How to get lunch with Wayne Clarkson of Telefilm

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: lunch with wayne at TIFF
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:00:29 -0400
From: Holt, Ralph (TOR) < XXXX@TELEFILM.GC.CA >

To: Norman Cohn < cohn@isuma.ca >
CC: Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN) < XXXX@telefilm.gc.ca > , Clarkson, Wayne (MTL) < XXXX@telefilm.gc.ca > , Lucius Barre < XXXX@rcn.com > , Jacquie Carpenter < XXXX@aids2006toronto.org > , danis Goulet < XXXX@imagineNATIVE.org > , Jim Sherry < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com > , Cam Haynes < XXXX@tiffg.ca > , Pita Aatami < XXXX@makivik.org > , Zacharias Kunuk < XXXX@isuma.ca > , Denis Seguin < XXXX@sympatico.ca > , etan vlessing < XXXX@sympatico.ca > , MacDonald, Gayle < XXXX@globeandmail.com > , Jim Bell < XXXX@nunatsiaq.com > , Patricia Bell < XXXX@cbc.ca > , SF Said < XXXX@hotmail.com >

Wayne has shuffled his agenda and wondered if you want to consider your initial proposal of meeting for lunch September 7.

-------- Original Message --------
From: Holt, Ralph (TOR)
Sent: August 31, 2006 3:12 PM
To: 'Norman Cohn'
Cc: Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN); Clarkson, Wayne (MTL); Lucius Barre; Jacquie Carpenter; danis Goulet; Jim Sherry; Cam Haynes; Pita Aatami; Zacharias Kunuk; Denis Seguin; etan vlessing; MacDonald, Gayle; Jim Bell; Patricia Bell; SF Said
Subject: RE: lunch with wayne at TIFF

We shouldn't let this meeting get in the way of publicizing the film. Please let us know better times for you and I will see if Wayne can make himself available.

-------- Original Message --------
From: Norman Cohn [mailto:cohn@isuma.ca]
Sent: August 31, 2006 2:52 PM
To: Holt, Ralph (TOR)
Cc: Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN); Clarkson, Wayne (MTL); Lucius Barre; Jacquie Carpenter; danis Goulet; Jim Sherry; Cam Haynes; Pita Aatami; Zacharias Kunuk; Denis Seguin; etan vlessing; MacDonald, Gayle; Jim Bell; Patricia Bell; SF Said
Subject: lunch with wayne at TIFF

Hi Ralph,

You must know the day after the Opening Night Gala is our biggest press day so the 8th might be hard to have a lunch. At the moment there's a press screening scheduled for 10 a.m. and supposed to be a TIFF press conference following it and then 2-5 pm meetings with the press under the wing of the Alliance Atlantis team.

People are checking to determine if there's any time in there to meet Wayne for lunch (possibly before the press conference, maybe while the press screening is still going on) but a breakfast at 8 or 9 in the morning might work better if he can't make our lunch date on the 7th.

We're also in town on the Wednesday the 6th: also a big press day but there may be some free time if you have any too.

best,
Norman Cohn

-------- Original Message --------
From: Norman Cohn [mailto:cohn@isuma.ca]
Sent: August 30, 2006 12:40 PM
To: Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN); Clarkson, Wayne (MTL)
Cc: Holt, Ralph (TOR); Lucius Barre; Jacquie Carpenter; danis Goulet; Jim Sherry; Cam Haynes; Pita Aatami; Zacharias Kunuk; Denis Seguin; etan vlessing; MacDonald, Gayle; Jim Bell; Patricia Bell; SF Said
Subject: Re: The Journals
Dear Wayne and Elizabeth,
Zach and I would like to propose a meeting next week in Toronto to try to advance quickly the outstanding issue of northern distribution of The Journals.

May we invite you two to lunch on the opening day, Sept 7? Since Elizabeth and I never met in person, and neither Zach nor I have been able to meet Wayne, this might be a good time to get to know each other.

