To Netflix or not to flix

By Norm Richards

On Thursday September 28, 2017, Canada's Heritage Minister Melanie Joly held a press conference to announce that juggernaut internet streaming service Netflix have agreed to invest $500 - million over five years on production and distribution of Canadian movies and television programs. The trade  off appears that the government will not tax Netflix on their subscriptions. Netflix will agree to install a production office in Canada more likely in Toronto and not in Regina or Winnipeg. The fifteen hundred dollar cup of coffee remains. This means if you wish to pitch your story ideas to Netflix you will have to travel to do it.

Nevertheless, there are many other concerns. The question remains how the money they put in up to $100 - million per year is handled and who gets to administer it. It appears Quebec is already demanding they get a split off equal to what they usually get when CBC gets their allocation for French program funding and the rest of Canada gets what's left. This envelope split is more Ottawa's politically understood way of doing things over demonstrated merit. The point I'm willing to make on this subject is that Netflix will prefer English language programs for distribution since that's the norm for them. I'm sure they will buy Quebec produced programs regardless but not because Quebec says they must.

My biggest concern is that story development and writers need a window to develop their talent and advance their skills. It's simply not enough to graduate from a writing program and go up against a wall of gatekeepers who have no concern for what it takes to create story and all the associated costs of time, research costs and consultation it takes to make a finished product. Writing on spec is risky, terribly time consuming, misleading and most often ends in rejection. If you pitch a story idea with a limited outline or treatment, you shouldn't be forced to write a full script out of your own pocket. An
investment in the process of developing good story is badly needed in Canada.

for now, I think the Minister understands that. The problems of being a politician is she needs to develop policy and firm agreements with interested players before anything can happen. It's my hope Netflix wants the same thing. That they respects the process rather than just buying ready made productions trusting Canada's producers are in good enough financial shape as they are. Putting together workable budgets is also a science and almost always falls short trying to finish a film. Good story needs the investment it deserves at the early stage of creation. I'm very interested in seeing what happens in the coming weeks and months while Canada's government and Netflix assume responsibility for content improvement.
Will it be done?