The CMF (Canadian Media Fund) has announced the recipients of its “Experimental Stream Production Program”. Among the winners is one innovative digital card game called “Afterland” by Vancouver start-up Imaginary Games.
The CMF is a government funding program for Canadian produced projects. The Afterland mobile game engages players with a unique narrative that unfolds in a carnivalesque world between life and death. A classic tale of social rejection and acceptance is told from the perspective of oddballs and misfits as they journey into the unknown.
The characters of Afterland – an original mix of hand painted and digital artwork – can also be purchased as fine art prints. “Afterland is an exceptional project that has attracted several highly talented individuals and strategic partners to the team. We are united by the goal to challenge the racial and gender stereotypes often found in games,” said Christopher Powell, CEO, Imaginary Games.
A jury of six “distinguished digital media experts” met in Toronto Tuesday and Wednesday to evaluate innovative Canadian digital media projects that were submitted for the first round of production support. They were: Bruno Guglielminetti (Montréal); Annika Gustafson (Helsingborg, Sweden); Richard Lachman (Toronto); Annelise Larson (Saskatoon); Sébastien Provencher (Montréal); and Michel Reilhac (Paris, France).
Here’s some of the other 2014 projects that received funding from the CMF:
Glimpse- 7168799 Canada Inc.- $1 million
Stories- Spearhead Games- $1 million
Ambitious Dirt- PlayHybrid Divertissement Inc.- $1 million
Jötunn: Days After Ragnarök- Frima Studio Inc.- $918,792
Time Machine: evolution of the dev-application of the Marianna Trench- Minority Media Inc.- $775,000
Mon ami Bulle- Télé-Québec- $733,941
Floop- 8329931 Canada Inc.- $684,084
Afterland- Imaginary Games Inc.- $399,432
Person Zero- Massive Damage Inc.- $364,500