Wayne Sterloff is president and chief executive officer of British Columbia Film. May his predictions for ’94 be as on the money as his recap of the 1993 film and television scene.

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Reflection on 1993 brings to mind an image of water under the bridge. A sense of accomplishment pervades my thoughts on the year. It was a tough year wherein certain issues which had been lingering for quite some time began to crystallize and form new parts of our operating reality.

The impact of government cuts to the investment capital promised to the industry through British Columbia Film and Telefilm Canada started to be felt. b.c.’s flagship drama series, Neon Rider, was frozen in its tracks just nine episodes short of 65. The filling of network orders for some other primetime slots was delayed a fiscal year. And yet, while total output declined, quality and total viewership increased.

Production companies and distributors displayed a sense of confidence. In 1993 there was a growing acknowledgement that we created programming which was deserving of awards received, capable of attracting sizable domestic audiences and internationally salable.

In British Columbia we were delighted that a gender balance began to develop. Hilary Jones-Farrow of Victoria capitalized on the continuing success of the syndicated series Take Off, while a 26-episode CanWest order of Madison was a credit to the success of Helena Cynamon, Mickey Rogers, Gillian Lindsay and Teri Woods McArter. While Nettie Wild (Blockade) and Gillian Darling (Island of Whales) continue to deliver exceptional documentaries for the world market, Colleen Nystedt (City Boy) and Sharon McGowan (The Lotus Eaters) thrived on well-received long-form projects.

Pacific Canada effectively serviced a remarkable number of foreign productions in 1993. Return customers from Los Angeles eagerly anticipated the meticulous craft delivered by the b.c. labor force, line producers and facilities. Our peers across Canada generously recognized our indigenous capability with nearly 40 Genie nominations this year. Our West Coast community was thrilled that the work of Sandy Wilson (Harmony Cats) and Peggy Thompson (The Lotus Eaters) was highlighted by the award committees.

The cultural relevance of our industrial output was of growing importance. World-class production values and distinctive program concepts were the elements which brought our domestic channel surfers to a halt. At the same time, our unique and high-quality screen products increased their value as exports.

While the dismantling of cbc’s regional capability delivered its final impacts in British Columbia (with a great sense of loss being shared by those of us who owe our start to the vision garage on Georgia at Bute), the private broadcasters at u.tv (CanWest Vancouver station ckvu-tv) began to exploit the niche which shows us to ourselves. From stimulating low-budget, video-based drama to Gulf Island documentaries lush with indigenous music and song, ckvu evolved as a culturally relevant regional broadcaster.

b.c.’s quiet giant continued its stealth-like advance. Doug Holtby and his colleagues at WIC Western International Communications pushed deeper into our high-tech future. Delivery hardware, r&d and software (Digger) all benefitted from the insight and capital supplied by the organization. Even our local telephone company (BC Tel) stretched its horizon with eye-opening inquiries into software development and production. (Is the local expertise that Hollywood gleefully exploits on a daily basis finally being recognized as a critical investment opportunity and major profit centre by our local developers?)

In 1993, the federal government, through its agents, finally reaped the rewards of their consolidation policies. ‘France only has studios in Paris. America only has studios in Los Angeles,’ they said. After shaking out the industry from coast to coast for several years, the federal agencies can look back proudly on the creation of studio-like enterprises in Toronto and Montreal.

The uncertain threat of the deathstars became a wave in the waters that rushed under the crtc bridge. The industry and its regulators came to better understand the parameters of the new delivery technologies. Realistic assessments of the impact set the stage for important decisions to be rendered during 1994. Budding fear was replaced with the entrepreneur’s spirit of opportunity.

Interactive emerged as the next great frontier. The early impression of interactive television as conventional drama with a myriad of plot twists being driven by mouse-pushing viewers was recognized for its nerd-like quality. Dramatic decisions will remain the domain of the professional entertainers while interactive will explode into the home under the banners of efficiency and convenience.

In 1993, the term coproduction seemed to lose its stigma. The tentative courting of this fundamental financing formula advanced towards the timeless regimen of business-as-usual. In b.c., we formally acknowledged the value of stimulating interprovincial coproduction.

Some thoughts on ’94:

In 1994, the crtc will establish the production fund for Canadian programming with the unanimous support of the entire cable industry, complete with a blessing from Phil Lind. Rather than establishing it in Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa, the national agency will have its headquarters outside the Golden Triangle in Lotusland, Vancouver, b.c. In a surprising decision, the commissioners will determine that the new agency will not be a flaccid funder of the deficits created by Telefilm cutbacks and reduced presale licences, but instead, a real program which has the political architecture to stimulate brand new programs and formats!

All of Western Canada will enjoy the thrilling prospects of new program development as specialty licence decisions result in fresh cable services offered to the nation from Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

In 1994, the Liberal majority in Ottawa will insist of their esteemed colleague, the Honourable Michel Dupuy, that their cultural vision be implemented despite a stubborn bureaucracy. Flora MacDonald regales as America is forced to share 10% of Canada’s screen time with indigenous filmmakers. The National Film Board is re-energized while the minister personally demands that the Toronto Broadcasting Corporation allow regional expression or face losing its superstation status on the nation’s cable systems.

In British Columbia, the government will heartily endorse the new economy. Bridge builders and road contractors will begin to invest in software development and Northwood will become a video game.

1994. I can hardly wait! We’ll laugh, we’ll cry, but at year’s end we will find again that we faced the issues, developed a strategy and implemented plans which led to a modest but rewarding success.