories. Through industry-informed training and
mentoring in film and television, students and alumni find their
voice and place on the global stage, inspiring us to shape a better
world.
The National Screen Institute is committed to training
participants from a diverse community of voices including Black,
Indigenous, People of Colour, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer or questioning and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+), people
with disabilities, those outside large urban centres, those in
regional and remote areas and various religious groups.
ELEVATE is presented by Paramount+ in Canada, BIPOC TV & Film and the
National Screen Institute, with program partners Canada Media Fund
(CMF) Telefilm Canada, and academic partner Toronto Metropolitan University. More sponsors
will be added as confirmed.
SOURCE Paramount+ (Canada)