– TV wraps pilot

New Edmonton player Bee TV Productions wrapped A Bee Thankful Day, a pilot for a kids’ tv series to air in September on local stations cfcn-tv Calgary, cfrn-tv Edmonton and CFCF 12 Montreal.

Produced and completely financed in Alberta, the $250,000 special was written by Gerri Cook and includes 3D animation from Edmonton companies Bioware and tvi as well as live-action characters.

Bee TV executive producer Richard Shergold is in development on a 26 half-hour series based on the pilot for delivery this fall. At natpe, Fox, Turner and pbs were among the interested broadcasters who asked distributor Supervision Entertainment to send a copy of the special.

-Cinar, PolyGram network

Following a distribution/branding agreement with Reader’s Digest Association for The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures, Cinar Films has announced a distribution pact and equity investment agreement with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.

PolyGram obtains worldwide rights in sound recording, music publishing, home video and tv to six Cinar tv productions over three years starting with the live-action series Lassie. The agreement excludes the u.s. and Canada. Officials from Cinar say various options exist, including the revival of programs from the company’s 1,000-title library or the development of historical tv series in libraries acquired by PolyGram, including New York-based ITC Entertainment.

-DGA’s northern nods

The Directors Guild of America nominations included two Canadians in its new Family Programming category (includes theatrical films and tv movies): Stuart Margolin for Norstar’s Salt Water Moose and Michael Kennedy for Showtime’s Robin of Locksley, produced by Larry Sugar, which was Showtime’s highest rated family film last year.

Winners will be announced March 8.