Early spring is the target date for completion of the new studio which will house Krystal Music and Sound Design, the new sound and music shop formed by David Krystal and associate Harvey Wolfe.

Coming off a long-standing partnership with Louder Music, Krystal opted for his own studio startup in which Wolfe, formerly vp Canada Controlled Media Communications, will act as executive producer and gm.

The facility will offer music and sound for tv and radio spots as well as for long-format projects. The studio, situated at Adelaide and Peter Streets in downtown Toronto, will be a state-of-the-art setup designed by Martin Pilchner, with office space designed by Del Terralonge.

Krystal has been operating solo since late fall and the new undertaking has racked up 17 spots. Wolfe says the new shop will also be looking to branching significantly into u.s. work.

New year, new additions

angel Films has signed cherubic Traders star and new spot director on the block David Cubittto its roster.

The Animation House has staffed up in the production department with the addition of Debbie Cooke as executive producer/producer and Susie Rucska as producer. Cooke had previously been at Cuppa Coffee as producer/production manager and Rucska was senior broadcast producer at Padulo.

New York-based director Rob Michael Cohn is the newest addition to Imported Artists’ roster. Cohn, best known for his comedic spots, is the owner of Big Chair Productions in New York.

Shane McCleary has joined Rave as a sales rep. After a six-month stint at Optix Digital Post and fx, McCleary says she is excited about getting back into commercial production (prior to Optix McCleary was at Imported Artists) and working again with agency people.

Georgina Langley joins Head Gear Animation as production coordinator as the recent Toronto animation startup completes the move to its new headquarters.

The shop has also just contributed to upping the Canadian quotient of all-American organization the nba. In addition to the Canadian-produced spots for the nba picked up to run across the u.s., Head Gear has helped create a new Canadian campaign focusing on the Canuck creator of basketball, James Naismith. The shop is producing animation for five spots, set to run in Canada. The spots were done directly through the nba in New Jersey and directed by Head Gear cofounder Steve Angel.

An affair to remember

although doubtless most are anxious to put the holidays behind them, a final look back in jollyness is due for The Partners’ Film Company’s annual Family Party.

With a bigger venue, enthralled youngsters and guardians (when not being dragged by the wrist by junior at full tilt) were able to stroll at leisure through a kiddies wonderland full of fuzzy cartoons come to life, games where even the coordination-challenged could win brand-name prizes from Mattel and Irwin, full-scale rides and a lineup, free food area with enough variety to satisfy food snobs and junk cravers alike.

An estimated 2,500-plus children of all ages enjoyed the event, which managed somehow to be at once a well-oiled organizational machine and a charming celebration of youthful pleasure-seeking.

That’s not funny.

In the last issue of Playback, the new comedy arm of L.T.B. Productions was incorrectly referred to as the Comedy Shop; the name is actually the Comedy Stop.