Making Programs for VisionTV

VisionTV works with independent producers from Canada and around the world on a broad range of programming including, lifestyle series, dramas, one-off documentaries, documentary mini series, and music specials. We are committed to cultural diversity and the fair and accurate reflection of people of all faiths, cultures and races. We have very specific requirements. Please read this guide carefully.

All series and one-off documentary, lifestyle and music program commitments have been made for VisionTV’s 2010/2011 broadcast year (Sept. 1-Aug. 31).

Commitments for the following 2011/2012 broadcast year will not be considered until November 2010. Please do not submit proposals until advised.

We receive more than 1,000 proposals per year and it may take us up to eight weeks or more to review your project.

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Sections
Who We Are | Who Watches VisionTV | Types of Programs | What We are Looking For| International Co-Production| What We are Not Looking For | Canadian Content Requirements | Submitting a Proposal to VisionTV | Meeting with Us| Sending Your Proposal | What We Pay | Windows & Exclusivity | Requirements | Important Notes | Legal Waiver

Required Forms
Release Form (PDF) |Release Form (WORD)

Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications(Full)| Technical Specifications(Short)
Break Structure Specs: 30 min, 1 hour, 90 min, 2 hours.

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Who we are

VisionTV, a ZoomerMedia company, is Canada's and the world's, only multi-faith, multicultural broadcaster. VisionTV has a mandate to provide: “balanced programming focused upon the varied religious practices and beliefs of Canadians … programming related to, inspired by or arising from spirituality including related moral or ethical issues.” (Decision CRTC 1994-655, pg. 1 & 3) We are a not-for-profit, registered charitable organization.

About 50% of the schedule is comprised of dramas, comedies, documentaries, music, information and current affairs programs - presented, produced, co-produced and acquired by VisionTV.

The other half of the schedule is produced and presented by approximately 75 faith groups. This programming ranges from the Daily Mass and Reflections on Islam, to Voice of Hinduism and the United Church of Canada's Spirit Connection.

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What We are Looking For

To be announced in November 2010

Documentary Series and One-Offs - Recent or Currently Airing

	I Prophesy: The Future Revealed Human beings are obsessed with trying to predict what will come tomorrow – and these efforts tell us much about who we are today. The I Prophesy documentaries consider some of the possible futures that await us: from a world in which physical sex no longer exists and humans live for a thousand years, to doomsday scenarios in which our civilization is erased by asteroid collisions or epic floods. Episode List: Dude, Where’s My Flying Car (Future Thinking); Death From Above (Asteroids);Sex and Romance; Fountain of Youth (Anti-Aging); Mass Extinction; Cyborg (Human and Machine); Nuclear 9-11; Thought Police; 2012 (The Mayan Calendar); Designing Humanity (Genetic Engineering); Apocalypse 2060; Chasing Chimera; Superflood; Tiny Revolution (Nanotechnology); Cosmic Energy (Solar Storms/ Cosmic Radiation); Journey From Earth (Space Colonization); Utopia.
	Supernatural Investigator Have extraterrestrials visited this planet? Did vengeful demons hound a Canadian journalist to his death? Why did the U.S. government experiment with ESP during the Cold War? And did the world’s greatest escape artist somehow slip the bonds of death? This new documentary anthology series from VisionTV, takes a critical look at such other worldly phenomena in an attempt to separate fact from fiction. Episode List: The Antichrist; Life from other Planets; What Killed Joe Fisher Part 1: The Trap is Set; What Killed Joe Fisher Part 2: The Trap is Sprung; The Crystal Skulls; Remembering Past Lives; Seeing 911; Remote Viewing; Hex or Hoax?; Chaos Magick; The White Mountain Abduction; The Nightmare; Detour on the Road to Atlantis; The Seducers; Hunting Houdini; It's in the Stars; Occult Architecture – Washington, DC.
	The Naked Archaeologist Is the Bible history or myth? Present-day archaeology may hold the answer. In this series, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici investigates the mysteries of Biblical archaeology.
	Twist of Faith Belief influences the actions of peoples and nations, and entwines itself into every global happening, from our fight against terrorism to the struggle to save our environment. Veteran Canadian foreign correspondent Martin Himel (End of Days, Jenin: Massacring Truth) embarks on an epic journey around the world to find out how religious faith is shaping current events – and how current events are affecting the nature of belief.
	Driven By Vision Towering cathedrals of recycled junk. Castles built by hand with stones dug from a mountainside. Windmills and whirligigs assembled to offend politicians and charm old girlfriends. On country back roads and urban side streets you will find them: strange and wonderful handmade monuments, lovingly constructed of scrap and detritus by some of the world’s most eccentric visionaries. Welcome to the world of Driven By Vision.
	Five Roads to Freedom Until 1994, South Africa was reviled internationally for its system of institutionalized racial discrimination, or apartheid. Few who lived under this system could have imagined that South Africa would embrace civil rights and democracy in the course of their lifetimes, let alone win the respect of the international community. Five Roads to Freedom: From Apartheid to the World Cup is an original new Canadian documentary that looks at South Africa’s revolutionary transformation through the eyes of five men and women who lived under the shadow of apartheid.
	God Bless America In this new six-part documentary series, award-winning Canadian broadcast journalist Ralph Benmergui visits our southern neighbour to learn how and why religious faith has come to play such an important role in the political life of the United States. The program’s premiere is part of a series of special broadcasts on faith and politics, marking the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Barack Obama.
	Decoding Christianity For two thousand years the finest artists in the world have been inspired by the core beliefs of Christianity. Adopting a thematic, investigative and quirky approach we bring the audience on a journey of discovery unlocking the mysteries of the church and its symbolism. A six-part series.

