TORONTO — Amazon Prime Video says it’s committing C$1.25 million to support creators who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour in Canada.
The streaming service is making the donation in a partnership with the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) in Canada to support the BIPOC creative community facing hardship during the COVID-19 crisis.
The funds will partly go toward the Solidarity Fund launched by the ISO and its partner groups, Racial Equity Media Collective and BIPOC TV & Film.
Some of the money will also go toward the Canada Media Fund’s Indigenous Development Program, as well as to a new pitch program with Amazon Studios, which has filmed 22 Amazon original series and films in Canada.
The ISO will work with the Black Screen Office on the pitch program, which will give 10 grants of $10,000 to BIPOC creators.
Pitch submissions can be made at the ISO site (https://iso-bea.ca/) starting Tuesday, with the deadline of March 5 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
Magda Grace, head of Prime Video Canada, says in a news release the company also plans toprovide guidance to the projects early in the development process.
ISO managing director Kerry Swanson saysAmazon’s contribution has allowed them to support “a significantly higher number of projects” than they had anticipated for the development programs.