Back in 1986, Ladi Horak, a film editor who cut CTV’s Live It Up!, opened the doors to Toronto’s CreativePOST in a 580-square-foot rented space in downtown Toronto.

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There was a time not long ago when the cost of shooting HD was prohibitive to some producers. But Showtime’s series Masters of Horror is demonstrating that you can shoot TV drama on an HD camera that costs $7,000 – in this case, the Panasonic AG-HVX200 HD camcorder.

It is a busy summer of shooting in most regions across Canada, with a healthy dose of foreign productions putting down stakes north of the 49th. But there are also numerous indigenous projects going to camera, and some technically challenging ones, at that.

As a key FX provider for the Warner Bros. summer blockbuster Superman Returns, Frantic Films has become a big part of the Man of Steel’s new universe. However, the Winnipeg production and post shop’s work on the film is actually in support of the latest nefarious scheme from Superman’s arch-nemesis.

The Movie Network and Movie Central have given the green light to two original dramas, Durham County and ZOS, and will bring back the sci-fi series ReGenesis for a third season this fall.

Looking to provide greater efficiency as a one-stop post shop, PowerPost Production has completed the consolidation of its audio and video post businesses into a single, 10,000-square-foot facility in downtown Halifax.

Rainmaker has formally opened the doors to a new London facility, with no less than The Da Vinci Code as its inaugural project.

MTV Canada has signed an exclusive wireless distribution deal with Bell Mobility, meaning viewers who want their MTV must become Bell Mobility subscribers to watch its ’10 Spot’ wireless programming block.

The Banff World Television Festival will this year recognize four decades of innovation in the post-production field when manufacturer Quantel receives the Deluxe Outstanding Technical Achievement Award.

At 200 episodes and counting, Stargate SG-1 isn’t just a sci-fi institution – it’s also helped provide a foundation for the burgeoning Vancouver post and FX industry. Over the last 10 years, several Vancouver post houses have been able to flex their creative chops and grow their businesses on MGM Television’s flagship series, along with its Stargate Atlantis spin-off.

Leading post and animation/FX software makers are preparing to display their wares on the massive show floor at NAB2006. The result will be a buffet of new and upgraded systems and software for post practitioners, plus attempts to draw them to booths through a combination of star quality and cutting-edge eye candy.