	Secret Files of the Inquisition Shot in high definition in Spain, France and Italy the four-part series examines the history of the Catholic Church's battle against heresy from the 12th century to the 1960s. Produced by Fleetwood films, it is a co-production between with VisionTV, France 5, RTVE Spain and Téléquebec Historia.
	The Lost Tomb of Jesus A new and controversial special on a New Testament subject involving new science and archaeology. It is two-parts, high definition, produced by Associated Producers and is a co-production between Vision TV, Discovery US and Channel 4. Visit the Lost Tomb of Jesus Web Site
	Remaking the Shroud To millions of faithful, the famed Shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. To skeptics, it is an ingenious forgery. To this day, no one has been able to demonstrate definitively just how the Shroud was created. Is it man-made, or the product of a miracle? This premiere documentary marshals compelling scientific and historical evidence in an attempt to solve, for the first time, the mystery of the Shroud’s origins.

Lifestyle Series - Recent or Currently Airing

Divine Restoration	Gospel Challenge	Prenup Challenge
Recreating Eden	Medicine Woman	5 Seekers

>>Music Specials - Recent or Currently Airing<<

Carry Me Home: The Story & Music of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale
Using the music of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, this one-hour documentary film will weaves together the life and accomplishments of Nathaniel Dett, providing Canadians with a chance to reclaim an unknown hero while taking them on an enchanting journey of passionate sounds and musical history.

The Barra MacNeils' Celtic Christmas
This one-hour special taped before a live audience features Celtic music by the Barra MacNeils.

Haydn's " The Seven Last Words of Christ"
The recent recording of Haydn's masterpiece is performed in an Easter concert by some of Canada's foremost musicians, including violinist Andrew Dawes, widely regarded as Canada's most distinguished violinist.

Quartet Plus Four At Christmas
A one-hour Christmas music special, taped at St. George's Anglican Church in Halifax, featuring an array of holiday selections performed by the Blue Engine String Quartet, along with singers Jeri Brown, Mary Jane Lamond, Cindy Church and Lina Boudreau.

