Canadian Heritage Committee on March 23rd, 2015

[Carolle Brabant]

In our opinion, promotion is key. It is a really important component. As Mr. Hennessy mentioned, the Canadian environment is extremely competitive. We have to deal with American film promotion campaigns that cost tons of dollars. It is important for us to work together to promote our talents. That is indeed what we do with the Canadian Media Production Association, the Canada Media Fund and the provinces.

You spoke earlier about how we can help emerging talent. I think we have to help them to make their first film, but we also have to get them known to the public, especially with initiatives such as movie night. In my opinion, it is important to promote our cinema and our talents through such activities.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Brault, what do you mean by equal access to technology, and how do we do that?

[Simon Brault]

What I mean is that if you compare where we are today with where we were 10 or 20 years ago, it's clear that there is more high technology accessible and the Canada Council is supporting a lot of artist-run centres providing the possibility of sharing that equipment. What we realize is that technology won't make it. You need more than that. You need to make sure that you support the artists, you support the creative content, and that you promote professionalization and an ethic of work that makes things happen.

We're very aware that it's important to protect and promote that access to technology, but there's a very careful support that has to be given to the artist in order to make sure they make the best use of technology.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you.

Do you also finance films that no one else will make?

[Simon Brault]

We do, obviously, and even more because we are clearly in a very specific niche in terms of the work. We don't give huge amounts. The maximum is $60,000 for a feature film. They are clearly films that are made with total editorial control by the artist. It's clearly the R and D part of the industry, and part of the R and D is happening with the Canada Council.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Can I ask you about the star system? The star system drove most of the film business worldwide out of Hollywood. A lot of Canadians go down to Hollywood and they get such great parts and do so well that they stay there. I know if you have a star in a film, sometimes it guarantees that it gets made, that it gets distributed, that it gets advertised, etc.

However, we had one filmmaker here who said that the star system isn't working so well for some stars. For instance, he said that Johnny Depp probably couldn't guarantee that a picture got made anymore, so it's fading.

You talked about Canadian actors often going to the stage first, and then they go to film, and back and forth. How does that reflect how films get made in Canada? Do we have a star system? Is the star system developing to international film? Are we going around Hollywood to the world market? How does that bode for the film industry?

[Simon Brault]

Your question is very interesting. I think the star system is uneven across Canada. Obviously we can see that in Quebec there is something more close to a star system.

I think the story of Denis Villeneuve, who will direct the next Blade Runner episode in Hollywood, is very interesting. This is someone who started by being supported by the Canada Council, probably worked with all of our institutions, did very artistic films, made a big adaptation of a play written by Wajdi Mouawad—so something coming from theatre—worked with very unusual suspects in terms of creators, created a very original voice, and is now going to the U.S. to do Blade Runner. I am sure he will continue to do independent movies, because he is an artist who tries to reinvent himself constantly.

There's a combination of a star system but also a way to nurture the development of true artists who will have a long-term career. There are many stories like that in Canada. It's very interesting, the fact that artists don't work in silos because we don't have a market big enough. You cannot be just an actor for film. It's very difficult. You need to do many different things, and there's an advantage to it. Clearly, there's an advantage in our system.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Briefly, if a Hollywood B actor who has a name but is not an A and can't make sure a film gets made appears in a smaller Canadian production, does that not provide jobs for Canadians, Canadian actors, Canadian producers, and everybody who's on a film set by drawing on that star power?

I don't know if Carolle would like to comment.

[Simon Brault]

Carolle would be the expert on that one.

[Carolle Brabant]

Certainly, but I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all approach to all of this. I think that the industry, as we were saying this afternoon, is a very competitive environment. I think that for production companies to be able to continue providing us with the Canadian content that we like seeing on our screens, we need a variety of supports for those companies to be healthy. Yes, American films that are being shot in Canada are part of that, but homegrown cinema is also another important part of that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

Thank you.