We suggest 12 noon, probably at the Royal York, but if you can make it we'll confirm the time and place. If you can't, perhaps you can suggest another time we could meet during the week. Both Zach and I are in town through Sunday the 10th.

best regards,
Norman

Norman Cohn wrote:
Hi Elizabeth,

I believe Pita Aatami, President of Makivik Corp. has written back to you directly identifying himself and *Makivik* Corporation - www.*makivik*.org. A non-profit organization owned by the Inuit of Nunavik, with a mandate of the protection of the integrity of the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. Makivik owns both First Air and Air Inuit and has been a key sponsor of our northern distribution effort by providing complementary airfares to our traveling projection crews.

Lucius, Jacquie, Zach and I are the Isuma Distribution team; Danis Goulet is head of the imagineNATIVE Film Festival which will screen The Journals Saturday, October 21, and co-sponsor a panel discussion with the University of Toronto's Blackwood Art Gallery. Danis and imagineNATIVE also are collaborating on the northern tour.

Jim Sherry is VP distribution at AAC-MPD, Cam Haynes runs TIFF Group's Film Ciruit. Denis, Etan, Gayle, Jim, Patricia and SF are journalists: all have been following Isuma, The Journals and our effort to bring the film to Inuit and other Native communities.

Our effort already represents significant teamwork. We're inviting you to join us.

best,
Norman

Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN) wrote:

Hello Norm:

I will bring myself up to speed on your application and return to you. In the meantime, could you please advise me of who all the people are that you have chosen to include in our conversation by cc'ing them. I would appreciate knowing who I am speaking with.

Regards,
Elizabeth

-------- Original Message --------
From: Norman Cohn [mailto:cohn@isuma.ca]
Sent: Thu 8/24/2006 6:47 AM
To: Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN)
Cc: Clarkson, Wayne (MTL); Holt, Ralph (TOR); Lucius Barre; Jacquie Carpenter; danis Goulet; Jim Sherry; Cam Haynes; Pita Aatami; Zacharias Kunuk; Denis Seguin; etan vlessing; MacDonald, Gayle; Jim Bell; Patricia Bell; SF Said
Subject: The Journals

Dear Elizabeth,

It's a pleasure to write you again after all these years. As Telefilm's regional director who finally put Atanarjuat forward in 1999, you, Zacharias and I have an interest in one another's success.

Zach and I would like to continue directly with you and Wayne our discussion about access to distribution Marketing Assistance for The Journals of Knud Rasmussen in northern Canada. This is a negotiation about Policy and Money, decisions only you and Wayne can make. With TIFF's Opening Night only two weeks away and The Journals ' theatrical release soon after, dragging this conversation out without a decision risks missing the window of opportunity and wasting everyone's valuable time.

Ralph Holt or Dan Lyon quoting Telefilm's existing rules won't change the math: we qualify for $370,000 in Marketing Assistance, you're offering $30,000 as an Alternate Distribution Grant. Those rules set out a formula for inequality: Telefilm provides $13 million Marketing Assistance this year for Prints and Advertising of Canadian films to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and other southern cities, and not a penny to northern communities where 80% of Canada's 3 million Aboriginal citizens live. A $10 ticket to The Journals at the Varsity Cinema in Toronto gets $7.50 advanced from Telefilm's Marketing Assistance. The same $10 ticket purchased in Igloolik or any remote Aboriginal community gets nothing. That's the math.

We're on the same side. Northern HD film distribution is a commercial expansion of the Canadian box office, not a social welfare initiative. Our northern marketing plan adds $500,000 to the film's Canadian gross. We're proposing a partnership: Telefilm's Marketing Assistance used professionally by Isuma Distribution International Inc. (IDI) for a northern distribution campaign, coordinated with Alliance Atlantis and The Film Circuit's southern campaigns. Telefilm gains its first chance to assist a major Canadian film's release north of the 51st parallel, where your 35mm business model can't go.

