Fueling Pixcom's global reach and new partnerships with support from the Creative Export Strategy

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Sector: Audiovisual
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Creative Export Strategy support: Creative Export Canada funding, Trade Commissioner Service’s Canadian Creative Accelerator program

About the company

Pixcom is an independent Canadian audiovisual production company with a large catalogue of titles in both French and English. Since 1987, Pixcom has developed a range of television productions, from dramas and documentaries to children’s programs and variety shows for Canadian and international clients. Recent productions include the award-winning dramedy, Audrey’s Back (2022 Canneseries, Denver Colorado’s SeriesFest, Banff/Rockie Awards), Wong & Winchester, The Wall, Dark Lake, Indefensible, Alert Squad and White Night.

The export challenge

Already a seasoned exporter, Pixcom had its sights set on expanding its international footprint. But the high cost of getting products to the international market, such as dubbing shows and travelling to different countries, was an obstacle. The company started looking for ways to bridge the gap and came across the Creative Export Strategy.

Export projects

In 2021, the company was selected to participate in the Canadian Creative Accelerator (CCA) program for film and audiovisual in the U.S., managed by the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) and supported by the Strategy.

In addition, in fiscal year 2023-2024, Pixcom received Creative Export Canada (CEC) funding to allocate dedicated staff to exporting in order to target broadcasters, online platforms and content distributors in Europe and the U.S. and travel abroad to meet those partners.

The outcomes

• Pixcom’s participation in the CCA in the U.S. led to a deal with 3Arts and Lionsgate to distribute their English TV show, Wong & Winchester.
• The CEC funding enabled Pixcom to create new partnerships in Scandinavia, France, Germany, Turkey and the US. The company also landed a major deal with Arte France which enabled it to increase the production value of the project. Finally, the company was also able to develop export expertise among its staff, who were able to travel abroad to continue supporting its export efforts.

Advice for potential exporters

“Exporting plays a crucial role for Pixcom, because it allows us to seek out new partners and diversify our revenue sources. I would really encourage other companies to seek out this financial support to help them take risks and enhance Canada’s international reputation for culture.”