Astral inks U.S.deal, realigns

in a move designed to increase Montreal-based Astral Entertainment Group’s profile in the u.s. television industry, the company has signed an agreement with two Los Angeles-based development executives, Paulo de Oliveira and Craig Roessler.

De Oliveira and Roessler will work with Astral on the development, packaging and marketing of Astral projects in the u.s., says Stephen Greenberg, aeg senior vice-president.

Roessler has served as vice-president, development, at Guber-Peters Entertainment and as director of current programming at Twentieth Century Fox Television. De Oliveira’s postings have included vice-president, program development, Disney Channnel; director, original programming, Home Box Office; and director of creative affairs for Norman Lear’s Embassy Productions.

In a recent executive realignment, Astral’s Ian Greenberg was appointed to the newly created post of president and chief operating officer. Former executive vice-president and treasurer Ian Greenberg assumes responsibility for the company’s day-to-day operations.

Sidney Greenberg has been named president and coo of Astral Entertainment Group, the division encompassing Astral’s program development, distribution, technical services and video wholesaling activities.

Len Bramson, president of First Choice Canadian Communications, is now corporate vice-president of Astral Broadcasting Group. Lisa de Wilde assumes Bramson’s post as president and coo of First Choice and takes on the added responsibility of president and ceo of Canal Premiere/Viewers Choice Canada. Stephen Tapp becomes executive vice-president of the pay-per-view service.

Bramson, de Wilde and Tapp are based in Toronto.

MacDonald moves in

steven Harris, who recently resigned as president of chch-tv Hamilton, Ont., has been replaced by James B. MacDonald, who also assumes responsibilities for the Second City Specialty Television application. MacDonald was most recently vice-president sales and regulatory affairs at cfmt-tv.

Added responsibilities

bruce Grant, chief financial officer of Magnetic Enterprises, has had his post expanded to include the responsibilities of assistant general manager at Magnetic North.

ACTRA appointment

celia Hamilton has been appointed as branch manager for actra’s Toronto Performers Branch. Hamilton was formerly assistant branch representative for the Toronto Performers Guild.

Soapbox shares sold

nick Orchard, through his Toronto company Pippin Productions, has acquired shares in Soapbox Productions held by Primedia Entertainment, and begins 1994 as sole Soapbox owner.

Offering completed

atlantis Communications, one of the latest in the wave of Canadian independent producers to ‘go public,’ filed its prospectus in Ontario on Dec. 6. The initial public offering and secondary offering of 2,514,929 shares was completed on Dec. 15. The shares are now listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and are trading under the stock symbol ‘atv.’

The offering was underwritten by RBC Dominion Securities, ScotiaMcLeod and Gordon Capitol Corporation. The offering price of $14.50 per share resulted in $36.5 million, with $30 million (net of the secondary offering and the company’s share of of issue expenses) going to the company.

Cineplex names Gliserman

bryan Gliserman, former interim director of distribution and marketing at Telefilm Canada, has been appointed senior vice-president, Cineplex Odeon Films Canada, a division of the Cineplex Odeon Corporation. Gliserman will oversee all of cof’s operations, in particular the maintenance and enhancement of distribution services on behalf of feature film suppliers in Canada.

The appointment is part of a reorganization which will allow Paul Gardner, vice-president, film acquisition, to devote his energies completely to the acquisition of product and the sales of product to ancillary markets.