A fair share of Marketing Assistance for remote northern audiences would be 5% or $650,000 this year, which advances Telefilm's distribution mission to enlarge the Canadian audience for Canadian films nationwide. Digital technology now makes possible theatrical distribution to regions and populations never served by 35mm distributors. As the first Aboriginal-language film to open the Toronto Film Festival, The Journals of Knud Rasmussen provides the perfect opportunity to carry it out. Isuma Distribution International is willing to invest the money and do the work to distribute Canadian films theatrically to northern communities if Telefilm Marketing Assistance treats all audiences equally. This is a win-win proposal for Telefilm: grow your system; increase your box office; innovate your technology; serve the whole country.

Ralph Holt's suggestion of 'alternate' distribution funds for northern audiences expresses Telefilm's old paternalistic assumptions about our plan and our skills. Marketing Assistance provides millions to distributors in recoupable advances to build Canadian box office at reduced risk; while Telefilm's Alternate Distribution program caps funding at $30,000 per-project, like a Canada Council culture grant. Isuma Distribution is a professional, full-time distribution and sales company with skills and experience uniquely relevant to THIS objective. Neither Atanarjuat nor The Journals is an 'alternate' film. Our films are Canadian like Water, Ararat or C.R.A.Z.Y. Our audiences in the north, given equal access to Canadian films through new technology, will pay for tickets at the box office like everybody else.

Racially-unequal funding caps applied to Inuit are not new to us. In 1998 Telefilm insisted on evaluating Atanarjuat in its Aboriginal Fund, where projects were capped at 10% of English or French-language envelopes, making it impossible ever to finance a $2 million budget for an Aboriginal-language feature. Zacharias and I fought for years to get Telefilm to measure us, Isuma and Atanarjuat by merit rather than ethnicity. When Telefilm finally agreed, everyone benefited - you as much as we - from Telefilm's fair interpretation of its rules.

It's 2006. Atanarjuat proved its point a long time ago. Listening now to Ralph Holt quote the same kind of exclusionary eligibility rules for distribution Marketing Assistance again defines the problem, not the solution. IDI's ineligibility for Marketing Assistance is another Catch-22 with oversized impact on cultural minorities : any new applicant must be ALREADY inside your system now (for 5 years! with 12 films!) to be eligible to apply to join it in the first place. This certainly excludes anyone with something new to bring to the table, no matter how qualified; and especially any distributor proposing to specialize in Aboriginal-language films, since Telefilm's current rules make it impossible ever to get 12 Aboriginal-language films in distribution before qualifying. Meanwhile the 21st century film industry is changing fast. New digital technologies demand new ideas for new audiences; Telefilm's entrenched 20th century 35mm business model has a 1% success rate for Canadian films outside Quebec despite all its senior executives with more than 5 years experience; and vast areas of the country and especially Aboriginal Canadians are entirely left out.

Isuma Distribution International Inc., our team, Zacharias and I have far more than 5 years experience enlarging the Canadian and worldwide audience for Canadian films. Atanarjuat brought the first Aboriginal-language feature film to Canadian theatres, pay-TV, CBC prime-time, the Cannes Film Festival and audiences in the U.S. and 25 countries. Nunavut (Our Land) brought the first Aboriginal-language TV series to Bravo!. Kunuk Family Reunion brought the first Aboriginal-language documentary to History Television.

The Journals of Knud Rasmussen is the first Aboriginal-language film to open the Toronto International Film Festival, a significant historic event. Before Tomorrow, currently in production, is the first feature film written and directed by a Native women's collective. Telefilm must not allow Northern audiences in Aboriginal communities to be the last people in Canada to see these films, or stereotype them as a welfare audience with $30,000 'alternate' distribution grants, while southern metro viewers get their tickets subsidized with a 75% recoupable advance by the Canadian taxpayer.

