programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:46 Page 1 partners.qxp 14/11/08 13:59 Page 1 programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:46 Page 3 Special thanks Special thanks go to Sylvain Lafrance and Cécile Bellemare of Radio-Canada for housing the Alliance for Children and Television’s Office. The Alliance for Children and Television (ACT) would like to warmly thank it’s Média-Jeunes 2008 advisory committee : Claire Dion (Bell Fund & Independent Production Fund), Cécile Bellemare (SRC), Guillaume Aniorte (Tribal Nova), Bruno Légaré (Téléfilm Canada), Patricia Lavoie (NDI Média) & Madeleine Lévesque (Productions 49e Avenue). Special thanks as well to Kirsten Schneid, Organization Manager of the Munich PRIX JEUNESSE. Our service partners are very important to the success of this event, thanks to: Le lien Multimédia, Qui Fait Quoi, Boréale & La Maison de vins Charton Hobbs Many thanks to all our collaborators and volunteers. Striving for excellence in youth and children’s television for almost 35 years ! The Alliance for Children and Television,1400 René-Lévesque Blvd. East, # 708, Montréal, QC H2L 2M2 514-597-5417 | www.act-aet.tv programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:46 Page 4 Summary Welcome note from ACT’s Executive Director .......................... 3 Organization ........................................................................... 4 A word from our Sponsors ..................................................... 5 Schedule – Conferences, November 20 ................................. 9 Is funding for youth content in jeopardy? .............................. 10 The market for interactive properties : could tv become a derivative ? ............................................... 12 Lunch with the Broadcasters and Financial Backers ............... 14 Gender representation and it’s impact on kids : Are we concerned? ................................................................. 17 Master Class with the writers and creators of Life with Derek winner of the 2008 Shaw Rocket Prize ......................................................... 19 Creating animated characters that connect! ........................... 21 Schedule – Screenings, November 21 ................................... 22 programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:46 Page 5 Welcome note from ACT’s Executive Director Welcome to Média-Jeunes 2008! Here we are—creators, artists, producers, broadcasters and financial backers—all together again to review our methods, expand our horizons, and discuss the latest issues. The Alliance has really pulled out all the stops this year to bring you a conference that’s at once wide-ranging and highly targeted. First and foremost, in the face of pressure from all fronts to help reduce the alarming obesity rate among our young people, we thought it would be a good time to remind ourselves why Quebec brought in legislation in 1980 to ban advertising intended for children. And it’s also topical today to wonder how that law has affected Quebec children’s & youth production, as well as our kids themselves—has it truly protected them? In other respects, our French cousins are visiting us more and more, and they bring with them a compelling array of new funding models for Web sales and TV production. In the current political climate, our industry would be better off remaining as financially independent as possible, while diversifying its funding sources. We will be welcoming notable guest speaker Dafna Lemish, whose prolific work and research continue to help us all keep in touch with young people. Dafna will look at how producers perceive and represent gender, and she happens to have a few surprises for us in that arena. We’ll also meet the creators behind the Shaw Rocket Prize–winning series Life With Derek. They’ll share with us the key to success of their show, which can currently be seen on a number of channels here at home and abroad. If you’re into animation, you’ll love Jennifer Oxley’s presentation—in fact, it’s worth the trip just to hear her speak, considering just how highly valid and relevant her teachings are. And, to top things off, on Friday we invite you to enjoy screenings of an astonishing selection of entries from the major Munich-based competition Prix Jeunesse International, intercut with a lively round of discussions on them. