The volume of production coming out of the Canadian market will be reflected at this year’s mipcom, Sept. 26-30.

In terms of the amount they’re bringing, this will be the biggest market ever in Alliance Communications’ history, according to senior vp of sales for Alliance Television International Jean Michel Ciszewski.

Ditto Atlantis Communications as they focus their efforts on the sale of five different series: Night Man, a syndicated series based on the Marvel comic, Earth: Final Conflict, Traders, Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal and Forefront Entertainment’s Riverdale.

The mipcom powers have expanded the exhibition area floor space, creating room for over 100 new exhibitors, 1987 registered companies and four new exhibiting countries, Mexico, Nigeria, New Zealand and Peru, making 1997 the biggest year yet.

Of the top 10 exhibiting countries, Canada ranks fourth with 25 stands (six more than last year) after the u.s. with 133, the u.k. with 99 and France with 67.

Alliance is packing more than 100 hours of drama – double what they brought last year – including a third season of Due South and episodes of Once A Thief, which has already been sold worldwide with the exception of a few territories which they hope to secure at this year’s market.

Currently in discussion with Germany and France, Ciszewski says they intend to put together a major coproduction on the $1.6 million per episode series Fast Track.

Under the category of more traditional action is the two-hour pilot for a 22-hour series Shadow Warriors and adventure series Total Recall.

Alliance is also seeking European coproduction partners for six new Harlequin movies shooting at the end of October.

‘Our strategy is to clean up the catalogue in 75% of the territory,’ says Ciszewski.

Atlantis president Ted Riley says key markets for their product continue to be England, Germany, France and Italy, which is where they will be concentrating their efforts.

At Paragon Entertainment, Kirstine Layfield, president of Accolade Releasing, the executive sales agent for Paragon, is heading to Cannes with two new animated half-hour Teddy Bear Adventures and three new Legends Of The Land specials.

Also on tap are 13 new half-hours of Hidden City and 19 episodes of The Rez, recently renewed by cbc. Both series have sold well in Germany and France in the past, says Layfield.

Taking their first aggressive steps into the children’s market and drama, Great North Productions is toting the Great North-produced half-hour drama The Orange Seed Myth and Other Lies Mothers Tell and the Once Upon a Hamster series from Hammytime Productions.

According to managing director Sandra Green, Great North is potentially looking to pick up three mows and as many series.

Ironstar Communication’s Derek McGillivray is going to mipcom with New York Times coproduction series Portraits of Power, docs which have been out of commission for the last 10 years about the leaders of the 20th century including programs on Hitler, Stalin and Churchill.

McGillivray expects that the digitally remastered series will go for anywhere from $5,000 a title to $15,000. He will also be seeking European coproduction partners for wildlife doc called The Global Family.

Sullivan Entertainment will be pushing two new properties, Love On The Land, a $13 million four-hour miniseries, and $4-million children’s film Rupert Paterson Wants to be a Super Hero, plus additional seasons of the tv series Wind at My Back. Sullivan senior vp Nat Abraham says the company will also be looking at distributing docs and some animation.

Salter Street Films is taking police thriller Major Crime, a $5.5-million miniseries starring David Cubitt and Michael Moriarty, as well as a 65 half-hours of comedy El Mundo del Lundo. Lynn James, vp of sales, says they are also on the lookout for coproductions.