You personally, Elizabeth, proved in 1999 Telefilm could evolve when the inclusive spirit of its mission trumps any old exclusionary rules. Why argue about that all over again now? IDI's plan introduces a new business model for professional Canadian theatrical distribution, one that no other conventional distributor yet has the skill or experience to carry out. Alliance Atlantis MPD acknowledges they can't, and IDI can, bring a film professionally to Canada's north. The fact our proposal is 'new' should not automatically exclude it from fair Telefilm financing.

Let's please not get stuck arguing about vocabulary. This is a negotiation about fairness and money. We don't really care what you call us if our northern audience gets its fair share of the money. Enclosed is a new summary and cash flow for northern P&A and Marketing Assistance. Your earliest reply would be much appreciated.

Best regards,
Norman

Holt, Ralph (TOR) wrote:
Thank you for your email.

At the outset, I believe we must differentiate between domestic theatrical distribution and the use of the term distribution as relates to international sales, the roles and responsibilities and skill sets for each being completely different. Qualification for access to the marketing fund component of the CFFF only applies to Canadian domestic theatrical distribution. International sales and marketing does not apply to this fund.

The requirements for start up companies are clearly stated in the CFFF guidelines (page5) and are available on Telefilm's website. I have précised them below. My annotations are in brackets;

• a) has one or more senior executives with five (5) years experience in distribution companies of comparable size (that being domestic distribution)
• b) provide to Telefilm's satisfaction a corporate business plan for the distribution entity that, among other things (i.e. standard components of a business plan), describes the plan for how the company will meet the above eligibility requirements (page 4)
  • * sufficient volume - release a catalogue of 12 (feature length) films over 2 years, 2 of which are Canadian,
  • * on-going relevant expertise (management) with 5 years experience (in domestic distribution),
  • * hold the rights to three (feature length) films produced within the last two years to be released within the next 18 months, two of which are Canadian
• c) in the case in which a company plans to access marketing assistance, the company will be expected to acquire and theatrically release a comparable number of eligible Canadian films produced by non-related production companies of a similar size and scope.

I would like to be clear that the purpose of these guidelines is to identify businesses that support themselves from revenues generated by domestic theatrical distribution. Within that group of companies the intention of the CFFF is to reduce the risks attendant to the distribution of their Canadian portfolio of films. The CFFF does not support companies that are adjuncts to production companies set up solely to market related party properties (although those films can be part of a distributor's product mix).

If Isuma wants to embark on a business strategy that goes in this direction we will be pleased to discuss your plans with you. From what you have submitted our assessment is that your company does not qualify as a start up company. If there is something we are missing in your presentation I will be glad to review it. It is this spirit that we are proposing using the alternate distribution program as a means of supporting the northern exhibition of the Journals of Knud Rasmussen without having to compromise your project or the purpose of the marketing fund.

I look forward to your response upon my return and to the next step in having the Journals of Knud Rasmussen exhibited in the North.

Again, I trust all is going well with the production of Before Tomorrow

Ralph Holt
Regional Director
Ontario and Nunavut
Telefilm Canada

-------- Original Message --------
From: Norman Cohn [mailto:cohn@isuma.ca]
Sent: July 28, 2006 9:27 AM
To: Holt, Ralph (TOR)
Cc: Friesen, Elizabeth (VAN); Zacharias Kunuk; Lucius Barre; Jacquie Carpenter; Steph Rituit; Jim Sherry; Cam Haynes
Subject: Re: The Journals of Knud Rasmussen - touring

Hi Ralph,

Thanks for your letter dated July 20 and this note. I am preparing the materials you requested but, before you go, I'd like to point out Telefilm's apparent misunderstanding of our entire presentation.

I am president of Isuma Distribution International Inc. IDI holds worldwide rights to The Journals except for southern Canada and four Scandinavian countries and has a significant participation in the film's financing structure. Our northern distribution effort - and the request for Marketing Assistance rather than 'alternative' distribution funds - is coming from a full-time bona fide commercial distributor and sales agent of feature films and films for television, on track to become eventually a fully-certified and 'eligible' Canadian distributor specializing in Inuit and First Nations films.

