According to Radke Films director/DOP Steve Gordon, a great cause inspires superior results. His work on the PSA ‘It’s Only Natural’ for Reach for the Rainbow is proof positive, garnering top marks in this year’s Top Spots cinematography category.

Michael McCabe remembers exactly the moment when the Canadian Association of Broadcasters began to assert its new identity. It was 1988 and McCabe had recently taken over the reins of CAB as the president and CEO.

Toronto-based Flashcut editor Chris Parkins was able to really show his chops on the spot ‘Umbrella’ (Top Spot #3) for Ford of Canada. Directed by Jean-Marc Piche of Montreal’s Cinelande, the 60-second ad (later cut down to two :30s) displays some impressive cutting and morphing, which Parkins credits largely to inferno artist Mike Morey (then with Manta DSP, now with Stealing Time Editing).

For the third consecutive year, Toronto’s Spin Productions has come out on top in the Top Spots F/X and animation category. Spin designer Hiep Pham gets the nod for his work on The Bay’s Fashion Cares spot. The spot, entitled ‘Fun With Fashion,’ features the after-work exploits of some tough-looking, blue-collar guys getting ready for a fashionable – and feminine – night on the town.

The following is a listing of Canadian commercial production houses in alphabetical order. Information is based on questionnaires completed by companies which chose to respond to Playback’s survey.

The electronics equipment is still being shipped, sets are still being painted and new office cubicles are still being added. This is Stornoway Communications just over a month after champagne corks were popped at 6 a.m. on Sept. 7 to mark the launch of the upstart broadcaster’s three diginets, iChannel, bmp:tv and Movieola. (The short-movie channel, Movieola, was acquired in early October, pending CRTC approval.) And balloons are still afloat.

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.)

There are two questions everybody asks as I prepare to leave the Canadian Association of Broadcasters after 13 and a half years at the helm.

Jay Switzer (a self-confessed TV brat) is president of Toronto-based CHUM Television.

Christin Shipton has worked as an executive in television movies and series for over 15 years at CBC, Alliance, Alliance Atlantis and recently the CTV-affiliated Landscape Entertainment.

In this special report, we present the results of the Playback/Blue Spark iTV Convergence Survey.

Vancouver: In a deal worth $57 million (US$36 million) in cash, shares and assets, Landscape Entertainment has bought a 20% stake in L.A.-based Artisan Entertainment. While the deal should be final by the end of October, less clear is what kind of a Canadian presence Landscape will maintain.
Equal partners CTV and an investor syndicate headed by Canadian Bob Cooper founded Landscape Entertainment in 1999 as a Canadian parent company with offices in Toronto and L.A. creating film, television and Internet content.