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to interact with and learn from your peers while establishing contacts that will help you strive for even higher quality in our children’s & youth industry. At ACT, we’ll keep focusing all of our energy on achieving our common objectives, thanks in part to your continued support and participation in our events. I’d also like to express my gratitude to the organizing committee and our new coordinator Sylvie Lamy for their invaluable assistance in making this event a success. Here’s hoping you have a very enriching day! Caroline Fortier Executive Director 3 programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:47 Page 6 Organization ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Secretary Peter Moss Phil Piazza Independant Producer Vice President, Acquisitions CanWest MediaWorks Vice-President Steven DeNure Treasurer President Claude Joli-Coeur Decode Entertainment Assistant Commissioner, Director, Business Affairs and Legal Services National Film Board of Canada DIRECTORS Agnes Augustin Chris Bartleman President Partner Shaw Rocket Fund Studio B Productions Patricia Ellingson Suzanne French Creative Head Vice President, Children’s & Family Children's & Daytime Programming Shaftesbury Films TVOntario JJ Johnson Jocelyn Hamilton Partner VP, Creative Development Sinking Ship Entertainment Corus Entertainment Madeleine Lévesque Carole Bonneau President Vice-President, programming Productions 49e avenue TELETOON Kim Wilson Ira Levy Creative Head Executive Producer/Partner TV Children’s & Youth Programming Breakthrough Films & Television CBC ACT OFFICE Executive Director Caroline Fortier Events and Projects Coordinator Sylvie Lamy 4 programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:47 Page 7 A word from our Sponsors We’re very pleased to welcome you to the 2008 Média-Jeunes Conference at Montreal’s Maison de Radio-Canada. Radio-Canada has been committed to children and youth for over 50 years, and considers youth programming to be a key component of its mandate to serve French-Canadian culture. The public broadcaster strives to have a positive influence on the lives of young French speakers across the country, while supporting their development as individuals and future active members of the community. This commitment to youth has long been a tradition at Télévision de Radio-Canada: we air high-quality programming for kids and teens, most of which is produced right here in Canada. Moreover, Radio-Canada.ca’s youth section has quickly become a leader on the French-speaking Web, not to mention a highly popular site among young Internet users. Première Chaîne continues to air two radio programs specifically intended for young French speakers across Canada: 275-allô and Ados-radio. By observing, understanding and being attentive to the needs and behaviours of the interactive generation, we’ve been able to establish powerful, critical indicators to help us map out our course of action for today, and for a future approaching at breakneck speed. Radio-Canada is therefore very excited to join the Alliance for Children and Television to host this conference, a unique opportunity to exchange and reflect on this crucial transition stage in which the Net Generation’s media behaviour has become the driving force behind change. We hope you enjoy the conference! Louise Lantagne General Manager, Télévision de Radio-Canada 5 programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:47 Page 8 A word from our Sponsors Média-Jeunes is a must-attend for anyone involved in Quebec’s youth TV production industry. Whether you’re a researcher, scriptwriter, producer, broadcaster or distributor, the conference is a golden opportunity to meet and interact with your peers. It’s also a chance to learn more about the needs and interests of today’s young people, to stay up on the new technologies they’re so quick to embrace, and to see the best productions the world has to offer them. In short, it’s an event that will stimulate your creativity and hone your skills. As the minister responsible for the status of women, I’m particularly touched to note that Média-Jeunes 2008 will be hosting a workshop with renowned speakers on the hypersexualization of children. This highly topical issue deserves to be considered by society as a whole. Even more so by you who, as creators and broadcasters of children’s programming, influence young people’s behaviour and play a certain role in this phenomenon. Your participation in this conference can only be of benefit to young viewers, by ensuring they have a steady stream of top-notch programs designed specifically for them. Thanks to you, Quebec has earned a reputation for excellence in youth television production. Média-Jeunes 2008 will no doubt assist in this pursuit of quality. Christine St-Pierre Minister of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women 6 programme2008_en.qxp 14/11/08 12:47 Page 9 A word from our Sponsors The Alliance for Children and Television should be proud of what it’s achieved. After all, it’s no easy feat to get all the various players in the children’s & youth production industry together in one place, alternating between Toronto and Montreal! These gatherings help all those involved enhance their knowledge, discuss, and stay on the leading edge. Caroline Fortier and her team have succeeded in creating a