You seem to be dealing with me through Igloolik Isuma Productions Inc., the producer of the film, not the distributor or the sales agent. Your reply to me and perception of our application as if you were dealing with a producer, rather than a distributor, is incorrect.

Telefilm's guidelines make specific provision for a new distributor like IDI to apply for Marketing Assistance for legitimate Canadian distribution objectives, even if it is not yet fully 'eligible.' Obviously, this is designed to allow new or start-up distributors to break into the system, if they are able, and to allow the system to evolve with changing audiences and new technologies. I have been asking Dan Lyon repeatedly for several months - there must be five different emails now in which I ask for the same information - for the correect procedure to make this request for Marketing Assistance and have yet to receive a reply.

Your letter to me last week is Telefilm's first reference to what information we need to provide; however, you assume I'm the producer, not distributor, suggesting 'alternate' distribution funds while excluding IDI from Marketing Assistance even before we applied for it. IDI will be happy to provide Telefilm with the necessary information you require to file an application for Marketing Assistance as outlined in your own guidelines. Please confirm if IDI is eligible to make such an application, and if not, why not.
sincerely,
Norman Cohn
President,
Isuma Distribution International Inc.

Holt, Ralph (TOR) wrote:

Hello,

Further to my letter of July 20 I want to let you know that I will be away from the office as of July 30, returning August 21. If you require any further information from Telefilm in my absence can you please contact Elizabeth Friesen at her office (604) 924-3844.

I trust all is going well on the shoot of Before Tomorrow and I look forward to screening rushes when they become available.

Ralph Holt
Regional Director
Ontario and Nunavut
Telefilm Canada

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: Re: rights to JKR northern tour
From: Norman Cohn
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 06:12:04 -0400
To: "Lyon, Dan (TOR)" < XXXX@telefilm.gc.ca >
CC: Jim Sherry < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Patrice Theroux < Patrice.Theroux@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Victor Loewy < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Frank Mendicino < XXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Mark Slone < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Lucius Barre < XXX@rcn.com >, Zacharias Kunuk , Cam Haynes , "Franklin, Karen (TOR)" < XXXX@TELEFILM.GC.CA >, Pita Aatami < XXXX@makivik.org >, Zebedee Nungak < XXXX@sympatico.ca >, "Robinson, Lori (TOR)" < XXXX@TELEFILM.GC.CA >, "Clarkson, Wayne (MTL)" < XXXX@TELEFILM.GC.CA >, Elizabeth Friesen < XXXX@telefim.gc.ca >, Jim Bell < XXXX@nunatsiaq.com >, "MacDonald, Gayle" < XXXX@globeandmail.com >, Denis Seguin < XXXX@sympatico.ca >, Marcia Connolly < XXXX@CBC.CA >, Odile Nelson < XXXX@cbc.ca >, KIVALLIQ/Editorial < XXXX@arctic.ca >, Jacquie Carpenter < XXXX@aids2006toronto.org >, danis Goulet < XXXX@imagineNATIVE.org >, Sara Minogue < XXXX@nunatsiaq.com >, Sandra Macdonald < XXXX@sympatico.ca >, "George(s) Lessard" < XXXX@web.net >, SF Said < XXXX@hotmail.com >

Dear Dan,

If that's the kind of discourse going on in Telefilm around Aboriginal concerns (much less the future of HD), you have a bigger problem than you realize. Let's see how many of the people receiving this email think the joke is funny?

I only met you twice on business. I don't have any personal relationship with you.
best,
Norman

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: how is your sense of humour?


Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 19:25:35 -0400
From: Lyon, Dan (TOR) < XXXX@telefilm.gc.ca >
To: Norman Cohn < cohn@isuma.ca >

I just received the attached missive from a member of the film community. I am sending it to you to let you know that, no matter what tactics you may choose to utilize, I intend to keep both my sense of humour and my good personal relationship with you.

