Vancouver: Vancouver Island area producers are among the local television creators who have been enjoying a wave of television projects sparked, in part, by the specialty channels.

May Street Group in Victoria, for example, is producing the documentary Rebel with a Cause, with a first-window presale to Vision Television and a second-window presale to wtn and a syndicate of, so far, two individual stations. The documentary features a community health nurse dedicated to innovative care for 60 years. It’s mostly shot and has a spring airdate.

Inside Edge Communications of Gabriola Island has produced a one-hour documentary for CBC Newsworld’s Rough Cuts. Wild Wood ­ One Tree at a Time airs Dec. 2. The show features an 83-year-old selective logger who works a piece of land at Yellow Point (south of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island).

Of course, any giddiness prompted by the momentum has been dampened now that b.c.’s production catalyst is taking a budget hit. British Columbia Film will be diminished by 6% in this fiscal year and by 25% next fiscal year (leaving a budget of about $3 million), undoubtedly gouging into its market incentive program.

Referring to the dominant role the specialties are playing in the creation of new television production here, B.C. Film president Wayne Sterloff says: ‘Unlike other funding bodies, B.C. Film d’esn’t require a conventional network (to approve an application). Specialty channels are all right by us.’

-Let’s study that

Any sale of b.c.’s Knowledge Network has been ruled out, but the government still wants the private sector to figure out a way to rebroadcast it to overseas markets such as Asia.

And no, Moses Znaimer d’esn’t already have the job, says government rep Shawn Robins, squashing rumors. Anyone with proposals on international marketing can step forward, he says.

The Ministry of Education, Skills and Training oversees Knowledge and umbrella Open Learning Agency and predicts $15 million in revenue by taking a more aggressive, commercial posture.

Perhaps, says Robins, that means selling Knowledge Net programs overseas, forging corporate partnerships for alternative (non-broadcast) uses for programs and telecasting to Asia.

‘It’s an important asset,’ says Robins. ‘It’s shortsighted to sell.’

-Raring to go

The first of the current order of 25 episodes of locally created animated series Kleo the Misfit Unicorn are being delivered this month.

Gordon Stanfield Animation will pump them out until May. A second season’s order is expected.

Vancouver producer Christine Haebler of Hard Core Logo fame has hooked up with Calgary-based Suburbanators producer John Hazlett to shoot Kitchen Party, in production until Dec. 5. The feature film is directed by The Suburbanators’ Gary Burns and stars Scott Speedman, Jason Wiles and Sarah Strange.

The low-budget Canada/Germany coproduction Ms. Bear g’es before cameras between Nov. 26 and Dec. 19. Starring Ed Begley Jr. (St. Elsewhere), the story follows a young girl who finds a bear cub and works to return it to its mother in the wilderness.

Chain, a half-hour show based on a Guy de Maupassant short story, premiered at the Pacific Cinemateque Nov. 30. The story about a divorced couple who meet again on a train is written and coproduced by Blake Corbet and stars Molly Parker (Kissed).

Rampage Entertainment’s latest feature Stag, about a stag party that takes a turn when the stripper ends up dead, is in post-production.

Papa Bear Productions is posting the one-hour Bravo! special Inside: The Sound of Paul Horne. The improvisational musician was recorded at a concert outside of Rome.

-At your service

The abc television movie Fire on the Mountain shoots until Dec. 19 and stars Cynthia Gibb, Dan Cortesa and Brian Kerwin. It’s about holiday skiers threatened when the long-dormant volcano they are skiing on erupts.

Jitters is a tv movie for abc/ Lifetime shooting between Nov. 28 and Dec. 19. The romantic comedy focuses on a dentist who breaks off her engagement to her veterinarian boyfriend when the wedding plans get too much, then tries to win him back. The cast has yet to be announced, but America’s Funniest Home Videos’ Bob Saget directs.

-Presto expando!

Vancouver is home to one of the largest 2D ink and paint animation companies in the world now that year-old VirtualMagic International Productions has acquired the production services division of Los Angeles-based usanimation.

According to VirtualMagic, usa is an industry leader in 2D computer-generated colorization of animation cels and digital compositing services.

The terms of the ‘multimillion dollar’ deal, inked Oct. 31 and celebrated at a merger party Nov. 14, have not been disclosed. The new u.s. subsidiary is known as VirtualMagic usa.

Company president and ceo Gavin Rhodes says all employees in the l.a. office will be retained and capacity will be increased. There are about 60 employees in the Vancouver and l.a. offices. ‘We expect the expansion to actually create a significant increase in employment,’ says Rhodes.

Also unveiled was the founding of VirtualMagic Access, a company specializing in compression, interactivity and the Internet with offices in Vancouver and l.a.