Nontreal: Cast and crew logged in a couple of extra-long days on the recently completed two-hour tv movie/pilot of Largo Winch, a highly stylized episode that the show’s broadcasters can schedule as a special or during the sweeps period.

Eighteen hours of the 26-episode series are in the can, including 13 filmed in France earlier this year, with the remaining eight (including the pilot) being shot in Montreal through to late October.

Adapted from the best-selling Editions Dupuis comic-book series, the $40-million action-adventure series is an official Canada/France coproduction between TVA International and Dupuis Films. The high budget also represents the cost of coproduction and development, the participation of various international distributors, and the show’s elaborate sets.

‘There’s a certain cost associated with that kind of complexity, no doubt about it,’ says executive producer David Patterson. ‘But on the other hand, it brings a very interesting production value to the series in terms of the look; for example, being able to shoot 13 hours in France.’

And budget considerations are compelling, says the producer. ‘We continue to be under pressure, particularly from Paramount [International Television – the u.s. and foreign distrib], for instance, to shoot this series in 35mm. That’s a major cost consideration for us, probably in the vicinity of $40,000 per episode.’

Patterson says the next step is to go to a second and third season, starting up in Montreal as early as next spring, given the show’s massive investment.

Patterson’s approach to high-budget international action-adventure is characterized by careful development over an extended period. His Canadian operation, Mediatoon, an Editions Dupuis company, has packaged and financed some 250 half-hours of coproduced animation.

‘My mandate is to explore ways in which international partnerships and financing can be put together to develop viable ways in which [Dupuis’] comic-book library can be exploited. We have the right kind of partners because it’s their kind of product,’ he explains.

‘M6 in France, for instance, is a network committed to international coproduction, perhaps unlike the larger networks in France, which are more committed to local production, and similarly with Germany’s ProSieben [Betafilm in collaboration with Tandem Communications].’ The other issues in this high-cost and risky category, he says, are distributor sales forecasts, which are used to finance production but aren’t always met.

‘There are certain risks [for the coproducers] that relate to the short-term profitability of the show, but it is a scenario where in essence we were covered as we went in,’ says Patterson. ‘Performance of the show in the marketplace will not dictate how much money the producers receive. So there isn’t a great distribution risk assumed by the producers. We are not working with estimates, we’re working with guarantees.’

The promoters anticipate a long shelf life for the property and significant ancillary revenues based on Largo’s established merchandising success in French-speaking Europe (Internet games, cd-rom products, clothing).

The jet-setting series stars Paolo Seganti as Largo, sudden heir to a gigantic corporate empire. Largo delves into the cutthroat world of high finance and international intrigue with the help his wise-cracking buddy (Diego Wallraff), his razor-sharp security advisor (Sydney Penny), a high-tech ex-kgb hacker (Geordie Johnson) and his deceased father’s trusted right-hand man (Serge Houde). David Carradine makes a special appearance as Largo’s dad, a feared and mysterious industrialist whose shoes Largo must fill as he takes over Group W.

Largo director David Wu made his mark editing on action-master John Woo films, including editing/directing on the Alliance/ctv series Once a Thief. dop Bernard Couture is originating on Super 16mm film.

Other partners include A.T. Production with rtl-tvi in Belgium. Editions Dupuis has sales rights in France, Benelux and Greece. TVA International has sold the series to Global Television Network in the English-Canadian market.

Jacques Methe of tva and Leon Perahia of Editions Dupuis are producing. Patterson (Dracula, The Series) and series showrunner Phil Bedard (Once a Thief) are exec producers. Madeleine Henrie is the line producer.

Covitec unit Supersuite is handling the show’s film-to tape requirements. The picture editor (avid) is Arthur Tarnowski. L’Intrigue and Bill Rivard are managing mechanical special effects and the limited cgi is from Tube Studios.

Patterson and TVA International, headed by recently named president Pierre Lampron, are exploring new possibilities for various Dupuis franchises. TVA International is a subsidiary of media company TVA Group, with offices in Montreal, Toronto and Los Angeles. *

-www.tva.ca