Dear Dan,
I have a distribution request for you.
We have a Canadian film, funded by Telefilm that we would like to apply for $500,000 of P&A funding for. It's called "The Journals of Jimmy the Mennonite". We don't want to put up any portion of the money ourselves though. The money will go to taking the film to the underserved Mennonite communities across Canada. We feel this is necessary because the existing cinemas in Canada completely ignore over 80% of Canada's Mennonite citizens.

The money will go to finance a projectionist, a projector and per diems for filmmakers and screen talent who will travel with the picture. This may seem quite expensive, however, as the Mennonites do not have any source of power, we must pay a projectionist to hand-crank the film through the projector, and pay an assistant to hold up a large candle as a light source. Some of the money will go to pay for additional matches in case the candle goes out. We also must bring the entire cast with us, who will attempt to voice their own dialogue, as there will be no place to power the pre-recorded sound.

This is an historic Mennonite film that Telefilm risks being responsible for most Mennonite Canadians, including most Amish, being last in line to see. If you do not finance this P&A, when people ask if Mennonites actually can see the film we'll tell them no, not really: the Canadian film system, of which Telefilm is the 'quarterback,' made no funds available to bring the film to northern Canada where most Mennonites, Amish, and Chasidic Jews live..."

Oh, by the way, we only have theatrical rights for the Mennonite community, so your chance of recouping anything whatsoever is really really bad. Zero actually. I hope that the other distributors don't mind.

Please let me know at your earliest convenience. Otherwise, I shall contact the press.

Norman Cohn wrote:

Hi Dan,
RE: The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
Thanks for helping make this a public process. Transparency is best when discussing fair use of public funds or discrimination against Aboriginal Canadians. Transparency also allows Wayne Clarkson, Elizabeth Friesen and Karen Franklin to be responsible and accountable as senior management for whatever decision Telefilm finally takes.

The Toronto Film Festival opens September 7th with an historic Aboriginal film that Telefilm risks being responsible for most Aboriginal Canadians, including most Inuit, being LAST IN LINE to see. While Telefilm invested $2 million in the film's production, with another $1 million available to cash-flow or support MPD and Film Circuit screenings in southern Canadian cinemas, these cinemas EXCLUDE 80% of the country's Aboriginal citizens.

Zach and I will give a hundred interviews to national and international press in twelve weeks saying our film is made for Aboriginal audiences. When people ask if Aboriginals actually can see the film we'll tell them no, not really: the Canadian film system, of which Telefilm is the 'quarterback,' made no funds available to bring the film to northern Canada where most Inuit, Metis and First Nations people live. Telefilm provides Marketing Assistance and subsidizes the tickets of southern, mostly non-Aboriginal viewers in cities and towns with 35mm cinemas, but refuses to provide similar Marketing Assistance or subsidies to the tickets of northern Aboriginal viewers to enable HD projections in remote communities .

MPD, Film Circuit and Isuma Distribution generously propose a solution to this embarassing impasse. With a fair allocation of Marketing Assistance for portable HD projection, Isuma will bring The Journals to as many northern communities as we can. This certainly is in Telefilm's mandate; honestly, I can't even begin to understand why you would try to avoid doing it. Obviously, some P&A expenses are eligible for assistance, others are not. We're happy to make a reasonable application if you provide the necessary details we keep asking for. If you want to help solve the problem, you'll work with us, not against us. After this email at least we can assume Wayne, Elizabeth and Karen all know what the problem is, so if they want to solve it, you'll tell us soon enough.

regards,
Norman

Lyon, Dan (TOR) wrote:
Re: rights to JKR northern tour
Dear Norm,

As you may (or may not) have intended, copying multiple people on this correspondence basically forces me to do the same so that everyone will know the status. It should not be a surprise that we would want to carefully consider supporting P&A in excess of the originally agreed $900,000. If your plan is similar to the draft which you kindly supplied at the end of April, which showed items including $178,000 for the projectionist, $194,133 for digital projection kits and $176,350 as honoraria for the stars, the plan is unlikely to be approved. But I will certainly discuss the process with you.

