*First CHUM copro begins shooting

Principal photography is underway in London, Eng. on CHUM Television’s first international coproduction, Gormenghast.

Coproduced with bbc and wgbh Boston, the four-hour miniseries is an adaptation of the Mervyn Peake fantasy trilogy and stars Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Velvet Goldmine, Titus) as Steerpike, a kitchen-boy determined to leave his position and take over a centuries-old dynasty. Also featured are Stephen Fry, Ian Richardson and Spike Milligan.

Space: The Imagination Station will air Gormenghast later this year. CHUM Television has exclusive Canadian rights.

*Amazon starts shooting

Principal photography is underway in Toronto on 22 one-hours of Peter Benchley’s Amazon, produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications in association with Germany’s BetaFilm, l.a.-based Eyemark Entertainment and WIC Entertainment.

The series about the adventures of six survivors of a commercial jet crash as they try to find their way out of the Amazon Rain Forest stars Rob Stewart, Carol Alt, Chris Martin, Fabiana Udenio, Tyler Hynes and C. Thomas Howell Executive producers are Seaton McLean and Peter Sussman of aac.

Eyemark has distribution rights in the u.s., while BetaFilm, the distribution arm of the Germany-based KirchGroup, is handling Germany. aac has Canada and the remaining foreign territories. wic is the Canadian broadcaster.

*Lions Gate first-look deal

Lions Gate Television has signed a first-look agreement with producer Doug Schwartz, one of the creators and executive producers of Baywatch.

Schwartz, who will be based out of Lions Gate’s l.a. office, will concentrate on creating and executive producing hour-long series and mows.

Schwartz’s first project with Lions Gate is Cliffhangers, which marks the company’s initial expansion into dramatic series television. Preproduction is underway in Vancouver on the 22-episode action/drama series set in a high school.

While Lions Gate Television retains Canadian distribution rights to Cliffhangers, Paramount International is distributing the series worldwide. Cliffhangers stars Joe Lando (Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman), who is also co-executive producer with Schwartz, Michael Braverman (Beverly Hills 90210) and Matthew Hastings.