Incendo juggles four new MOWs, action series

Montreal: Producers Josée Mauffette and Jean Bureau have just wrapped on Montreal-based prodco Incendo Productions’ fifteenth MOW. The four-year-old company (formerly JB Media) – owned by Bureau and Stephen Greenberg – is gearing up for a busy production year with four additional MOWs in the works, as well as a one-hour action series, the company’s first international coproduction.

Bureau and Greenberg’s productions were previously produced under JB Media, with Incendo handling the distribution end of their business. Now the principals are in the process of rebranding JB to draw on the well-known Incendo name.

Forbidden Secrets (formerly Drowning) is the first production on Incendo’s 2005 slate. It shot in Montreal April 11 to May 4. Richard Roy (The Last Chapter) directed the $3-million MOW, slated for a September delivery to broadcasters The Movie Network, Movie Central and Super Écran. The movie is also set to air on Lifetime in the U.S. Kristy Swanson (The Long Dark Kiss) stars with David Keeley (The Manchurian Candidate) and Christopher Bondy (Haven’t We Met Before?).

Also airing on TMN/MC and Super Écran in Canada and Lifetime in the U.S. is Chain Palace, the second MOW on the Incendo slate. Principal photography is due to begin in Montreal in June under Quebec director Philippe Gagnon (Moving).

Platinum Rush, the third MOW on tap, should go to camera in July.

Incendo’s first international coproduction, Ronin, a one-hour action series based on the 1998 John Frankenheimer feature of the same name, is currently in development, with shooting slated to begin next year. Budgeted at approximately $1.6 million per episode, the official treaty coproduction is produced with German partner Action Concept. Incendo will distribute in Canada, with Action Concept handling sales in German-speaking territories. GRB Worldwide, part of L.A.-based GRB Entertainment, is handling worldwide sales.