Since taking over as president of CTV last fall, Rick Brace has been quietly steering his company away from troubled projects undertaken in the convergence-happy heyday of the late ’90s. Following the retirement of network grande dame Trina McQueen, Brace was called up from his post as head of the net’s many specialty channels.
Playback talked with Brace at the CTV head office about the near future of the network and its cross-media plans – touching on the fate of the digichannels, diversity and the CTF along the way.

Toronto’s Alliance Atlantis Communications has promised the largest launch ever for a Canadian film and it appears poised to deliver, with partners CHUM and Famous Players in tow.
The object of this vigorous effort is Foolproof, the sophomore feature from director William Phillips (Treed Murray). Jim Sherry, president of AAC’s Canadian theatrical distribution department, says the P&A budget for the film in Canada will be north of $2 million.

First, the good news. The spring EIP decisions, announced May 6 by Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Television Fund, have breathed new life into many popular and high-profile shows that, due to lack of LFP funds, have had one foot in the grave since April. The Red Green Show, The Eleventh Hour and three MOWs for CTV are among the 70 shows that scored a total of $67 million.

The fall schedule for Craig Media stations took shape this month with news that the chain has picked up both syndicated talker The Wayne Brady Show and the exclusive English-language rights for the NFL’s Monday Night Football. Both shows will air this fall on Craig’s A-Channel outlets in the Prairies, and on toronto|one, due to launch in September.

Vancouver: Fans of The West Wing may lament the change of creative management at the hit White House series with the departure of creator Aaron Sorkin next season. But no similar quality-control hand-wringing needs to happen for fans of CBC’s Da Vinci’s Inquest after creator Chris Haddock’s landmark deal to produce The Handler for CBS next fall.

Vancouver: While its creative and business management is in Los Angeles and Eastern Canada, Lions Gate Entertainment remains a Vancouver-based company, even with the retirement of its Vancouver-based chairman and founder Frank Giustra.

NFB, U.K. sign funding pact

Vancouver: It was B.C. producer Trish Dolman’s Leo weekend May 9 and 10 with her productions taking 12 trophies at Vancouver’s 2003 Leo Awards, a fifth-annual event created to recognize the film and television production work of B.C. residents.

Rejean Cournoyer and Ellen Page were the big winners at the ACTRA Maritimes Awards in Halifax, taking home the prizes for outstanding performance by a male and female.

Montreal: Quebec cultural funding and certification agency SODEC and the Bavarian state funding agency FilmFernsehFonds Bayern have signed a cooperation agreement covering film and audiovisual affairs.

Montreal: Arden Ryshpan, liaison officer with the STCVQ/ACTRA and a key figure in Quebec location promotion efforts over the past three years, will join the Directors Guild of Canada as its new manager of national directors affairs, effective July 1. Ryshpan will be based in Toronto.

Que. copro info sessions