Toronto-based iQ Films launched itself into the worldwide marketplace in late February, aiming to make Canadian directors accessible to commercial production around the globe.

An initiative of Toronto commercial houses Spy Films, Mad Films and LTB Productions, iQ is a new company that is responding to opportunities in the growing international marketplace on behalf of Canadian spot-makers.

‘We want to experience what is going on beyond the Canadian market, even beyond the North American market, and we feel through international dialogue there are going to be many wonderful opportunities for many different people,’ says executive producer Liane Thomas.

The focus of iQ initially will be twofold. The first will be to promote Canadian directors to new global markets, matching local talent with creative need across the globe.

‘In a way, it’s a repping service and my brain will become a bank of directing wealth which I can present to various production companies worldwide, hopefully putting together the right director with the right project,’ says Thomas. She adds that initially the directors at Spy, Mad and ltb will be the most accessible to her, but she hopes in time to bring other talent into the fold for international iQ representation.

‘Obviously I’m not going to just pick up any old reel and sell it in a foreign market,’ she says. ‘We are hopefully going to talk to many new and exciting directors – could be in Asia, Canada, the u.k. In terms of what I can do with my exposure to the foreign markets, I’m going to be seeing projects come up and because of my affiliation with Spy, Mad and ltb, I become an international marketing arm for them.’

The second focus in the early going for iQ (www.iqfilms.com) will be to provide production management for foreign companies shooting in Canada.

‘This is not a new concept, but we are going to do it better and in a new and efficient manner,’ says Thomas. ‘Because [Spy, Mad, and ltb] have been in operation for so long, we’ve developed many great relationships within the local market. We are really going to extend those relationships to new clients.’

Thomas adds that given the participation of Spy’s Carlo Trulli and William Cranor, Mad’s Mark Bisson and ltb’s Wayne Fenske, she is confident in iQ’s ability to help Canadian directors gain exposure in foreign markets. She goes on to say that if there was ever a need for such a service it is now.

‘We really want to be innovators in this area, and we are exhausting technology and global relationships to the max so we can seek out new and exciting opportunities.’