Shaw Rocket Fund2015-2016 ANNUAL REPORT In 2016, the Shaw Rocket Fund invested almost $17 million in 66 projects including 42 linear TV programs and 24 related digital productions for a total overall investment since 1998 of over $193 million in 759 productions. Our Mission The Shaw Rocket Fund will invest in and champion quality Canadian children’s programming with financing that supports the growth of the Canadian children’s production industry. rocket fuelled projects TV TV Pre-School (under 5) Elementary (9-12) PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER 16 Hudson Big Bad Boo Studios APTN, Knowledge, SRC, Camp Lakebottom Season 3 9 Story Media Group Teletoon TVO, Zoomer Chop Chop Ninja Sardine Productions Teletoon Bookaboo Season 4 Sinking Ship Productions CBC Guardians Evolution Season 3 Karma Films APTN Ollie The Boy Who Became Radical Sheep Productions CBC What He Ate Jenny Avenida Productions TV5 Opie’s Home! Marblemedia Rogers (City), TVO, SnapShots Forte Entertainment CBC Knowledge The Next Step Season 4 Temple Street DHX, Family Channel Scout & The Gumboot Kids Season 2 Two Story Productions CBC The Next Step Season 5 Temple Street DHX Family Channel Tee and Mo Radical Sheep Productions TVO Wishfart WishFart Productions Teletoon The Moblees Season 2 Shaftesbury CBC We’re Fish Huminah Huminah City, Knowldege, BBC Kids, TFO Zerby Derby Season 3 Breakthrough Entertainment TFO, TVO, Knowledge youth PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER Bruno & Boots: 2 & 3 Aircraft Pictures YTV Degrassi Season 16 Epitome DHX Family Channel Don’t Talk to Irene Alyson Richards Productions Bell (TMN) Galala Season 2 Red Letter Films TV5 Unis The Grizzlies Northwood Productions TMN, CBC Primary (6-9) Le Chalet Season 3 Passez Go Productions Vrak Sadie’s Last Day on Earth Shaftsbury SuperChannel PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER Belle and Sebastian PVP Animation SRC, BBC Kids, Knowledge Dino Dana Season 1 & 2 Sinking Ship Entertainment TVO DOT Industrial Brothers CBC Family Finding Stuff Out Season 4 Apartment 11 Productions TVO PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER Giver Season 4 (Giver 150) Sinking Ship Entertainment TVO Anne of Green Gables 2 & 3 Breakthrough Entertainment YTV Pup Star 2 AirBud Entertainment Family Channel Canada In A Day Screen Siren Pictures Bell Media (CTV) Raven’s Quest Apartment 11 Productions TVO Heartland Season 10 Seven 24 Productions CBC Salmigondis Season 3 Telefiction Productions DHX, SRC, Tele-Quebec Howard Lovecraft Arcana Studios Superchnnel Slugterra Season 4 NerdCorps DHX Family Channel Indian Horse Screen Siren Pictures Bell Media The Mystery Files Season 2 Apartment 11 Productions TVO Juliana and the Medicine Fish Buffalo Gal Pictures Aptn, CBC, Hollywood Suite Wild Kratts Season 5 9 Story Media Group TVO, Knowledge Mission Yeti 10th Avenue Productions Tele-Quebec rocket fuelled projects DIGITAL Digital Pre-School (under 5) Elementary (9-12) PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER 16 Hudson - Digital Big Bad Boo Studios TVO Jenny Digital Avenida Productions TV5 Animakes and Playtime with Radical Sheep Productions TVO Slugterra Slug It Out NerdCorps DHX Tee and Mo Digital Shadow Wars Digital Booktopia Digital Sinking Ship Entertainment CBC Snapshots Website Forte Entertainment CBC Dino Dana Interactive 2 Sinking Ship Entertainment TVO Leon Interactive comic book Tome III Sardine Productions SRC The Moblees Season 2 Digital Shaftsbury CBC Opie Feels Better! Marblemedia TVO Opie’s Home! Digital Marblemedia TVO Playdate Digital Sinking Ship Entertainment DHX youth PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER Driving Me Crazy Interactive Marblemedia YTV Friends & Other Magic Digital Buffalo Gals iTunes Le Chalet - volet numerique Passez Go Productions Vrak Primary (6-9) Splatalot Attack! Digital MarbleMedia YTV PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER Annedroids 3 Interactive Sinking Ship Entertainment TVO Dino Dana Digital Sinking Ship Entertainment TVO Finding Stuff Out Season 4 Online Apartment 11 Productions TVO Giver 150 Interactive Big Bad Boo Studios TVO Family Look Kool 2 - DIGITAL Apartment 11 Productions TVO PROJECT COMPANY BROADCASTER Raven’s Quest Digital Apartment 11 Productions TVO Canada In A Day Digital Screen Siren Pictures Bell Media Science Max Digital 2 Breakthrough Entertainment TVO In 2016, the Shaw Rocket Fund, in association with Wildseed Studios, launched Startoon, an online animation development initiative to find the next great animated character. This year, the Rocket Fund launched Startoon, a new animation development and mentorship initiative. Taking the form of an online talent show, Startoon allows Canadian creators to compete to have their cartoon character named the best in Canada. Public participation has a direct influence on which characters advance to the next round, with a fun, interactive “click to clap” metre. In its initial year, Startoon received over 2,700 Facebook likes and 2,400 Instagram followers. The public clapped over 30 million times! Canadian creators submitted 93 characters during the audition phase, and our judges, industry experts, chose 30 to compete