A unique graphic transition in the opening sequence of the Michael Douglas feature The Sentinel and the astonishing closing pull-away shot to a Tokyo skyline in the forthcoming Brad Pitt starrer Babel provide only a glimpse of the work that’s come out of Toronto VFX shop Intelligent Creatures.

Odeon Films is targeting pre-existing fans to sell Trailer Park Boys The Movie when the hotly anticipated comedy arrives on around 200 screens on Oct. 6.
The publicity campaign comprises major TV and print media buys directed at fans of the cult Showcase TV series, which is said to draw ratings between 300,000 and 400,000 per episode. Odeon president Bryan Gliserman hopes to draw that same number to the movie, plus some 500,000 new fans.

Regina, SK: It’s 3 a.m. but the Ruby Café is bustling with activity as C100 Halifax, the first of eight radio stations, goes live to air from the Regina set of Corner Gas, with Fred Ewanuick – who plays Hank, best buddy of gas station owner Brent LeRoy (Brent Butt) – as its first guest.
The Sept. 18 ‘Canada wakes up in Dog River’ tour is part of CTV’s campaign to promote the show in advance of its fourth-season premiere that night.

Starting this year with its 21st annual edition, the Gemini Awards are taking a cue from the Junos, crisscrossing the country in roadshow format. Canada’s national television awards show will host its 2006 final-night gala from the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, BC on Nov. 4.

Corus Entertainment has eliminated 83 full-time jobs and shut down its offices in Edmonton, the U.K. and Los Angeles following a reorganization of its animation and broadcasting units.

The way Noah Cowan sees it, one of the best things about the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival was the success of Canada’s lesser-known filmmakers.

After barely a year on the job, Guy Fournier has stepped down as chairman of the board at CBC amid a storm of complaints over his remarks in a Quebec gossip magazine.

When the Festival du Nouveau Cinema unravels Oct. 18-28 in Montreal, it will unspool many noteworthy titles that also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Canada’s hopes of a best foreign-language win at next year’s Oscars lie with Deepa Mehta’s Water, starring Lisa Ray and John Abraham. A committee chaired by Telefilm Canada selected the film, which was submitted last month to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with eyes towards scoring a nomination. The 79th Academy Award nominations will be revealed Jan. 23, 2007.

Some six months after it played to mixed results in theaters, the Maurice Richard biopic The Rocket debuted on home video Sept. 19 through Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm – with a minimal marketing push in English Canada, but heftier support by TV ads in Quebec.

Following are the nominees for Best Dramatic Series:

The Hot Sheet tracks Canadian box-office results for the period Sept. 15-21, 2006 and DVD sales in Canada for the period Sept. 4-10, 2006.