– Cdn. musicians seek new buying agreement

Canadian members of the American Federation of Musicians will be approaching the union’s international exec board in September to request the go-ahead on the development of a new contract agreement specifically for the Canadian market.

Canadian musicians currently under the umbrella of the afm, which represents musicians and digital music artists internationally, are looking to replace the Television/Film Labour Agreement and the Motion Picture Film Agreement with a Canada-only contract.

At the core of the agreement would be a ‘clean buy’ clause which would allow producers to pay up front for the unlimited rights to music, instead of licensing the first and then paying for each subsequent play as the system holds now.

Smaller Canadian companies can’t easily absorb the administrative expenses attached to the ongoing pay structure, and although a clean buy wouldn’t necessarily be cheaper, it would take care of the overhead generated by the current system, says afm’s Canadian vp Ray Petch.

Petch adds that the agreement being proposed ‘would call for some risk for both producers and musicians,’ but says it would make it easier for Canadian producers to use Canadian music.

Petch needs approval from the international exec to continue research on the prototype. It will be necessary to convince them a new agreement wouldn’t create an unlevel playing field. With a green light, a clean-buy system could be in place within two years. To date, the cftpa is not opposing the initiative.

– Murdoch buy leaves Cannell uncertain

Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch has reached an agreement to purchase New World Entertainment and its subsidiaries, including Vancouver’s Cannell Production Services, in a deal scheduled to close Jan. 1, 1997.

Forged through a handshake about a month ago, the Newscorp purchase of New World has Cannell employees anxious about their futures, says spokesperson Kim Douglas. ‘We won’t know what’s going to happen here for months,’ she says.

Cannell, meanwhile, continues production of its series Two, a Fugitive-style story involving an evil twin.

– DHD Vancouver-bound

The fallout from new ownership is already apparent to Montreal-based DHD Postimage, now a subsidiary of Greenlight as it moves its operations from Quebec to Vancouver.

Greenlight purchased a portion of Vancouver’s Motion Works in April in exchange for assets which included dhd. The move is part of an effort by Motion Works to consolidate its subsidiaries in one location.

According to David Donald, founder and former president of dhd, Greenlight has made job offers for the Vancouver office to five of dhd’s 13 Montreal-based staff.

Donald is currently renegotiating his position with Greenlight. He is also in discussions with other parties on the possibility of opening a new computer animation company in Montreal, and is fielding offers from two Montreal film producers to start a new film production company as well as from an l.a. ad agency looking to form a production company.

As of Sept. 1, dhd will begin special-effects work on the Everest Entertainment feature Laser Hawk and will handle special effects for Motion Works’ cd-rom projects.

– Better interim financing

SODEC has announced an increase from 75% to 90% for guaranteed loans based on the Quebec refundable production tax credit. The change was effective Aug. 1.

Producer fees as a portion of the credit have been increased as well, from $1 per $1,000 of the production budget to $1.50. This change is effective Sept. 1.

A little farther West, Alex Raffe, ceo of the Ontario Film Development Corporation, says she’s aiming to announce dates and details of the agency’s new short film program during the Toronto International Film Festival.

– Knowledge Net revamps

While everyone impatiently awaits the September specialties announcement, the airwaves have gotten a little crowded for the b.c.-based Knowledge Network.

Calling its new programming strategy ‘focusing on its niche,’ Knowledge will offer more live programming this season than ever before in order to position the educational broadcaster as the voice of b.c., says programming director Roman Onufrijchuk.

The network will no longer try to be a combination of a&e, Discovery and Bravo!, he says. ‘The real difference is that we recognize that education is exciting and programming can open the world.’

Live production costs about five times that of acquired programming, coming from increased fundraising, Onufrijchuk adds.

– Telescene sitcom pilot

Telescene Communications is prepping Goober High, a half-hour pilot for Fox Searchlight. ‘It’s a high school sitcom and will be delivered in eight weeks,’ says president Robin Spry. The pilot about rivaling school newspapers mixes live-action and animation. If greenlit, the series could go to 26 half-hours.

Telescene is also delivering two travel doc series pilots to Travel Channel in the u.s., X-Press, a youth-oriented world travelogue hosted by Juliette Powell, and Excess Baggage, a how-to exploration of international cities through shopping.

– German digital channels

Seven thematic channels from German-based Multithematiques GmbH have been licensed by the Bavarian Broadcasting Commission, Bayerische Landesmedienanstalt, for its pilot digital broadcasting project in Munich.

The new channels are Planet, broadcasting historical, social and cultural documentaries; Jimmy, with programs catering to a young audience; Seasons, offering hunting, fishing and nature shows; Cine Classics, showcasing movie classics; Motormania, featuring programs on cars, motorcycles, boats and airplanes; Cyber TV, devoted to multimedia themes, games and the Internet, as well as providing a software downloading service; and a barker channel which offers a panorama of these thematic channels.

– Malofilm buys MMI

Malofilm Communications has acquired Montreal multimedia publisher MMI Multi Media Interactif.

Malofilm, which paid an undisclosed cash sum for the two-year-old company plus 100,000 class b shares, distributed mmi’s cd-rom title Canadien de Montreal 1909-1995 and is currently producing a history of the five original nhl teams, slated for release this fall.

– Greenberg tribute

FUND, the national, arm’s-length Canadian movie development foundation, has changed its name to The Harold Greenberg FUND in honor of the founder of Astral Communications who died July 1. fund was established 10 years ago by Astral’s TMN-The Movie Network to develop Canadian filmmaking.

‘It is only fitting that Harold’s name become part of the organization he helped create,’ says Wendy MacKeigan, chair of fund. ‘When I think of all of the writers and producers who’ve benefited over the years and who will benefit in the future, I know how much this tribute is deserved.’

In other Astral news, Michael S. Skea, formerly vp marketing for Duracell Canada, is joining Viewer’s Choice Canada Pay Per View as executive vp and gm.

– PEI invests in Emily

The Prince Edward Island government is investing $1.9 million towards production of the $13 million Cinar/Salter Street tv series Emily, set to begin shooting in the province on Sept. 3.

The funding will also aid the construction of Emily Village, a theme park to be developed from the set at Cabot Beach Provincial Park in Malpeque, pei The 13 one-hour episodes are scheduled to wrap in early February. The period series, based on the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery, follows the exploits of a free-spirited orphan raised by strict aunts.

– Gravel dead at 51

Film, TV and theater actor Robert Gravel died Monday night of a heart attack. He was 51.

The versatile actor’s credits include the features Pudding Chomeur and Pouvoir intime and teleromans like l’Heritage. At the time of his death, Gravel was in two Radio-Canada drama series, Les Heritiers Duval and Virginie.

– Atlantis/Alliance 1/4s

Financial quarters ending June 30 released by both Atlantis Communications and Alliance Communications reported lower revenue than last year’s figures.

Atlantis’ second quarter revenue was $21 million, down from $49.3 for the same period last year, however net earnings were up, $110,000 compared to $79,000.

Alliance first quarter profit and revenue were down. Net earnings were $955,000 compared to $3.3 million for the same quarter last year, and revenue was $63.5 million compared to $64.2 million.