MONTREAL and TORONTO — Ahead of the Canada Media Fund (CMF) presenting its annual trends report at Prime Time this Wednesday, the funding organization is offering a sneak peek of the report, titled Pause and Rethink, which details how the pandemic has impacted media consumption as well as the content distribution, production and creation ecosystems in Canada.
Divided into four thematic sections, the report incorporates statistics related to the development of the Canadian screen industry as well as an analysis of the trends affecting the sector.
“What are the major transformations that we’ve observed, and that have been accelerated by the pandemic? Which ones are permanent? The stories, data, and case studies in the report come from across the country and show how resilient and innovative the Canadian screen industry is. Not only is the report taking stock of where we are today, it contributes to the conversation we are launching with the industry about how we can work together to thrive in an environment marked by profound disruption,” said CMF chief strategy officer Kelly Wilhelm in a press release.
“There’s no denying that 2020 was a year of tremendous upheaval, and that the screen industry must get a grasp of everything that’s emerged. Under lockdown, audiences have massively turned to digital content for relief. The streaming wars have intensified, and strategies to better position Canadian content in the fray have become more sophisticated,” adds CMF director of industry and market trends Catherine Mathys.
“The audiovisual industry has been digitizing at warp speed, integrating new technologies as soon as they become available to ensure on-set safety in particular, while seeking to reduce its significant environmental footprint. The industry also seems to be finally reckoning with calls for change from under-represented communities as audiences hunger more than ever for content they can relate to on screen.”
Some of the trends on the CMF’s radar include:
- Traditional niche content and platforms (such as Twitch) are opening up more to the general public to get everyone’s attention as the streaming wars rage on;
- Theatres are looking to reinvent themselves through new partnerships and event-based approaches in a bid to win back audience during lockdown;
- Further pandemic-induced experimentation with new pricing models for traditional streaming services;
- The democratization of metaverses through virtual and augmented reality;
- The increased importance of intimacy coordinators on film sets during the pandemic;
- The growing use of virtual production technologies as an eco-friendly alternative, especially in reducing waste and air travel;
- The progressive integration of environmental best practices to create healthier and more energy-efficient workplaces;
- The emergence of extended reality as an option for closed entertainment venues during the pandemic;
- The successes of certain virtual festivals, namely increased sales, and better access for emerging creators and international festivalgoers;
- Culturally specific content and international markets: navigating markets not familiar with the local Canadian context; and
- Actions and resources needed to increase the participation and inclusion of creators from underrepresented communities and to enable a more inclusive industry.
To access Pause and Rethink, the CMF’s 2021 edition of its annual trends report, please click here.
