Vancouver: The future is brightening for B.C. television series production and it’s coming from the past. Producers Kirk Shaw and James Shavick begin production Nov. 8 on Young Blades, described as a next generation of Musketeers set in 17th century Paris.

The 22 hours will air on CHUM in Canada and PAX TV in the U.S. Sony owns the foreign rights to the six-out-of-10 show.

Shaw says the per-episode budget is in the $1-million range, helped in large amount by the 12.5% regional labor bonus gained by locating the production in a 37,000-square-foot warehouse in Maple Ridge.

Karen Cliche (Mutant X) stars as a woman posing as a man among the new group of swordsmen. Other casting was happening at press time.

Shaw says the series was originally created as a France/Canada coproduction with Canal+ and Universal, but the original deal fell through. Universal, he adds, referred the series to Shaw and Shavick, who bought the entire project.

Meanwhile, Shaw’s Insight Film & Video and Shavick Entertainment began work on another Regent Entertainment video feature Oct. 21. Fatal Reunion, a thriller about marriage and fidelity, stars Calgary resident Erika Eleniak (Baywatch) and Canadian David Millbern (Zolar). CHUM will air the $1.6-million MOW in Canada.

Previously, Shaw and Shavick produced Snowman’s Pass and Too Cool for Christmas for Regent, and are scheduled to produce Third Man Out (a gay baseball story) and Deadly Skies (asteroids) for the distributor before year’s end.