Montreal: Christal Films Distribution and TVA Films have created an equal-partnership joint venture, Topaze Communications, to share operating costs associated with the sale and marketing of their respective catalogues in the Quebec theatrical, home and TV markets.
Both Christal and TVA Films will remain entirely independent.
Christal Films is majority controlled by Christian Larouche in partnership with Lions Gate Films. TVA Films, the rebaptised TVA International, an integrated production and distribution operation, becomes the distribution arm of media company Groupe TVA, a Quebecor Media subsidiary.

Las Vegas: The international broadcast industry is experiencing tough economic times, and it is going to take an accelerated adoption of digital television to bring business around. This was the message at NAB2002, the annual gathering of the U.S. National Association of Broadcasters and the world’s largest electronic media show.
Since last year’s conference, the interactive sector has not pulled out of the doldrums of the dot-com stock crash, and innovations in the broadcast world have been put on hold following an economic downturn worsened by 9/11.
By the same token, U.S. broadcasting’s coverage of the terrorist acts perpetrated against the nation and its subsequent response was hailed as ‘our finest hour’ by NAB president and CEO Eddie Fritts in the event’s opening ceremony. He noted that four times more U.S. viewers tuned in to free over-the-air networks than cable stations. ‘Free over-the-air serves the public good,’ he said.

Montreal: The industry has welcomed Canadian Heritage’s call for an extensive review of the Canadian film and television content system. Heritage Minister Sheila Copps has asked former Telefilm Canada executive director and chairman Francois Macerola to prepare a report, which is likely to be tabled about a year from now.

With Vancouver’s status as a region, its ever-maturing production community, impressive studio space and proximity to Hollywood, Quebec’s studios and European-looking locations, and the plethora of provincial tax incentives outside Canada’s most coveted province, Ontario has been faced with some pretty stiff competition in attracting and keeping production within its borders. And that’s just domestic competition.

Group appeals Multivan licence

The CRTC altered the national broadcast landscape earlier this month by awarding a southern Ontario TV licence to Calgary-based Craig Broadcast Systems.

The Canadian Television Press Tour, which provided broadcasters an opportunity to introduce their fall lineups to press from across the country in a week-long, Toronto-based event in June, has been cancelled this year after running for the last two.

* The National Film Board has named Andre Picard director-general of the French Program.

William ‘Bill’ Merrill, VP programming and production with CFCF-TV in Montreal, passed away suddenly on April 3 at the age of 61.

Vancouver: B.C. television producers will have to look elsewhere for production financing now that British Columbia Film has opted out of the TV equity financing game in the wake of the provincial government’s cost-cutting budget announced Feb. 19.

Vancouver: Producer Colleen Nystedt is the latest founding partner to leave Vancouver’s Sextant Entertainment in an operational restructuring that began Jan. 31 when 24% of staff were laid off.

After two years of collaboration, Toronto doc prodcos Infinite Monkeys and MicroTainment Plus have joined forces to create DocuTainment Productions, a TV and film company focusing on factual entertainment. Howard Bernstein of Infinite Monkeys says the move will simplify dealings with broadcasters and financiers. MicroTainment will continue as the company’s drama/entertainment arm.
Military Machines will go to camera on seven episodes in June for Discovery. A coproduction with New Brunswick’s Dreamsmith Entertainment, the show is based in Moncton, NB, and will shoot internationally, tracing the technology of warfare through the ages. Chris Terry produces on a budget of $2.8 million. The series will air after January.