Karyn Edwards is leaving Brightlight Pictures to launch her own production shingle, Pictopia Pictures.

“This is the right time for me to move on and create my own company.  I’m looking forward to creating content and forging new strategic partnerships at this exciting time in the film and television industry in Canada,” Edwards said Tuesday in a statement.

Her departure from Vancouver-based Brightlight Pictures follows Stephen Hegyes recently leaving to produce his own indie Canadian features and TV series after co-founder Shawn Williamson bought him out.

Now Edwards will similarly develop, finance, and produce her own TV and film projects after a ten-year stint at Brightlight.

Her role at Brightlight, which produced over 80 projects since launching in 2001, had Edwards working as executive vice president of  business and legal affairs.

Edwards also had a producer credit on a range of projects, reflecting her expertise in financing films and TV series, including international and inter-provincial co-productions.

Her executive producer credits include the theatrical feature Fifty Dead Men Walking, directed by Kari Skogland, the mini-series Delete and the CBC TV movie Mr. Hockey, to debut in April.

Pictopia Pictures will also look to grab a share of an expanding TV production sector here, especially on the domestic front where private broadcast spending on homegrown series is on an upswing.