Vancouver: On Nov. 3, b.c.’s Minister of Finance Joy MacPhail declared the province’s new tax credits for domestic and foreign production unqualified successes in stimulating film and television production….

The Players Film Company director/dop Henry Less shot two days for Presidents Choice Insiders Report out of Ammirati Puris Lintas. Norm Odell cut at Flashcut….

After a three-year ‘retirement’ from the ad world and the completion of a major artistic undertaking, commercial directing hall-of-famer Bill Irish has thrown his hat back into the spot ring….

In a recent project for Robert Redford’s independent film outlet, the Sundance Channel, Toronto’s Head Gear created a weird and wonderful film-feathered bird, designed to present ‘Something New’ to the channel’s audience….

*Discreet down in first quarter ’99…

In a recent decision, the crtc said it is satisfied that national distribution of tva is warranted and is looking for the most ‘direct and effective’ means by which to leverage carriage. To that end, it is requesting public comment on…

The bbc has purchased all 130 episodes of tvontario’s flagship series Polka Dot Shorts, making it the first tvo-produced children’s program on the bbc….

Montreal: Productions La Fete and Vancouver’s Pacific Motion Pictures are coproducing partners on the four-hour a&e dramatic miniseries Barnum. pmp will distribute the $17-million production in Canada, while Hallmark Entertainment has international rights….

Vancouver: Producer Brian Hamilton of Vancouver’s Omni Film Productions is one of five b.c. producers to take part in the annual U.K. Immersion project, this year taking place in London the week of Nov. 16 and dedicated to documentary filmmakers….

The Film Works (The Arrow, Such a Long Journey) has joined forces with veteran Canuck comedy producer/director/writer Perry Rosemond’s The Rosemond Company to form Sitcom Inc….

In keeping with the coproduction spirit, Newfoundland producers Barbara Doran and Jennice Ripley have hooked up with Montreal producer Loren Richard of Cite-Amerique for Random Passage, marking the first coproduction between the two provinces….

The following is an alphabetical listing of Canadian animation houses. Information is based on questionnaires completed by companies which chose to respond to Playback’s survey. (The number of commercials listed refers to completely animated (as opposed to post) jobs.)…