Vancouver: With its funding eliminated and its director without a contract, the embryonic Victoria Film Commission is more anemic than usual these days. But the B.C. Film Commission has stepped in to keep alive whatever momentum exists.

b.c. film commissioner Pete Mitchell is committing unspecified money and a B.C. Film representative to develop the Victoria market. Starting the first week in June, B.C. Film will have someone in the provincial capital two days a week for a six-month period doing what David Mills did before his contract was not renewed.

‘If the film industry is going to expand, it will have to go to Victoria sometime,’ says Mitchell. ‘We’re committed to help Victoria grow.’

Among the activities planned are helping the community establish a network of people and securing a suitable work site.

The latter goal is well underway with negotiations nearly complete on a 15,000-square-foot space at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, north-west of Victoria.

‘We’ve had good co-operation from the base commander,’ says Mitchell. ‘I have full confidence that the facility will be in demand,’ he adds, pointing to the building’s high ceilings, parking and security.

No projects are lined up.

The Victoria Chamber of Commerce has been stick-handling much of the recent development, but has not been able to find the financial partners to keep an independent film commission operating.

Action Central

Thrills, chills and betrayal guide three recent feature-length projects before cameras in Vancouver.

Production for Mortal Challenge – the first feature-film director credit for Vancouver’s Randy Cheveldave – wrapped three weeks of production in Vancouver May 23. The us$1.5 million martial arts action movie set in the post-apocalyptic l.a. of 2013, tells the story of kidnap victims forced to fight for their lives in a new blood sport that recalls the arena combats of ancient Rome.

The project was financed by presales and will be distributed by Roger Corman’s Concord New Horizons.

Mortal Challenge has a tentative airdate in August on Showtime, and will show theatrically in Germany, Korea and Taiwan before it goes to video, says Cheveldave, a production manager in his day job.

It stars David McCallum (The Man From u.n.c.l