Vancouver: Chris Brough, a founding principal of Vancouver’s Mainframe Entertainment, has unexpectedly left the pioneering computer animation company and his positions as ceo and vice-chair.

Mainframe representatives had no comment on Brough’s departure, saying only that an announcement about management changes would come after Playback’s press deadline for this issue. Brough, who has formed Pan Pacific Productions, was also not available for comment.

In the void of information from either side, observers suggest that after a protracted period of disappointing financial results and the shelved promise of a computer-animated feature, a change was necessary to keep the market involved in the company. Others question the merits of a $16-million investment by Imax Corporation in March as to whether it was taken on to create shareholder value or whether it was just the first deal to come along.

Mainframe, according to a July BC Business story on b.c. public companies, ranks third-worst among companies suffering a decline in earnings in 1998. Mainframe income in 1998 dropped 3,380% to a loss position of $11.6 million.

Mainframe shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange closed July 6 at $1.80 per share compared to the company’s year high and low prices of $6 and $1.21 per share.

Industry watchers also suggest there was a growing rift in vision between the founders, Brough and Ian Pearson, who remains with Mainframe. cfo Brett Gannon was also still on staff at press time.

Mainframe continues to produce 26 11-minute episodes of Weird-Ohs and 26 half-hours of Beast Machines (a Beasties spin-off) along with the imax 3D feature Gulliver’s Travels, which has a summer 2000 release date.