In addition to tackling meaty issues, festival symposiums offer a chance to network with the networks. Playback talked to a few of the programmers and network suppliers who will be in town for the festival.

Showtime Networks vp Matt Riklin says the u.s. pay-tv network already shoots about 80% of its original feature presentations in Canada.

‘We find it mutually beneficial to work with Canadians,’ says Riklin, responsible for program enterprises and distribution. He says it’s to Canada’s advantage that there are ‘shared sensibilities, but some differences as well.’

‘Because of the geographical proximity and economic advantages it makes cooperation even more attractive. We are delighted with what we’ve done in Canada,’ he says.

Typically, Showtime’s producer-suppliers have the right to shop the films for theatrical release between the time of delivery and broadcast on the network.

Showtime acquires some 40 original productions a year, a majority shot in Canada, specifically Toronto.

Riklin, who is responsible for coventuring with Canada, says recent Canadian projects on the network include Telescene Communications’ Hiroshima, and several features with Atlantis Films, including Harrison Bergeron, the latter two apparently very well received. As well, Riklin says several projects are being developed with Alliance Communications.

Product varies from high profile event programming like Hiroshima to movies aimed at the eight- to 14-year-old bracket and movies based on stage plays, including Losing Chase, actor Kevin Bacon’s directing debut

‘We look for things that are definitely not mows. We do things that we think will be high profile and will look different on broadcast television.’

The approach is theatrical in that movie talent is used, and the productions ‘are not shot in seven acts like tv movies,’ says Riklin.

Feature budgets range from $2 million to $4.5 million.

Showtime is looking at doing some coproduction that would involve European territories and end users, but foreign presentations have to date been limited.

In Europe, Riklin is dealing with bbc, Ellipse Programme and Canal+ and ufa, a broadcaster/distributor in Germany.

Riklin says Showtime’s annual investment in original programming is in the order of $100 million.

Showtime Networks owns Showtime, The Movie Channel and Flix as well as Showtime Satellite Networks. It manages Showtime Event Televison Pay Per View, and through a joint venture All News Channel. Showtime Networks is a unit of Blockbuster Entertainment Group which is wholly-owned by Viacom.

Talkin’ to the kidsters

‘My introduction to Canada really was through the National Film Board, and when we saw that little green logo, we knew we were going to see the best film in the festival,’ says Linda Simensky, director of animation, Nick Junior, Nickelodeon’s relatively new pre-school program block.

‘We see Canada as a place we want to work, animation-wise. The animators are good, the studios are good, and we are very comfortable,’ Simensky says.

Nick Junior looks for partners with strong creative programming skills. Typically, shows have to be culturally accessible, with humor and accents understood by the u.s. audience.

This season, Nelvana, in association with Nickelodeon, is producing a Maurice Sendak-illustrated series based on the Little Bear children’s books.

As for the structure of Nickelodeon deals, Simensky says. ‘They’re generally coproductions.’

‘As far as making a pitch, I would say we are not looking for something that’s super-developed or sophisticated, we’re looking for the basic idea, that way, it’s more conducive to feedback,’ she says.

Character driven

‘In a nutshell what we’re looking for are character-driven shows and in the case of Nick Junior, shows that have what we call flexible-thinking, some degree of problem solving and partnership and learning how to interpret the world around in a fun and funny way.’

She says Nick Junior, as opposed to Nick Toons, is always interested in properties based on strong-selling children’s books. Design and music are important criteria, too.

Simensky says pilots are rigorously tested, with kids and parents.

Simensky says perhaps the biggest obstacle to effective pre-school programming is learning how to speak to kids.

Tie your shoe

‘If you talk down to those kids the programming doesn’t really work and if you skew it a little older and assume that younger kids will watch it, they will, but they won’t get anything out of it. If it’s really written in the voice of a three-year-old…and deals with problems they encounter, maybe things like tying your shoes, or eating lunch or a birthday, then things work better. So what we are really looking for are people who understand how to talk to kids of that age. We are not really looking for stuff that feels super commercial or is tied to a toy,’ says Simensky.

Nick Junior ‘receives several pitches a week, we go to development on six projects a year, and maybe one or two make it,’ says Simensky.

Nickeolodeon was launched in 1979 and has channels in the u.k., Australia, and a start-up set for the fall in Germany.

Nina Hahn, Sunbow Entertainment’s vice-president development, says technological advances and the falling away of national boundaries has exposed kids to more worldly programming, giving rise to what she calls ‘The Sophisticated Kid.’

Hahn says it’s the advent of new media that causes kids to be smarter and hipper than their insular parents.

‘It is incumbent on producers to develop programs that excite and ignite and broaden children’s horizons,’ she says.

By intelligent programming, Hahn is referring to ‘cross-over’ material with appeal on various levels and to various demographics, but not necessarily educational programming.

Based in New York, the 18-year-old company has produced more than 950 half-hours of animation, including this season’s lineup The Tick for Fox Television, The Mask for cbs, based on the comic book and feature film, and a new show called Littlest Pet Shop, a strip series syndicated by Claster Television.

‘Our company is a studio without a studio, if you will, whereby we find ideas and develop and finance ideas and sub-contract with any number of studios who do the work-for-hire animation,’ Hahn says.

Sunbow has a two-pronged ‘yin and yang mission,’ says Hahn, reflecting both commercial projects with wide appeal such as The Mask and its syndicated shows, and programs that have a ‘quirkier, boutique’ appeal.

Program budgets for animation shows in the u.s. syndication, cable or network tv market run in the $300,000 range, and the market for animation southside is hot.

abc, cbs, upn, wb and Fox are all buyers of Saturday morning kiddies’ fare, while, in cable, most channels have ‘kids’ blocks,’ including Nickelodeon, Showtime, hbo, USA Network and Family Channel.

To date, Sunbow has coventured with France, and now, this year, with a u.k. partner.

Hahn says she is sure the company will find the right Canadian partner and project soon.

‘In my mind, one of the things Canada is known for traditionally is animation,’ she says.