Mr. Nantel, you have the floor. You have seven minutes.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

First of all, Ms. Brabant, you referred to what Mr. André Melançon said at the last Jutra Gala.

It is really fantastic that representatives from the three organizations are here today, and I thank you sincerely. Obviously, our system to support film production is doing very well.

What Mr. Melançon was saying in reference to the founding fathers of French Canadian cinema clearly referred to the work done by the NFB and the different directors. He alluded to himself as the old guard, which certainly created Quebec cinema in a very concrete way. He also clearly was referring to you, to Telefilm Canada, for all the work that has been done through this consolidation—that is the word I was looking for earlier. And when he asked young people to amaze us and take us away, this clearly brings us back to the Canada Council.

I think you are the “André Melançon” trio and that your presence here with us today has a theme. All of this is wonderful and you should do a big love-in, because clearly things are going very well.

However, we have challenges now that we did not have before. I think that if we had had this kind of meeting five years ago, we would have said that things were going very well and that you should keep up the good work. However, at this time we all know that there is a great deal of competition from foreign producers on the screens our consumers have access to, and, potentially, on the screens international consumers have access to. In that context, we need to raise our profile.

That said, I want to say to my committee colleagues that I would like us to produce an interim report because I know what our last meeting on this matter is going to be like and I am under the impression that we're going to have to take stock—and we had discussed this with Mr. Dykstra— of what the witnesses we will be inviting subsequently will have to stay.

I want to make sure that the people like you who come here are happy. You are happy to be here and we are as well. However, all of this work must not come to nought. Our weeks can be quite chaotic, and so I would like us to talk about all of this again in a meeting regarding our future business. I would like to see an interim report because I am afraid we are going to lose sight of this study.

Mr. Brown was here when the first study was done 10 years ago. This provided a good picture and a good Polaroid snapshot of the situation. Today, the difference is all of the multi-platform environment.

And so I have a few questions for all of you. I'm trying to go as quickly as possible so that you will all have a chance to speak.

Mr. Brault, you referred the future in connection with aboriginal people. Do you see there a sort of potential relay with reference to Ms. Barbeau's initiative with the Wapikoni Mobile?

[Simon Brault]

The work that Manon Barbeau is doing is definitely inspiring. The Council for the Arts is now realizing that it has to implement an Aboriginal arts program built on the principles of self-determination. That program will be different from other programs and will truly be based on the expression of an original voice, regardless of the means chosen and the distinctions that we traditionally make between translation, contemporary art and so on. Those distinctions are far more European and far less Aboriginal.

For the Council for the Arts, the huge benefit of having such a program is that it will address one of the biggest challenges in our society: the kind of separation that exists between our daily lives and the arts. Aboriginal people don't separate the two. Having a program that embodies that within the Canada Council for the Arts will be an honour, a privilege and a responsibility.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Congratulations! I hope that others will be able to pass your contribution on to a larger audience.

Mr. Joli-Coeur, I must first congratulate you, because we have often talked about the major progress in making culture digital. We have often said that your App—the NFB App—on smart phones and TVs—has provided a fine way of doing things and has been a success. You talked about all the archives and catalogues that are available. There was a lot of talk about the belugas in Cacouna, and all of a sudden, everyone started watching Michel Brault's Pour la suite du monde. It was easily accessible. This is our Canadian film library. Actually, the term “film library” is interesting.

What will your role be in relation to the much-talked-about move? We have seen the sketches for your head office that will be in the Quartier des spectacles. What will be NFB's cohabitation situation and new role downtown?

You have one minute to tell us about that.

[Claude Joli-Coeur]

It is amazing that we had the government's support to move the NFB downtown. We have been working on the project for a number of years. This move makes it possible to establish the NFB among creators, in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. It's not only a question of the relationship with the public and the hundreds of thousands of people who come there everyday during major festivals, but it is also a question of being surrounded by an entire ecosystem of creators. A synergy will develop. Canada will be showcased internationally and so will the creators from all over the country with whom we work and who come to Montreal on a regular basis to work with us.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

At any rate, it is a nice contemporary update of your work and it is forward-looking.

