Ottawa animation company Boomstone Entertainment and Toronto’s Bright Anvil Studios have entered into a joint venture which will see the companies team up on service contracts and codevelop proprietary animated product.

‘To compete as a small studio we recognized the need to join forces with strong talent in other markets,’ says Lee Williams, a partner in Boomstone and a former vp of production at the now-defunct Lacewood Animation in Ottawa. Williams says the intent of the alliance is to build a strong creative and production team to service the outsourcing of large production companies and originate new projects, and to increase the exposure of both companies. Down the road, Williams says the intent is to cement the alliance between the two studios into a more permanent relationship.

Sanjay Burman, an independent packaging agent formerly with The Characters Talent Agency, brokered the deal and currently represents both companies. Burman is working with the combined team of Boomstone and Bright Anvil to develop proprietary projects.

Boomstone’s recent work includes animation contracts for Nelvana series Stickin’ Around, Ned’s Newt, Flying Rhinos and Bob and Margaret, as well as Funbag Animation’s Anthony Ant and Rainbow Fish. A number of proprietary projects are in early development.

Bright Anvil, headed by Logan Lubera and Craig Yeung, is a three-year-old company providing concept and character design and script creation for film and tv projects. Recent projects include storyboard and concept design for Brats of the Lost Nebula, produced by l.a.’s Jim Henson Productions and Toronto’s Decode Entertainment, and the upcoming season of Transformers from Mainframe and Alliance Atlantis.

Bright Anvil is developing an animated teen series titled Pony Express, set in outer space and focusing on a group of teenagers who deliver cybermail. Burman and Lubera both report that former Paragon head Jon Slan is interested in producing and the project is under consideration at Fox Television and Columbia TriStar. Bright Anvil is creating the script bible and Boomstone will animate if the project is picked up, says Lubera.

Slan is also working with Bright Anvil on an animated tv show based on wrestler Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart. Discussions are underway with Fox on the series, says Lubera.