in the elimination phases of the competition. At each stage, creators were tasked with a challenge for their character. The videos submitted in each round were voted on by the judges to determine which characters would continue. In addition, the character with the most “claps” gained a free pass into the next stage. Throughout the process, the creators were mentored by our judges, as well as by videos and interviews with industry veterans that were posted to the Startoon website. And the winner is The ultimate champion was announced via live stream at an event held at the YouTube Space in Toronto. Our judges named Andy Greiling, creator of characters Sonny and Bently, as the winner of the competition. With the $25,000 budget awarded to him, Andy will now work with the Startoon production team to create a demo/pitch package that we hope will result in a series being produced. Bird’s eye View investments by audience Commitments by province commitments by genre PRE-SCHOOL magazine (UNDER 5) $ 2,610,451 variety 6.06% 3.03% PRIMARY (6-9) $ 4,297,950 ELEMENTARY digital (9-12) $ 3,224,704 BC drama 36.36% 16.67% AB 51.52% SK YOUTH 1.52% MB $ 4,350,000 1.52% 3.03% qc on 22.73% 53.01% documentary 3.03% FAMILY $ 2,256,458 NS 1.52% total for 2016: $16,739,563 TV: $15,443,998 Digital: $1,295,565 the board Annabel Slaight, Chair Chethan Lakshman, Director Founder of Owl Magazines, Books and Television, Annabel Chethan Lakshman is Vice-President, Communications and Public Relations Slaight is the recipient of many awards including the Order of at Shaw Communications, where he oversees the company’s public relations, Ontario, Canadian Film and Television’s Lifetime Achievement community investment, corporate sponsorship, and organizational Award, and the Royal Canadian Institute’s Sir Sanford Fleming communications portfolios. Prior to joining Shaw, Chethan provided Award. In addition to her dedication to the Shaw Rocket independent communications and reputation management strategy Fund and creative content for children, she is on a crusade to and counsel to corporations, charitable enterprises, and individuals. save and protect Lake Simcoe. From 1999–2011, Chethan was a leader of the award-winning Corporate Communications team at RBC, where he held a variety of senior roles. Before moving into the field of communications, Chethan worked as a journalist with The Globe and Mail, Financial Post, and CBC. Gigi Boyd, Vice-Chair A Gemini and Leo award winning Producer (“Elijah”), Gigi Boyd Nancy Birnbaum, Director was recently hired as the Vice President of Industrial Relations, In her 13 years as CEO of Invest in Kids, Nancy led the transformation of this CMPA – BC Branch. Gigi’s background includes producing roles small, Toronto-focused granting foundation into a national charitable on Canadian series such as “Cold Squad”, “Godiva’s” and “The organization providing parenting support to new parents across Canada. Prior Guard”. She is a former Manager of Business Affairs and Director to this, Nancy spent 20 years in the branding, marketing and communications of the Television Unit for the Western office of Telefilm Canada, fields in both consulting and business leadership roles, including as Managing a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre Producer Program, an Director of the Toronto office of Young & Rubicam Advertising. Since 1997, Nancy inaugural winner of the Banff Next Media TV 360 Team Award and has been part of Humanity, Inc., a business and branding strategy consulting firm served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Directors Guild of Canada – BC based in the U.S. Nancy’s interests and reputation for insightful strategic solutions Branch board from 2006-2010. are reflected in the many volunteer leadership positions she has held in the children and youth, women’s issues, and education arenas. the staff Agnes Augustin, President & CEO Victoria Asnong, Business Affairs Since 2004, Agnes Augustin has proudly overseen the Shaw Rocket Fund and its commitment to be a champion of Canadian Coordinator/Analyst children’s programming through the Fund’s investment Victoria Spence is the Shaw Rocket Fund‘s Business Affairs Coordinator as practices and the creation of various initiatives to support the well as an Analyst. Working in the film and television industry since 2006, industry, such as the much celebrated Shaw Rocket Prize. Prior her experience includes her role at Pink Sky/Avamar Entertainment as the to joining the Shaw Rocket Fund, Agnes was a Manager and Business Affairs Coordinator for “Flashpoint” Season 4 and 5. She brings Vice President of Business Affairs for various production and with her years of Production Assistant experience for programs such as distribution companies, Head of Production for CMT, as well as “The Latest Buzz” and “That’s So Weird”. an independent producer. Allan Joli-Coeur, VP, Operations Lisa Amato, Manager, Allan Joli-Coeur brings over 20 years of production experience, including the creation of over 345 half hours of content for kids. Strategic Communications His involvement in the production community includes being a Lisa Amato is the Shaw Rocket Fund’s Manager, Strategic Communications.