Dan.

-------- Original Message --------
From: Norman Cohn [mailto:cohn@isuma.ca]
Sent: June 19, 2006 5:04 PM
To: Lyon, Dan (TOR)
Cc: Jim Sherry; Patrice Theroux; Victor Loewy; Frank Mendicino; Mark Slone; Lucius Barre ; Zacharias Kunuk ; Cam Haynes; Franklin, Karen (TOR); Pita Aatami; Zebedee Nungak; Robinson, Lori (TOR); Clarkson, Wayne (MTL)
Subject: Re: rights to JKR northern tour

Dear Dan,

Just to be absolutely clear:
Isuma Distribution International has Canadian distribution rights to The Journals for northern Canada. We want to apply to Telefilm for Marketing Assistance for P&A we will spend to serve this territory. Isuma's northern distribution uses HD projectors to screen theatrically in remote Aboriginal communities where there are no 35mm cinemas.

MPD will release the film in 35mm cinemas in southern Canada with its own P&A, aimed at the widest possible audience, in the south. If this still is not clear, please contact me, Jim or Victor and we'll explain it.

I am asking again how to apply for Marketing Assistance. I assume since it is in your guidelines there must be a detailed procedure to apply for it.

best,
Norman

Norman Cohn wrote:

Dan, we were all clear at that meeting that MPD's $900,000 P&A was confirmed by them to include extra marketing to Aboriginal audiences within their normal southern territory. No one at the table - perhaps except you - thought they were committing to tour The Journals to remote northern communities within their contracted P&A.

MPD's P&A was negotiated and agreed based on realizing Atanarjuat failed to achieve any southern Aboriginal audience - Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver etc. - and this seemed an opportunity wasted that should be corrected. No one thought you could run that campaign on a national release and still tour The Journals across northern Canada for the same money.

Who told you MPD thought what you think they thought? No one ever said that to me.

best,
Norman

Lyon, Dan (TOR) wrote:

Norman - I have not read the attachment yet, but I'm delighted with the confirmation that you have reached an understanding with MPD (which I believe is the direct result of our very productive lunch meeting). My understanding at that time was that MPD would allocate part (amount to be negotiated) of the $900,000 for use by IDI with the blessing of Telefilm. If you are now proposing that aggregate P&A will exceed $900,000, that's another discussion.

Dan.

-------- Original Message --------
From: Norman Cohn [mailto:cohn@isuma.ca]
Sent: June 19, 2006 9:44 AM
To: Lyon, Dan (TOR)
Cc: Jim Sherry; Patrice Theroux; Victor Loewy; Frank Mendicino; Mark Slone; Lucius Barre ; Zacharias Kunuk ; Cam Haynes; Franklin, Karen (TOR); Pita Aatami; Zebedee Nungak; Clark, Wayne (VAN); Robinson, Lori (TOR)
Subject: Re: rights to JKR northern tour

Dear Dan,

Below is Jim Sherry's June 14 agreement by MPD to grant Isuma Distribution (IDI) Canadian theatrical rights to The Journals of Knud Rasmussen for remote Northern communities. MPD feels the film's audience, and Canadian gross box office, will be served best if Isuma has these rights, given our knowledge, contacts and experience in carrying them out.

We also have an agreement with Cam Haynes and Karen Bruce of TIFF Group's Film Circuit, who will assist IDI in building new infrastructure needed to make this innovative plan a permanent addition to Canadian distribution capacity. Cam and Karen feel Film Circuit can be most helpful approaching Canadian Heritage and other sponsors to help finance HD portable projection kits installed permanently in selected northern communities. Installing these $7,500 units in as many communities as want them will create instantly an expanded theatrical infrastructure for Film Circuit to expand its very valuable assistance to Canadian distributors into the vast and un-served Canadian north.