Ms. Brabant, I think Telefilm Canada does an outstanding job. A little earlier, you mentioned Corner Gas.

I am not sure everyone here knows how much you have helped Xavier Dolan with all his international tours. I would like to point out your experiment with Corner Gas.

Let me remind everyone that it first appeared on the big screen, then it was available for purchase online, after which it was broadcast on CTV. All that was done in a very short period of time so that its promotion was effective on all three platforms. I think it had 7 million viewers. That is fantastic.

Do you think CBC could take that up? Earlier, the representatives from the Canadian Media Production Association talked about the role that the CBC could play. In your view, is that possible?

[Carolle Brabant]

I think the key factor in the success of the Corner Gas experiment is that it was real teamwork. The broadcaster promoted the showing on the big screen and vice versa. The producer was very involved.

Telefilm Canada's role is to develop the industry. Our main partners are the production companies and producers. We hope to help them make progress and improve their lot. We were particularly happy to see such an innovative proposal from that production company.

In fact, we think that there is room for new pilot projects and new ideas. In my view, there is no shortage of new ideas in Canada.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

Thank you.

Mr. Dion, go ahead for seven minutes.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

That's good to know because we need new ideas.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today. My thanks also go to your institutions for what they have accomplished. We cannot imagine what sort of film industry Canada would have without your three institutions.

That has to do with the past, so let's talk about the future now. Here is my question.

What would you like to see in the committee's report? I would like you to tell us, because I haven't heard anything about this issue until now. I find that everything you have said is very good and there is nothing to take out. However, I am sure that there are things to add.

Ms. Brabant listed the very worrying challenges. But we cannot simply worry; we must overcome the challenges. What role will your institutions play when Canadians, just like other human beings, end up staying home more and more rather than going to the movies? They have access to a multitude of films, which was unimaginable just five or 10 years ago.

[Simon Brault]

I personally would say that the most significant challenge is this.

Whenever we talk about going digital, I come back to this question. We need to keep believing in artistic creation, in supporting it and in investing in it. Canada's ability to shine in a competitive environment depends first and foremost on the content and the originality of the voices. In all artistic fields, Canada can punch above its actual demographic and economic weight, because there is public investment in creation. Risk-taking is tolerated and encouraged in Canada.

When we talk about creation, we often talk about buying time so that artists can work and develop their know-how and their original works. I think the convergence of the various creators, musicians, writers, producers and others, is extremely important in Canada. We will make it, despite all the competition with symbolic content, if we have an original creation, risky and sometimes provoking, sometimes disturbing. In that sense, I agree with the speech made at the Jutra awards. That is the key. That is the role of the Canada Council for the Arts. We hope that governments will continue to invest in the Canada Council for the Arts. Our responsibility is to identify artistic excellence and to support it properly.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

So we must invest in creation with what we have now.

[Simon Brault]

Yes.

The last increase in the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts goes back eight years. Without daydreaming, we think it is important to keep up the levels of investment in creation. The funding of an organization like the Canada Council for the Arts must be adjusted every 10 years, so that it can measure up to the creation being done in Canada. If there is a decline in the support for creation, everything else is in danger. In a globalized world, the only thing that is not on the move is the creation rooted in a region. I think our role is to support creation.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Brault.

Mr. Joli-Coeur, do you have anything to add to that?

[Claude Joli-Coeur]

We have shown you the leadership of each of our institutions on issues related to feature films.

I agree with Mr. Brault that it is essential to maintain the funding and that the same level of funding must be maintained. Beyond our three institutions, synergy between all the players in this ecosystem has not been achieved. Among our three institutions, this synergy is well established but, as was pointed out just now, the relationship between the broadcaster, the other agencies and the other sources of funding is not perfect.

If your committee could do something so that there is some structural work in that sense, that would allow us to go even further.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Based on your observations, is there any coordination that you would like to recommend?