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2005-2006 Action Plan

The Documentary Network in 2005-2006

Over the course of 2005-2006, the Board of Directors of the Documentary Network will continue to meet regularly, with the goal of strengthening collaboration between the organizations and advancing the debate on documentary. During the meetings, members will identify priorities, plan specific actions in response to current events, and do long-term planning. A retreat is planned for the fall to review and better define the Network’s mission and action priorities.

The Network will continue to press the main institutions to implement the following priorities:

• Setting up a funding program for feature documentaries at Telefilm Canada;
• Protecting funding assigned to point-of-view documentary in the documentary envelope at the Canadian Television Fund;
• Preparing a point-of-view documentary policy for Canadian Heritage’s five-year plan;
• Ensuring adequate funding for documentary in the public institutions and at the broadcasters;
• Maintaining flexible time slots dedicated to documentary on prime-time television, and protecting budgets allocated by the government to public broadcasters and by the latter to documentary;
• Establishing a network of digital screening venues in Quebec and Canada, which would facilitate documentary screenings.

During the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal, the Network will organize the 2005 Forum on the theme of documentary distribution. Among the key concerns of documentary filmmakers are finding ways to better reach the public and diversifying their sources of revenue.

The Network intends to continue participating in the Advisory Group on Documentary Policy, collaborating with audiovisual institutions and associations to formulate a documentary policy. It will also contribute to the work of the group’s socio-cultural sub-committee.

The follow-up committee on training documentarians will pursue its work.

A project to set up a Maison du documentaire is currently under review.

Moreover, wanting to improve communications with its members, the Network intends to seek specific funding to publish bilingual quarterly newsletters, over and above its usual documents.

It will continue to seek new sources of funding, with the goal of acquiring greater financial stability.

Lastly, the Network will remain vigilant and intends to act on a circumstantial basis as issues and urgent situations arise over the course of 2005-2006.