Comweb Corp. appoints Catherine Tait to board of directors
Catherine Tait, president and founding partner of Duopoly, has joined Comweb’s board of directors. Tait previously served as president and COO of Salter Street Films from 1997 until the company was sold to Alliance Atlantis in 2001. In 2006, she co-founded digital content company iThentic and in 2011, she co-founded Hollywood Suite. Comweb’s current board members are Paul Bronfman, Cyril Drabinsky, Laurence M. Geringer, Keith Mosley, Bernie J. Nisker, Muni Noorbhai, Paul Roscorla, Jay Switzer and Tait.

ACTRA names John Drainie winners
For their contributions to Canadian broadcasting, ACTRA is honouring Ann-Marie MacDonald, Rick Mercer and Mark Starowicz with its John Drainie Awards. The award, which celebrates Canadians who have made a difference in Canadian broadcasting, is presented by ACTRA and CBC/Radio-Canada. This year’s recipients will be awarded at a ceremony hosted by past Drainie-winner Wendy Mesley on Oct. 5 at the CBC’s Barbara Frum Atrium. MacDonald is an author, actor, writer and journalist who currently hosts CBC’s Doc Zone; Mercer is a comedian, actor and writer who hosts The Rick Mercer Report; and Starowicz is a journalist who joined the CBC as a producer in 1970 and helped revamp the radio program As It Happens and launched current affairs show Sunday Morning. The award was created in 1968, two years after the death of celebrated Canadian radio actor John Drainie.

CFC names Cultural Start-Up winners
The two winners of the inaugural Cultural Start-Up Award were announced at the conclusion of the Canadian Film Centre’s Enterprising Culture event on Sept. 29. Enterprising Culture, an international forum for French and Canadian cultural industry startups, was hosted by the CFC Media Lab and the Cultural Service of the Embassy of France in Canada, in partnership with French think tank Forum d’Avignon. In total, 12 finalists from France and Canada were chosen to pitch their startup idea to a panel of business experts, with one company from each country selected to win the newly created award. The Canadian award winner will be sent on a one-week business trip to the Forum d’Avignon to participate in commercialization activities, while the CFC will host the French company. From Canada, Social Asset Management Inc. (SAM), took home the award. SAM has developed a content management system for media organizations to create and publish social media content. From France, Editions Animees, a colouring book tool that turns kids’ pictures into animated films, was awarded.

UMedia launches VFX studio in Vancouver
Global film group UMedia has opened its first Canadian VFX and finishing studio in Vancouver. The 10,000 square-foot facility, which is equipped to house more than 70 artists, opened at the end of September. Peter Muyzers is CEO of the Vancouver studio. Prior to joining UMedia Vancouver, Muyzers was COO of Imagine Engine. In addition to Vancouver, UMedia has offices in London, Brussels, Paris and Los Angeles.

Teletubbies to hit the stage 
DHX Brands, the brand management and consumer products arm of DHX Media, has appointed children’s stage show producers FieryLight to create and produce an international Teletubbies live theatre tour. The stage tour will kick off in the U.K. and Ireland in 2017 and will then make its way to the U.S., Canada, Australia, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand.