Year of the whirling dervish

The public production companies raised over $400 million. Cable is controlling the universe. The ctcpf leveraged more than $600 million in production. The ctcpf ran out early. Seven American specialty channels. Eight new Canadian specialties. New provincial tax credits are good. New provincial tax credits are bad. There’s no infrastructure to support feature films. The Sweet Hereafter could be Oscar-bound.

The whiplash that was 1997.

But the world needs another Top 10 list like a poke in the eye. What follows are thoughts on some of last year’s events looking to the year ahead.

* Canadian production. Beginning to crystallize last year was the need for mechanisms to quell the indigenous versus industrial argument. In the year ahead, the crtc can reasonably be expected to take measures to place incentives on the triggering of indigenous production. As for contemplating the world without the ctcpf, we’re not even going to go there.

* Baton, ctv, wic, Global. With CanWest closing in on wic, a successful takeover bid could turn the competitive landscape cobbled together over the past three years on its ear. Canada could be back to two private broadcasters, ctv and Global, with Global owning dual stations in b.c., Ontario and Quebec. chum could step up with purchase proposals, stretching itself into a new national network. The Craigs could swoop into Ontario. The possibilities are dense and varied, but never dull.

* Animation is a pretty picture, as usual. The pain of Pippi being eclipsed on home turf by Anastasia is likely somewhat salved at Nelvana by the deal to supply cbs’ entire Saturday morning schedule. And despite the Pippi situation, a curious number of homegrown animated features are on deck. Never say die. Susannah Moodie would be proud.

* Feature film financing. As Heritage Minister Sheila Copps orchestrates a series of closed-door meetings to discuss changing the disheartening Canadian feature film equation, the Sony/Lowes-Cinplex Odeon Films merger has passed quietly through Investment Canada. Is there a commitment to increased screen time for Canadian films? Presumably not or there’d likely be a press release. Somehow, this is left of confidence-inspiring.

* If the call for public comments on Shaw’s buy into Headline Sports is an indication, the commission isn’t in a happy place when it comes to the cable guys. With placements including chairwoman Francoise Bertrand and secretary general Laura Talbot-Allan, perhaps this will be the year of Answer The Question.

How much analog capacity do Rogers and Shaw have after two years of rebuilding? Could you detail the plan to launch the remaining Canadian specialties this September? As for the handling of 71 new specialty applications… Mergatroid. It’s too early in the year to go here either.

Bonne annee.