Montreal: New business in Europe and the lucrative call of American first-run syndication has led to the second season renewal of the Telescene Film Group teen sitcom series Student Bodies. The live-action/animation series has been renewed in the u.s. by syndicator…

And so go specialty channels….

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Montreal: Astral Communications has increased its investment in Artech Digital Entertainments from 35% to 51%, exercising an option to buy additional shares from founders Paul Butler and Rick Banks….

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Montreal: Bob Presner, a vp with Motion Picture Bond, will compete with his former colleagues in his new position as president of Film Finances Canada (1998)….

Vancouver: The newly created Motion Picture and Entertainment Industry Foundation is holding focus groups to determine which charitable initiatives are high priorities for the production community’s philanthropists….

After an extended struggle to remain viable and reposition itself as a production partner, Pixel Motion, one of the high-profile players in the Halifax computer animation and effects market, has ceased operation….

Institutional investors are taking a stronger interest in Vancouver’s Vidatron Entertainment Group which completed a $2-million private placement with Royal Bank Capital Corporation July 28. In total, 533,300 common shares were issued at a price of $3.75….

The Partners’ Film Company director Mitch Gabourie is in development on feature film Komanchee Street with L.A.-based CineVisions/Seven Arts Pictures. The script was written by Gabourie during his film school days and will go before the cameras either this fall or…

The Players Film Company’s Philip Mellows has expanded his sphere of American influence in a deal with Santa Monica, California-based production company Atlas Pictures….

Maxx Productions director Larry August and dop Simon Mestel had a day for the Canadian National Exhibition through Stubbs Chapman. Greg Edgar handled the post at Stealing Time and Rob Plowman added the tunes at Fish Music….