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International co-production and a note to non-Canadian producers

Because of VisionTV's licence requirement to broadcast 65% Canadian content, all of our commissioned programming must carry Canadian content certification. This means that Can a dian producers must be involved in a production for it to qualify as a true co-production meeting CAVCO and/or CRTC co-production guidelines. (www.pch.gc.ca/progs/ac-ca/progs/bcpac-cavco/index_e.cfm)

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What we are NOT looking for

Second windows
Short films in any genre (less than 22 minutes)
Dramatic feature films
Half hour, one-off programs in any genre (except for specific strands)

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Canadian content requirements

Virtually all of the documentary programming VisionTV broadcasts must qualify as Canadian content. This means that foreign producers must work with Canadian co-producers to achieve a qualifying rating on the CAVCO scale. (www.pch.gc.ca/progs/ac-ca/progs/bcpac-cavco/index_e.cfm).

If you are a foreign producer with a Canadian partner, have a project you feel is appropriate to VisionTV and which qualifies for CAVCO, please feel free to send it. (Continue to read down for details.)

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What proposals must include

• Submission date
• Program title
• Length - e.g. 22 (1/2 hr. slot), 45 (1 hr. slot), feature (specify length)
• Number of episodes
• Genre - e.g. documentary one off, mini-series or feature; docu-drama; docu-soap; lifestyle; reality; music; drama series; MOW
• Region in which your company is located - e.g. Western (BC to Manitoba); Central (Ontario); Eastern (Quebec and Atlantic Provinces); North (northern territories);
• Co-Production (if applicable) - co-producing countries
• Strand (if applicable) e.g. I Prophesy
• Logline - a one-line description of the program/series
• Synopsis - a concise description of the program/series that fully conveys the creative treatment. Maximum 150 words.
• Treatment - includes the background, key issues, key characters and the access you have to them, host or investigator's role (if applicable), the way the story will be told, the style and tone, the devices that will be used (e.g. narration, interviews, verite footage, archival stills or footage, CGI, re-enactments, graphics, etc.). Maximum four pages.
• For series - titles and short paragraph description of each episode
• Story arc or structure broken into acts (see break structure above)
• Low res photographs are welcome.
• CV's of the creative team - we are looking for clear proof that you and your team have the knowledge, qualifications and track record to make the project not only succeed but shine.
• Full contact information
• Preliminary budget top sheet (summary), finance plan and demo or trailer
  
  

Release Form

Proposals MUST be submitted with a release form - print by clicking here:
Release Form (PDF) |Release Form (WORD).  Sign, scan and send as PDF with your proposal or send by fax to 416-368-9774.

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Meeting with us

We frequently meet producers, most often after we have discussed an idea by phone or after they have sent an outline or complete written proposal. Given the volume of proposals we receive for consideration from across Canada, it can be difficult for us to find time to meet on spec. We are often at festivals, events and industry gatherings across the country where we participate in panels and pitch sessions.
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Where to send your proposal

Proposals MUST be sent by email to: proposals@zoomermedia.ca

Important notes

VisionTV has been acknowledged as Canada's most exemplary broadcaster in terms of diversity. All of our programming conforms to the VisionTV Code of Ethics, Standards and Practices, and is consistent with fostering respect and tolerance of all faiths and cultures. We also actively seek to ensure that our programming reflects the full spectrum of faiths and cultures in Canada and provides a voice for those infrequently heard in the media.

VisionTV is a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and all programs must adhere to the standards established by that organization. In addition, VisionTV is required to comply with the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children. VisionTV also expects all programs to comply with CAB's Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming and CAB's Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming.

VisionTV is an English language service and only accepts proposals and projects that originate in English.

Normally we respond to proposals in eight weeks or more. Please be patient as the number of proposals to be read and tapes to be screened can be overwhelming for our limited staff. Please do not expect “rush treatment.” Exceptions cannot be made to meet other funding deadlines. If you know of a deadline coming up, you can best ensure that it is met by submitting your proposal a minimum of eight weeks in advance.

Unsolicited proposals and tapes are not returned, so never send us your only copies.

We recognize that all ideas or projects presented in written form have been submitted in confidence by the independent producer and undertake not to pass any information about ideas or proposals to any third party without first obtaining consent. Please also be aware that ideas submitted to us may be similar or identical to those already developed by VisionTV or which others have already submitted. We accept no responsibility for duplication of ideas.

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Legal waiver

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