Since Telefilm generously supports both MPD and other Canadian distributors with Marketing Assistance in the south; and generously supports Film Circuit to bring Canadian films to additional southern Canadian audiences where 35mm infrastructure is in place; we feel Telefilm should be pleased to support IDI with Marketing Assistance needed to bring The Journals to 80% of Aboriginal Canadians who are not covered by Telefilm's support right now.

I also attach below my May 11 email to you to "please clarify Telefilm's procedure for allowing distributors not formally certified to make applications for Marketing Assistance." You never replied. Now that IDI has distribution rights for JKR in remote northern Canada, and other projects in development that might require Marketing Assistance, I would appreciate an answer as soon as possible. Your guidelines allow for a 'start-up' distributor to apply for Marketing Assistance, but don't say how to do it. This should be a transparent process available to anyone who qualifies, if you can clarify the precise procedure to follow.

Attached is IDI's statement of its marketing approach to work collaboratively with both MPD and Film Circuit in their territories, and to deliver the film to audiences equally within ours. I look forward to a prompt response, as time is getting short and our Opening Night premiere is approaching fast.

best,
Norman

Jim Sherry wrote:
Norman,
My apology on my slow response to your several notes on this issue.

I have now had time to review your business pertaining to the distribution of JKR in remote Northern communities. MPD is comfortable in stepping back from our theatrical rights and granting them directly to Isuma in relationship to the distribution of JKR into Northern communities. The two provisions that I would need as a condition for MPD's granting of these rights would be I) Isuma will provide MPD a detailed Gross Box Office calculated by location so that MPD can calculate the figure into JKR's total Gross Box Office. The figure will help in establishing our Pay tv valuation, and ii) Isuma will provide MPD with a list of locations intended for direct distribution to ensure that there is no conflict with our own respective distribution plans.

If you require any additional dialogue or information on this matter please feel free to reach me by phone over the next week. My cell number is 416-561-5642.

Please also let me know if I can assist you in with Telefilm. Your initiative on the surface appears to be something that Telefilm would natural support.
Regards,
Jim.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: JKR MPD Telefilm
Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 10:09:32 -0400
From: Norman Cohn
To: Lyon, Dan (TOR) < XXXX@telefilm.gc.ca >
CC: Jim Sherry < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Patrice Theroux < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, Zacharias Kunuk < XXX@isuma.ca >, Lucius Barre < XXX@rcn.com >, Stephane XXXX@isuma.ca, Mark Slone < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >, "Robinson, Lori (TOR)" < XXXX@TELEFILM.GC.CA >, Katarina Soukup < XXXX@isuma.ca >, Vogel Vibeke < XXXX@barokfilm.dk >, "Craig, David (TOR)" < XXXX@TELEFILM.GC.CA >, Victor Loewy < XXXX@AllianceAtlantis.com >
References: <135AF77B91BFB74ABA22EC804364A3180192F616@mpn4.telefilm.gc.ca>

Hi Dan,
Thanks for this encouraging note after last week's meeting.

Following your suggestion I'm trying to 'reach an understanding' with MPD on how to proceed, after which we'll all get back to you. I'm glad you believe Touring JKR to remote communities should be an eligible expense for Telefilm's marketing fund and you're confident you can gain support for this within Telefilm. Who can carry this out and how to make this application is what I'm discussing with MPD this week.

If it's worth doing it it has to be done seriously, since no one wants to risk accusations of a token PR stunt.

In the meantime, please clarify Telefilm's procedure for allowing distributors not formally certified to make applications for Marketing Assistance. Telefilm's guidelines invite 'start-up' distributors to apply but it isn't clear how to do this. Besides JKR and Before Tomorrow already approved with MPD, IDI has several projects in development as a start-up distributor on the road to achieving formal eligibility.

Please direct me to the application forms and detailed documents required to make such an application now.

best regards,
Norman