Handel Productions gets growing

Montreal – Documentary producer Alan Handel’s Montreal prodco Handel Productions has three major docs in the works on a diverse range of topics, including the science of sci-fi, celebrity culture and entertainment mogul Edgar Bronfman Jr.

The first project, currently in post-production under the working title The Science of Star Trek, is based on William Shatner’s book I’m Working on That. It examines the impact of the beloved television series on science and culture around the world, with Shatner appearing as guide and host.

Handel executive produces with British director Julian Jones. The bulk of principal photography was completed in late winter/early spring, with two additional weeks of photography with Shatner in L.A. in June. Delivery is planned for mid-September.

The $2-million doc will run as one two-hour or two one-hours, depending on the broadcaster. It has been produced with Quebec and federal tax credits and presales to broadcasters including Discovery Canada, Channel 5 in the U.K., The History Channel in the U.S. and ARTE in France and Germany, as well as additional territories through Discovery Channel International. Paramount, which produced the original Star Trek series, has all home-video and DVD rights, along with television rights in some territories.

Going forward, Handel says he hopes projects like The Science of Star Trek will not have to rely on funds such as the CTF. He hopes that combining provincial and federal tax credits with presales to broadcasters in Canada and two or three other countries will become the funding model for his company.

‘It’s a busy season for Handel Productions. I used to produce, write and direct all our projects. Now that I focus on executive producing, we’ve been growing. We are happy with the size of the projects and kind of stories we’re working on, and we’re really excited about the range of broadcasters we’re working with,’ said Handel from France’s Sunny Side of the Doc market, where he was looking to secure additional presales for the Star Trek project and the two other documentaries on which he is working.

The first is Double Trouble, a one-hour doc for CTV about celebrity look-alikes. Handel is currently confirming financing for the $744,000 project and hopes to start production this summer with director Scott Harper.

In addition, he is working on a 2 x 60 mini about Bronfman’s ill-fated involvement with Vivendi Universal for Global, Canal D and Radio-Canada. The $966,000 project is receiving funding from the CTF, and Handel says he received positive responses from a number of international broadcasters at Sunny Side. He hopes to start principal photography with director Don Young in late July for delivery in January. Laura Bracken