Vancouver: Funding agency British Columbia Film has released its program guidelines and application forms for development and production financing for fiscal 2001/02….

Vancouver: Fans of Paul Newman’s 1979 hockey classic Slapshot can stop holding their breath.
Slapshot II Breaking the Ice goes into a month of production at Vancouver rinks March 12. And yes, the notorious Hanson Brothers from the original film return, although 20-odd years older. Other major casting was still underway at press time.

Vancouver: For an industry that thrives on speculation, the movie business in Vancouver may be well into ‘fear fatigue’ when it comes to the subject of u.s. writers and actors strikes. Will they settle? Will they walk the picket? Should I plan holidays?
Jittery volatility is the only certainty.
Mark DesRochers, b.c.’s film commissioner, calls the pre-strike-buildup time the most hot-and-cold period in his experience.

Vancouver: Canadian industrialist Gerry Schwartz has added blockbusters to his bestsellers for us$250 million.
On Feb. 15, the ceo of Onex Corp. – leading a buyout group including Pacific Capital Group (controlled by digital cinema advocate Gary Winnick in Beverly Hills) and l.a.-based Oaktree Capital Management – signed a letter of intent to acquire faltering exhibition chain Loews Cineplex Entertainment.

Vancouver: No problem qualifying for Canadian content for the new feature The Rhino Brothers: it’s about hockey and how it disrupts a family.
The $850,000 full-length feature is using the new Sony HD24P cameras. It’s an initiative that has the support of Rainmaker Digital Pictures (which will do all the post-production at ‘aggressively priced’ rates) and camera supplier William F. White, which provided the hd cameras for a fraction of the regular rate.

Vancouver: A leading immigration lawyer in Vancouver says the number of inquiries from Americans in the entertainment business seeking resident status in Canada has doubled in the past two years….

Vancouver: Television anchor Kevin Newman will host Global Television’s new 30-minute national newscast from Vancouver’s bctv studios beginning in September….

Vancouver: Producer Robert McDonagh of Vancouver’s Fortress Films has pulled off a double hat trick with the six-part anthology Hotel he directed for Bravo!. …

Vancouver: Six Lions Gate Entertainment films received nominations, the most ever, at the 16th annual IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards….

Vancouver: The independent six-member board approved by the crtc to run Vancouver station ckvu at arm’s length from owner CanWest Global includes one former CanWest officer and two current CanWest minority shareholders….

Vancouver: Lions Gate Entertainment of Vancouver has restructured its home entertainment operations into three distinct video labels – in part stimulated by the acquisition of Trimark last year….

Vancouver: Fans of digital production in Vancouver – and there are many – can attend Lights! Camera! Convergence!, a digital video symposium organized by the b.c. branch of the Directors Guild of Canada and sponsored by an impressive array of production…